Chapter Twenty-Seven

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Morgan

The whole ride to Lilington, I feel like I’m going to jump out of my skin. This isn’t the first time Easton has gotten into trouble, but it’s the first time he’s gotten arrested since I’ve been home, and from everything I know, it’s never happened in a neighboring town before. Lilington is only twenty minutes from Birchbark, but I’m not sure why he was there in the first place, or what he did wrong, or if we’re going to be able to do anything about it.

The second Dusty parks, I jump out of the Jeep. “Calm down, baby. I know you want to be there for Easton, but if you go in there guns blazing, we’re not going to be able to figure anything out.”

I agree, but it’s not that easy. The logical part of me knows he’s right, but that doesn’t stop the guilt from setting fire to my logic. I can’t stop thinking about the fact that I knew Easton was upset tonight, and yet I let him walk away to go celebrate my accomplishments with my boyfriend. “He’s my little brother. It’s my job to take care of him. I haven’t been doing it for ten years, and now I’m back and still not doing it.”

I try to walk away, but Dusty grabs my arm. “You can’t be your brother’s keeper. You can be there for him, for both of them, but you can’t fix all their problems.”

“I sure as fuck can try.” It’s what Mom would’ve wanted.

Dusty lets me go, and we enter the small jail. There’s a male officer at the front counter, who gives us a skeptical look. “Can I help you?”

“I’m Morgan Swift. My brother Easton was brought in…I’m not sure when. Sometime tonight. I’m trying to figure out what happened and if I can take him home tonight.”

“I’m sorry, sir, but I don’t have that information for you.”

I groan, count back from three and try to control my temper. “Is there any way we can see him?”

“I’m sorry, but—”

The door opens behind me, cutting off his words. I turn around to see Rhett walking in with…

“What the fuck is he doing here?” I bite out, pointing at Dad.

“Morgan, calm down,” Dusty pleads.

“I’m here…to see…my son,” Dad says, in that new, slower way of his, walking around me.

Rhett’s voice is low when he says, “Calm the fuck down before you get yourself into trouble too. I was at Dad’s. He wasn’t feeling well, and I didn’t know he was up wandering the house when I tried to leave. He insisted on coming.” Rhett straightens his suit jacket, and why is he wearing a suit at three in the morning? “If you can’t keep yourself under control, you need to leave. The rest of us have done this before.” He adds the last part just to be a dick.

“Rhett…” Dusty warns, threading his fingers through mine, and while my whole body is overheated, I can’t even be mad at Rhett for that. The fact is, he’s telling the truth.

They were here.

I wasn’t.

“I’m Rhett Swift,” my brother says to the officer. “This is our father, Gregory Swift—former Michigan congressman and mayor of Birchbark. I’m Easton’s lawyer, and I’d like to know the charges against my client.”

The officer sighs, and I know he’s going to tell them, if only because of who both Rhett and my dad are.

“Assault. He lost his cool on another man at a bar. Attacked him. There are witnesses.”

Fuck. Goddamn it, East.

“I’d like to see him, please,” Rhett says.

The officer nods, then looks at me and Dusty. “Not them.”

My heart drops to my feet, skin suddenly clammy as guilt makes my dinner want to come up.

“Listen,” Rhett says. “I’m asking you for a favor here…my father is as well. He’s worked hard for the state of Michigan, and specifically Birchbark County, for over thirty years. Morgan is our brother, and Dusty is his partner. I would appreciate it if you could do this favor for me.”

My gaze snaps to the back of Rhett’s head. He doesn’t turn and acknowledge me, doesn’t boast, just keeps looking at the officer, something silent passing between them.

“Just this once,” the officer says, and I breathe out a sigh of relief. “This way.”

Rhett didn’t have to do that for me. Hell, there were times he would have walked back there without me and then bragged about it afterward. That’s the kind of relationship we’ve always had, yet tonight, that’s not what he did. And I also know that if he wasn’t who he is, and Dad too, this wouldn’t be happening.

The officer leads us to one of those small interrogation rooms like in the movies. He leaves us inside while he goes to get Easton. I let go of Dusty’s hand and walk closer to Rhett. “I…thank you,” I say, voice low and insecure.

“It was nothing,” he replies without looking my way.

“Should let him rot,” Dad interrupts. “Would too…if it didn’t bring shame…on the Swift name.”

My shoulders tense. That’s what he cares about right now? The Swift name? East is clearly hurting and needs his family, and all my father cares about is what people think. I don’t know why I’m surprised. I guess I’m not, really. I’ll just never understand him, want to do everything in my power not to be like him. My gaze finds Rhett, who is looking at our dad with a tight jaw. Maybe one way to make sure I’m never like our dad is to fix things with Rhett.

Before I can figure out what to say, the door opens, the officer bringing a handcuffed Easton inside.

“Jesus Christ. Has he seen a doctor?” jumps from my mouth as I go to him.

“He refused,” the officer replies. “If they are competent and conscious, they have that right.”

Easton’s right eye is swollen shut. There’s a cut above it, with dried blood around it. His lip is swollen too, blood on his shirt. When the officer seats him, East’s hands rest on the table, bruised and battered from hitting. His right hand is swollen as well.

“I don’t give a fuck if he refused or not. He’s seeing a doctor,” I spit out.

“Yes. He is.” Rhett’s voice is firm. The officer ignores me, gives my brother a nod, and slips from the room.

“Fuck you, Morgan. I asked for your help with Pretty Girl, not this.” East’s hard stare shoots to our father. I completely understand not wanting him here.

“I called Rhett. I didn’t know he was at Dad’s.” I walk over and kneel in front of him, trying to reach for his face, but he jerks his head away. “Christ, East. What happened?”

“Are you going to see my dog tomorrow?”

I sigh. “Yes. And if we can’t make it, Cass will. We’ll take care of her. I promise. Right now I’m more worried about you.”

“What happened?” Rhett asks again, in that accusatory tone Dad would use. Does Rhett even realize he’s doing the same?

East shrugs. “I attacked someone. That’s what they told you, right?”

“We’re not asking what they told us,” Dusty replies. “We’re asking you what happened because we trust and believe in you.”

No matter how hard this moment is, my heart swells at what my man said. He’s so fucking perfect, with a big-ass heart, and I’ll spend every moment of every day being thankful I have him.

East, however, doesn’t reply.

Rhett huffs. “Easton, you have to give me something to work with here. Tell me step by step what happened.”

“Him,” Dad pushes out before East has a chance to even consider replying. My spine stiffens. “He happened. He always happens.”

“Dad,” I warn.

“Not…babying him…anymore. He’s a disgrace.”

“Dad!” Rhett adds, his voice louder than mine.

“He’ll ruin us, ruin you. You’re running for mayor. Distance yourself from him. He’s not a Swift.”

I shove to my feet. As soon as I make a move to go for my father, Dusty wraps an arm around me, holding me in place. “Fuck you, Dad. I’m done with you, not him. You’re the disgrace. Jesus, why did you ever fucking have us!”

“Lower your voice,” Dad says tensely. I’d been yelling, but I don’t care.

“Dad, that’s enough,” Rhett tries again, much calmer than me. East just looks down at the table, knee bouncing, not making eye contact with any of us.

“Get out,” I tell Dad. “Get the fuck out. We don’t need you. We don’t want you.” As true as the words are, part of me feels like it’s ripping apart at saying them. This isn’t how it’s supposed to be. This isn’t what family is supposed to be, but then, real family is the people you choose, like Dusty. The ones who are always there for you.

“You couldn’t even…get in without Rhett and me.” No, no I couldn’t, but that doesn’t mean he belongs here now. His venom turns back to Easton again. “She wanted you…gave her life for you…and this…is how you thank her? You weren’t worth it. Wish it had been you…not Ella.”

Anger explodes inside me, vision going blurry as I lunge at my father. Dusty holds me back, won’t let me out of his grip, but then it’s Rhett’s fiery stare pinning our father down. “That. Is. Enough!” Rhett grabs Dad’s arm, pulling him toward the door. “My whole fucking life I’ve tried with you, tried to be who you want, and I’m fucking done. Don’t ever talk to my brother that way again.”

Dusty’s hold on me loosens, and I’m struck dumb for a moment, unable to believe Rhett just said that, but I push myself forward, stand beside my big brother, blocking Easton from Dad. “We’re all done with you. The only person here Mom would have been ashamed of is you.”

“Rhett,” Dad pleads, not even acknowledging me, knowing he won’t get anywhere with me, but playing on Rhett’s lifelong love of him.

“If you don’t get out,” Rhett tells him, “I’ll have you thrown out.”

Dad’s hateful stare shoots between Rhett and me for a moment before settling on me. “You turned my son against me.”

“No, Dad. You did that.”

Rhett opens the door. Dad stalls a moment, then walks out. My brother closes the door behind him.

“Rhett,” I say, but he shakes me off.

“Not now.” He steps around me and goes back to Easton, who is looking up at both of us, blue eyes so similar to Mom’s, and they’re totally lost and confused, as if he can’t understand why we would do that for him.

“What happened tonight, East?” Rhett asks, his voice gentler than I’ve ever heard it, but East only shakes his head and looks away.

“I know you,” I tell him. “If you attacked that man, there’s a reason. Don’t sacrifice yourself because you don’t think you deserve it,” I plead.

East doesn’t reply.

There’s a knock at the door, and Dusty curses.

“The two of you might have to leave, but I’ll stay and help East,” Rhett says, but when Dusty opens the door, it’s not the local officer standing there; it’s Archer Thorn.

“Thank fuck,” Dusty says, letting him in.

“I had to pull some strings to get in here.” He walks right over to East, grabs his chin to look at his face, but my brother pulls out of his hold.

“Why are you here?” East grits out. “Why are all of you here?”

“Give me a minute with him.” The demand in Archer’s voice leaves little room for any of us to argue.

“Let’s go,” Dusty says softly. “We’ll be right outside. We can come back in when Archer is done.”

I don’t move for a moment, looking at Rhett, whose brows are drawn together in obvious confusion. That makes two of us. I don’t think anything is going on between East and Archer because of what Cass said the night we went out, but clearly, there’s a connection.

When Dusty tugs me toward the door, I follow, then Rhett. Dusty sits in one of the two chairs outside the room, pulling me closer.

“You can have it,” I tell Rhett, who shakes his head.

“I’m fine.” He paces in front of us while I sit down beside Dusty.

“Rhett…about what just happened…”

“I’m not talking about this, Morgan.”

“Okay…soon, though…and thank you for being our big brother tonight.”

His gaze snaps to mine, penetrating but unreadable. Damn, we’re so fucking broken, all of us, but if tonight has done anything, it’s shown me that we are worth saving. The three of us need each other.

Time passes, but we don’t speak anymore. Rhett continues to pace. Dusty has his arm around me, pulling me close, the scent and feel of his skin giving me more comfort than anything else ever could.

Eventually the door opens, and Archer comes out, running a hand through his hair.

“The guy was hurting his girlfriend, or wife,” he says only for us. “East saw him through a window. He backhanded her in the parking lot, and when he came inside, East hit back.”

And there isn’t one of us standing here who wouldn’t have done the same. “Why didn’t he tell us that?”

Archer shakes his head at me. “Hell, I don’t know. I can’t pretend to understand what goes on in that head of his.” With a sigh, he adds, “There’s nothing we can do here tonight. I don’t know where the woman went when everything went down. I need to find her. Easton knows I’m telling you what happened, so Rhett can use that during his arraignment if we don’t get this all sorted out before then. For tonight, just go home.”

“We’re not leaving,” Rhett says, reaching for the door, but Archer stops him.

“He said he doesn’t want to see anyone tonight. He just wants to go back to his cell. I’m sorry, Rhett.” It’s clear from Archer’s stance, the way his arms are crossed while he guards the door, that he’s not budging. He’s not going to let any of us see East if that’s what East wants.

“Goddamn it,” Rhett says, then leaves without another word.

“What’s going on with you and my brother?” I can’t help but ask again.

Archer pauses, and somehow, the way he’s looking at me says he doesn’t have an answer. “Nothing. Check on him tomorrow.” Archer slips back into the room, shutting us out.

“Come on, baby. Let’s go home.” Dusty takes my hand, and I let him, follow him because there’s nowhere I wouldn’t go with him, but home sounds like heaven.

“We need to stop and get Pretty Girl first. Do you care if she comes to your house? Or I can stay at East’s with her.”

“You’re not staying anywhere but my bed,” he growls, nuzzling me. “Pretty Girl will be the only lady who ever shares it with us.”

I chuckle. Even though things are a mess, Dusty always makes everything better.