Jace Cooper stared at his brother in utter amazement. How could you live twenty-five years with someone and have no clue who they were or how their mind operated?
“You’re freezing me out?”
“Until we find who murdered our parents, yes, I am.” Jackson Cooper stated with cool indifference to his younger brother’s pain at the implied accusation.
“You think I killed mom and dad?” he shouted. “Are you nuts?”
“I feel the need to cover all bases. You seem a little confused as to where your loyalties should be.”
Jace ran a hand through his blonde hair in sheer frustration. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Lets just say I found some incriminating papers in dad’s office.”
“I told the Senator no. You know that.”
“But.” he emphasized. “You’re still planning on moving out to Four Corners aren’t you?”
“That’s completely personal!”
“You can’t separate the two.” Jackson stated, and gave his brother a smile tainted with hatred. “Her Uncle is planning a coup. Choose now, brother. Stay here in town with me and we’ll forget this little incident. If you don’t, I’ll not only have the National Guard down your throat when they get here, but hers too. Little bitch should’ve moved on.”
“Don’t you dare speak about her that way.” he warned.
“Or what?” his brother mocked. “Mama’s boy gonna threaten me? I don’t think so.”
“Watch yourself, Jack.”
“So I take it you’re going to go to the Monroe farm? And to your little–“
Jace struck out with lightning speed and deadly force. He knocked his brother to the ground in one swift blow that connected with the left side of his jaw. As he stood over him, he let some of the rage die before he spoke. “I love her. Don’t disrespect her again.”
Jackson sat up and put a hand over the huge knot that had formed on his jaw and Jace once again saw his brother’s blue eyes ice over.
“You love her?” he mocked. “You haven’t even dated her. She’s your best friend’s little sister.”
“Where is this coming from, Jack? I don’t understand you. We’re brothers.”
“Our parents are dead. And so are we.”
Jace hadn’t known until that moment how much words could hurt. He studied his older brother and wondered when they had become strangers. Their stature was the same, but the family resemblance ended there. Jackson took after his father with dark brown hair and pale blue eyes. He looked more like their mother, with blue eyes, dark as sapphires and rich blonde hair. Maybe that was the rub. His older brother always accused him of being a mama’s boy. Now she’s gone, he thought. I’m all that’s left of her and he’s rejecting me.
Jace said the only thing he could. “I’m sorry.”
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