There are not enough drugs in the world to ever make me tap that again.

He shrugs like it’s no big deal. “What? She offered to blow me a few times in exchange for my silence. I’m only human, Oak.”

Fair enough.

Jaw set, he turns to Crystal. “We also agreed to joint custody, and that Oak can see C.J. whenever I have her.” Appearing calm again, he folds his hands in his lap. “But if you’re not going to stick to your end of the deal, I have no problem lighting you on fire and watching you burn.” He winks. “In a courtroom of course.”

Seething, she stalks out. But not before she mutters, “I hate you both.”

I cup my hands over my mouth. “Feeling’s mutual, Antichrist.”

Now that that shit’s settled, I can handle my business.

My dad tries calling me back when I leave the room, but it falls on deaf ears.

I’m digging my keys out of my pocket when Jace and Cole march up to me.

“Where are you going?” Jace questions.

“I’m taking care of some shit.”

I try to walk away, but Cole stands in front of me. “What shit?”

Are they fucking serious right now?

“Not that you give a fuck, but my dad was just shot by one of Loki’s associates.”

They exchange a glance.

Next thing I know they’re both hauling me into an empty hospital room.

“Don’t be stupid,” Jace barks.

“Too late,” Cole mutters. “This is Oak we’re talking about.”

I glare at them because they have a lot of fucking nerve.

“Don’t stand there and pretend you’re my boys. Or that you actually give a shit.”

I’m a lot smarter than they think, and I know they’re only here right now because either Bianca or their girls forced them to come.

As far as I’m concerned, they can both kick rocks.

Cole rolls his eyes. “Aw, I think he needs to hear us whisper sweet nothings and eternal promises so he’ll talk to us.”

I shove him. “It’s not funny, asshole.”

They made it perfectly fucking clear our ties were cut after the accident.

Truth be told, it hurt after they ditched me.

Way more than I thought it would.

But I don’t need them or their conditional friendship.

Hell, I don’t need anyone.

Except her.

I start to walk out, but Cole grips my shirt.

“Fine, I’ll start.” He makes a face like he’s pretending to think. “Let’s see, where should I begin? How about the time you gave my fiancé Adderall and she had a heart attack? Or when you were lying about working at a bar when you were really selling drugs? Or the time Sawyer flushed your stash down a sewer, and you needed money to reup so Loki didn’t bust a cap in your ass.” He taps his chest. “Yeah, that envelope with the wad of money in it wasn’t from Santa. You’re fucking welcome, asshole.”

I had no idea he was behind that. Although I probably should have, given Cole’s the type to help someone out on the down low and never say a word about it.

“I didn’t know—”

“I’m not fucking done yet,” Cole grunts. “Where was I?” He snaps his fingers. “Oh, that’s right. The time you were boning my baby sister behind my back and then got drunk and high behind the wheel and almost killed her.”

He’s got me there.

“I never meant for that to happen.”

And if I could take back just one of the many fucked-up things I’ve done in my life…it would be that.

“But it did.” He stomps the floor and curses. “And that’s what fucking kills me. The fact that you could do all this shit and turn our lives upside down…yet I still fucking miss you.”

I miss him, too.

“I never meant to hurt Sawyer or Bianca, Cole.”

“I believe you. But it still doesn’t change the fact that you did.”

“I know.”

Something I’ve learned in AA was to take responsibility for your mistakes and apologize to those you’ve wronged.

Draw in a heavy breath, I look at Jace and Cole. “I’m sorry.”

“I know you are, and I’m gonna get over it one day.” Cole scrubs a hand down his face. “In the meantime, promise me you won’t do something stupid because losing you would…I’m not gonna fucking say it because I’m not a little bitch. Just don’t be an idiot, okay?”

I won’t feed him false promises. Not anymore.

I hold his stare. “I won’t look you in the eyes and lie to you again.”

I’m almost to the door when a fist goes flying into my face.

Glowering, I shove my assailant. “Goddammit. What the fuck, Jace?”

“That was for screwing my baby sister and lying about it.” He punches me again. This time in the mouth. “That was for almost killing her.”

He goes to strike me again, but I spit blood at him. “You only get one of those in your lifetime, motherfucker and you just cashed in. Twice.”

I get his anger—and his need to assault my pretty mug—but I’m sure as shit not gonna stand here and be a punching bag for the rest of the night.

If he does it again, I’m gonna start throwing fists back and he doesn’t fucking want that.

Relenting, he backs up. “I won’t apologize for punching you, asshole.”

I snort. Everyone knows Jace doesn’t apologize for shit.

“Don’t expect you to, douchebag.”

“I also won’t apologize for cutting you out of my life. It needed to be done.”

Duly noted.

“Is there a point to this, or can I go?”

Jace clenches his hands into fists. “Dammit, Oak. I fucking hate you right now, but I’m not letting you leave this fucking room until you look me in the eyes and promise you won’t go after Loki.”

That’s a promise I can’t make.

“I can’t—”

A fist goes flying into my face. For a third time.

“Goddammit, asshole,” I roar, lunging at him.

He grabs me by the collar and shoves me against the wall. “You fucking owe me.” The anger in his eyes is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. “I’ve been putting up with your shit since we were kids. The alcohol and drugs, the seizures because of it. All the stupid shit you get yourself into—like screwing around with your stepmom, selling drugs to Dylan’s best friend, messing around with Bianca behind my back, and then almost taking her from me. The list goes on and on. Point is, I’ve demanded a lot of shit over the years, but I’ve never looked you in the eyes like a man and begged you for a damn thing. Except now. Now I’m begging you not to go after Loki.”

I’m not sure why the fuck it matters to him so much.

“Why—”

“Because you’re family,” he roars. “I was destroyed after I lost Liam. The grief was so bad I didn’t think I would survive it, but I had to go on for Cole and Bianca.” Taking a step back, he grunts. “I lost Liam and Dylan in the span of a day. I thought things would always suck and I’d be miserable forever. Until I met this crazy new kid in town who latched on to me like a lost puppy. A kid who did dumb shit, but always made me laugh. A kid I could talk to about how much it hurt to lose my mom and Liam, because he fucking got it.”