Austin paced back and forth in his living room, his phone pressed to his ear, Bentley’s words still echoing in his mind. His heart raced against his chest, disbelief rippling through him as he tried to wrap his head around what Bentley had just revealed.
“David? My own brother?” he muttered to himself, pausing mid-step. He ran a hand through his hair, his movements restless and unsteady.
How had things come to this? His brother—the person he had fought so hard to help, to protect—had turned his life upside down. He could still hear Bentley’s voice on the other end of the line, calm but unyielding.
“You don’t have to worry about David anymore,” Bentley was saying. “He won’t do anything stupid. Not after the conversation we had.”
Austin’s mouth went dry. He wanted to believe Bentley, wan
