A Little Secret (The Little Things #4)

Chapter 44

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

GRIFFIN

T here are moments like this, too. When you know you’ve fucked up. When you know you’ve been caught red-handed, and the reasoning behind your decisions doesn’t matter anymore. Only the fallout.

“Everett,” I start.

My best friend moves closer. His steps are slow and calculated, too deliberate to be natural. “Why. The fuck. Is Drew here?” Leaving barely an inch of space between us, he glares at me, though I doubt he wants an answer. He already knows. Hell, Finley just laid it out for him to hear.

I’m not the father. Even though everyone thinks I am. Or at least, they did.

“Drew,” Finley’s voice echoes behind us. “I need you to leave. Now.”

“Nah, stay,” Everett orders. His attention flicks over my shoulder toward the porch. “Good to see you again, fuck face.”

Hands raised in surrender, Drew stumbles out, “L-look, I don’t want any trouble, all right? ”

“Seems like it’s a little late for that,” Everett points out. He moves past me. “Did you knock my sister up?”

Ignoring her brother, Finley seethes, “Drew. Get off my porch. Now.”

“Nah, stay a sec,” Ev interrupts. “I think you and I need to have a quick…chat.”

Turning on my heel, I face the shitshow as my adrenaline pulses through my veins like I’ve pounded a dozen energy drinks.

“If you want to have a chat with anyone, I’m pretty sure it’s me,” Finley argues. “And if you’ll let me explain…”

“Let me get this straight.” Scratching his temple with his forefinger, Everett cocks his head. “Griff isn’t the father. You are.”

“Exactly.” The asshole fucking beams like he won the lottery or some shit. And maybe he did. Because while he was burying his head in the sand, I was busy painting a target on my back, and I’m not sure there’s anything I can do to erase it. Not after everything I’ve done. Everything I’ve lied about. Everyone I’ve lied to.

“Ev,” I start.

Without facing me, Everett lifts his index finger, urging me to give him a second as he continues his interrogation. “You cheat on her, too?”

The blood drains from Drew’s face. “Wait, I didn’t?—”

“You tell her to get rid of the baby?” Everett prods.

“Ev,” Finley pleads.

“Answer the question,” Everett pushes.

“I, uh…”

“That’s all I need to hear.” Glancing at me, Everett asks, “You gonna do the honors, or do I need to?” Surprise flashes through me, and Everett must see it because he drops his voice lower, his eyes shining with defeat. “We’ll deal with our shit later. ”

I give him a nod, then face Drew. My need to avenge Fin for all the shit he said to her the last time they spoke drowns out the familiar guilt of betrayal as it pulses through me. He really is a sniveling little bitch. He’s here because he’s scared of his parents? What an asshole. Fisting my hand at my side, I growl, “If I see you on this porch again without an explicit invitation, I’ll beat the shit out of you. We clear?”

“Y-you’re not the boss of?—”

A bone-crunching sound echoes on the porch as I deck Drew in the nose and watch the blood pour onto his pressed button-up shirt. “Get off Finley’s property. Now.”

As he stumbles away, I unclench my fist and stretch my fingers wide. The familiar ache of my bruised knuckles spreads across the back of my hand. It’s a good hurt. A deliberate hurt. And if I’m feeling it, so is Drew. Good. If only it would distract me from my best friend’s pissed-off presence.

Tires squeal seconds later, and I force my body around, facing Everett and the love of my life.

Finley’s pale. Her bottom lip trembling. Because this is the moment. The one we’ve dreaded. The one we both hoped would never arrive, yet here it is. Glaring down at us. The truth is exposed for everyone to see. And to judge. And to fucking twist until there’s nothing left.

“Ev,” Finley begs.

Ignoring her, Everett demands, “Now we’ll deal with our shit. Why’d you lie?”

It’s the crux of everything, isn’t it? Why did I lie? Even now, I wish I had a better answer. One he would understand. One he would empathize with. But he’s my best friend, and I fucked up. It’s as plain and simple as that.

“All I want. All I have ever wanted,” I clarify, “is for Finley to be happy and safe and healthy, same as you. ”

“Then why’d you lie?” he repeats.

It’s a good question. One I’ve asked myself a hundred times. The problem is, I’m not sure there’s anything I can say to justify it. I lied. To everyone. My best friend. My family. Uncle Henry. I screwed up.

As I stand motionless, Finley reaches for me, lacing our fingers together while putting on a strong front. A strong front both of us desperately need if we want to get through this.

“Start. Talking,” Everett grits out.

With a sigh, I tear my focus from our interlocked hands and hold my best friend’s glare. “I thought the only way I could see Fin happy and safe and healthy is to be close to her family and her doctor.”

“Still doesn’t answer the question,” he points out. “Because technically, my sister can be happy and safe and healthy and be close to her family and her doctor”—he moves closer, his chest heaving—“with or without you. So, why did you lie?”

“Back the hell up, Everett,” Finley snaps. Placing herself between us, she jabs at his chest. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, do you hear me?”

“Fin.” I tug on our laced fingers, pulling her back from going head-to-head with Everett. When she looks over her shoulder at me, her eyes blazing with fury, I murmur, “I gave you a minute to clean shit up with Drew. Mind if you give me a minute with Ev?”

Lips pressed together, she keeps her eyes locked on mine, then turns to her older brother. “You hit him, I kick you in the balls. We clear?”

His hands stay fisted at his sides.

“I mean it,” she pushes. “I’m not afraid to check your knuckles after all this is said and done, so don’t test me. ”

Squeezing Finley’s fingers, I say, “Go, Fin. I’ll meet you in your room.”

“You have five minutes.” She brings my fingers to her lips, kisses the knuckles, then lets me go and disappears down the hall, leaving me alone with my best friend turned enemy if I didn’t know any better.

With another sigh, I walk toward the couches in the family room, wipe my hands on my jeans, and collapse onto one of the cushions. “Take a seat, Ev.”

“Why should I?”

“Because whether or not we’re able to salvage our friendship, I’m gonna be your brother-in-law one day, so we might as well sort our shit out.”

Grudgingly, he strides toward the opposite sofa and sits down but doesn’t say a single fucking word.

“I’m in love with your sister,” I announce. “I know it’s no excuse, but I am. And honestly, in a fucked-up kind of way, all of this should make you happy.”

He scoffs. “Bullshit.”

“I’m serious,” I push. “If you take anything away from this fucked-up situation, it’s the knowledge that I’d sacrifice anything for her. Including my career. My reputation. And you.” I look up from my bruised knuckles. “My best friend. My brother . That’s how much I love Finley. How willingly I’d do anything to keep her safe and to make her happy. It’s all you ever wanted for her, right? To find someone who would do anything—be anything—for her, and I promise you, I will.”

“I’m not arguing with you on that front. I’m pissed because you lied to me.”

“Did I?” I question.

Another scoff escapes him. “Seriously, man? That’s the bullshit stance you’re gonna take?”

“If we’re going by hard facts, you’re right. Biologically, I’m not the father. But in every way that matters, I will be this baby’s dad. Every. Fucking. Way.”

“I don’t doubt it, but?—”

“Look at my mom, man,” I growl. “Look at the way she raised Jax. Yeah, Jax’s birth mom is still in the picture, but my mom has claimed him since day one. He might not be hers by blood, but she is every bit his mom as she is mine, and we both know she would burn the world to the ground if anyone tried to keep him from her. She’d also fucking neuter you or anyone else,” I clarify with a pointed look, “if she ever heard someone try to tell her she isn’t Jaxon’s mom or the blood running through his veins holds any kind of weight to the love she has for him. You know it, and I know it, so get off your high horse.”

His molars grind, but he stays quiet, knowing I’m right. We were raised together. Everett. Me. My older brother, Jax. He saw the way my mom treated us. Treated all of her kids. Like we were equals. And fuck, if it isn’t the truth.

“Finley’s baby is mine,” I continue. “It doesn’t matter whose name is put on the birth certificate. Doesn’t matter whether or not Drew is in the picture. I love every piece of Finley, including the pieces she’s passing on to her unborn child. So you can be pissed at me all you want, but nothing, and I mean nothing, is going to change my stance on this.” I hesitate and lean back on the cushions, spreading my legs wide as I stare at my best friend.

“You’re missing the point,” he mutters. “I get how much you care about her, Griff. And I can even get behind you wanting to raise the kid like your own. But you lied. To me.” He punctuates his words with a sharp shake of his head. “And you can say whatever you want about your reasoning, but if you’d told me the truth, if you’d told everyone the truth, you would’ve still had our support. That’s why I’m pissed. Why I can’t even look at you. Because if we were as close as I thought we were, you would’ve told me. And you sure as shit would’ve told Uncle Henry. Now? Now, I feel like I don’t even fucking know you, and after the way you lied to me, I feel like you don’t know me, either.”

“You’re right,” I mutter. “I fucked up. I didn’t trust you enough to tell you everything, and I should’ve.”

“Yeah, apparently, it’s a theme lately,” he offers dryly.

“Apparently.” A low laugh escapes me. “I’ll work on it.”

“Good.” He hesitates. “And I’ll work on not losing my shit when things don’t go according to plan.” Scratching along his jaw, he adds, “Doesn’t help I just got off the phone with Uncle Henry when I overheard shit going down on the front porch.” He drops his hand to his lap.

“What’d he say?”

“That he’s working on shit, but he’s not a miracle worker.”

“I’ll tell him the truth,” I rush out.

“You will,” he agrees. “But only because Uncle Henry deserves to know.”

“Maybe he’ll?—”

Everett shakes his head. “The position’s gonna go to the right guy, Griff. The Lions need you. My sister needs you. The baby needs you.” Standing, he walks toward me and offers his hand. When I take it, he pulls me to my feet. “Raine and I are excited for our future, wherever it takes us. Promise.” His mouth lifts. “I even got her a gift for our new place once we move.”

“What’s that?”

“Drake, uh, he destroyed one of her drawings when they were still together. I pieced it together and had it framed.” His mouth lifts. “We’re gonna be fine, man.”

“You sure?”

With a soft thud, his hand lands on my shoulder. “ You’re not the only one who would sacrifice anything for their girl. We’ll be good. Promise.”

I nod. “Thanks, Ev. For everything.”

“You’re my brother, man.” Tugging me into a hug, he slaps his hand against my upper back before letting me go. “Now, go check on my sister and show her I didn’t beat the shit out of you, all right? I don’t feel like having my balls kicked in tonight.”

With a laugh, I shake my head. “See you later.”

“See ya, man.”