It’s still dark when I wake up the next morning. My mind instantly races back over the events of the night before, both good and bad.

After getting Kylie from the car and finally sleeping together, we drank a bottle of wine and talked about our lives. She started falling asleep soon after that, though, so I took her to bed and left her in her room.

I figured she’d want to wake up there, even though I wanted to bring her into my own bed. I don’t want to push it, not yet at least. And so I climb out of my bed and get dressed, plans for the day already forming.

I suspect Kylie is going to sleep in. I leave her a note in the kitchen then dress and head outside. The sun is just starting to peek up over the horizon as I climb into my truck.

I sit behind the wheel for a moment before taking the gun from the waistband of my jeans and checking to make sure that it’s loaded. Satisfied, I slip it onto the passenger side seat and start the engine.

Last night was about Kylie and making sure that she’s okay. I wanted to make sure I made her feel good and safe and warm. But today is about my brother and getting revenge for what he did.

I don’t have a plan, not a clear one yet anyway. What he did was fucked up and illegal, and part of me wants to contact the sheriff. That might not be a good idea, though, since the sheriff’s office is so deeply tangled up with my family. I’m not sure how much Elliot has been bribing him, so he may not even listen to me.

That’s one option. The other option is to drive to Elliot’s house and kill him. I don’t know how much I’d have to bribe the sheriff to cover that one up, though.

I keep driving, my mind a blizzard of conflicting ideas and desires. I glance at the clock on the dash and nod to myself. Late last night, before going to bed, I called a guy I know that works private security and hired a bunch of guys to watch over Kylie. Elliot isn’t going to get close to her, not ever again. They should have just arrived at the house.

As if on cue, my phone buzzes with a text from my friend, letting me know that everything is okay back home.

I feel a little bit better knowing that she’s safe, although I wish I could be back there with her. I’d rather sleep in late with Kylie in my arms, maybe take a long bath with her then go for a hike. Maybe I’d cook her breakfast in bed, or make her a nice dinner or something like that. Something fucking normal and comfortable and fun.

Instead, I’m thinking about murdering my brother.

I pull up outside of the house after about twenty minutes of driving. It’s a small house on the outskirts of Juneau, not a fancy place, but it’s my first stop for the day. I climb out of the truck and walk up the front walkway, feeling more nervous than I thought I would.

I knock on the door and wait. After a minute, there’s some noise inside, and the door opens.

Albert’s wife looks out at me.

“Morning, Mona,” I say.

She frowns. “What do you want, Carson?”

“I wanted to see how Albert’s doing.”

“He’s not doing great.” She stares at me, her expression icy.

“I know that. I’m sorry. I never expected it to go this far.”

“When are you calling the sheriff?” she asks. “Albert was brutally beaten, you know. His ribs are broken.”

“I know,” I say. “I feel responsible. I’m here to apologize.”

“Take your apology and shove it up your—“

“Mona!” Albert’s voice cuts into the conversation. “Let him inside.”

She frowns for a second then opens the door and steps aside. “You don’t deserve him,” she murmurs as I walk past her.

I grunt, basically in agreement. Albert is sitting in the kitchen sipping a cup of coffee. He grins at me as I step in.

“Sorry about that, sir,” he says.

I sigh. “Least of what I deserve,” I answer.

“Nonsense. You didn’t kick my ribs in, did you?”

“No. But you were in that car because of me.”

“I was in that car because I’m a driver. It was your bastard brother and his asshole men that did this to me.”

I sit down across from him. “I’m going to pay your medical bills.”

“Not necessary.”

“I insist.”

“Really, I have good insurance. Didn’t cost a penny.”

I sigh, shaking my head. “At least let me pay you for the time you’re missing.”

He grins. “Maybe I’ll take you up on that.”

I smile a little bit, feeling better. “Listen, Kylie sends her regards. She’s sorry for what happened, but she feels like you saved her life. She’s grateful.”

“I didn’t do anything but get my ass kicked.”

“True. But she told me to send this.” I place an envelope on the table in front of him.

He takes it and opens it. “No,” he says, shaking his head. “No way.”

“Take it,” I say.

“I can’t. How much is this?”

“Just a few thousand.”

“Carson.”

I hold up a hand. “Please, Albert. Take it.”

He sighs. Mona comes into the kitchen, plucks the envelope from his hand, and looks at me. “We’ll take it,” she says, and then leaves.

Albert laughs. “Woman knows what she’s about,” he says.

I grin myself. “Good. I’m glad you’re taken care of.”

He nods then winces in pain. He leans back in his chair and sighs. “What about you?” he asks. “Who’s taking care of you?”

“Nobody,” I say. “And I don’t need it, either.”

“This thing between you and your brother... it’s had the town divided for years, you know that?”

I nod slowly. “I know.”

“Don’t let him tear this place apart. But most of all, don’t let him take you down with him.”

“He nearly killed you,” I say, my face straight. “He nearly killed Kylie.”

“True,” he says.

“He deserves what I give him.”

“Maybe.” He winces again and shrugs. “But you don’t deserve any of it.”

I nod and stand. “Feel better. Come back to work when you’re ready.”

“I will, sir.”

I shake his hand and then head out of the kitchen, his words ringing in my ears. Mona gives me a look as I leave and I can’t help but grin to myself. I’ll have to avoid her for the rest of my life, I’m sure.

I get back into my truck and fire up the engine before pulling back out into the road. I reach across the seat and feel the revolver I have tucked into the cushion.

Albert’s right. This feud, or whatever the fuck it is, has been tearing people apart in this town for years. But that’s because I’ve let it. I haven’t pushed back against Elliot because I’ve felt guilty, but for what? For being fucking older and more successful?

I won’t let him do it anymore. I just take it from him. I could roll over and let him have this whole fucking town, but he doesn’t deserve it, no more than anyone else does.

Elliot lives in a house closer to town along the water. It’s another fifteen-minute drive and the neighborhood changes drastically as I get close to his place. The houses are all larger here, farther apart, though it’s still technically the city limits.

This is the rich part of town. It’s a big gated place with lots of street lights and virtually no crime. I could live here, if I wanted, with all the other rich oil men. But I choose to live up in the mountains, away from these bastards, because I never felt like I fit in.

I pull up to Elliot’s place and hit the buzzer on the intercom. Usually someone replies, but today the gate just swings open, letting me in.

I don’t know what I’m going to do here, but when I park the truck out front, I slip the revolver into my jeans. I cover it with my shirt before stepping out and heading inside.

Elliot meets me in the entrance hall. His house is a gaudy thing, high ceilings and a useless pediment over the top of the front door. There’s an enormous staircase and a baby grand piano on the first floor that never gets played. Elliot meets me there, standing halfway down the stairs with a shit-eating grin on his face.

Rage flows through me. I reach back slightly, ready to draw my weapon, but I pause.

Why the hell did he let me in like this? He knows that I know. He’s well aware that I’m going to be angry as fuck and want to hurt him very badly. He doesn’t seem upset or uneasy at all, and he should be. We’re very much alone, and I could do anything to him right now.

I take a deep breath and look around. The place seems empty, but there’s something wrong about that. Elliot has kids, two little girls, but they’re nowhere to be seen. Normally they’re running around or watching television, but the place is quiet.

“Where’re the girls?” I ask him.

His smile falters. “They’re out with their mother.”

“Why?” I ask him.

“What do you care?” He grins again. “You’re here for a little revenge, I take it.”

I move my hand away from my gun. This is a trap. I don’t know how or why, but there’s no doubt in my mind that it’s a trap. He wants me to do something rash and violent right now.

“I’m here to warn you,” I say, improvising.

“About what?” He takes a step down the stairs, closer to me.

“If you push me again, I will hurt you. I’m done being your brother, Elliot. I’m done going easy on you.”

He sneers at me, and I sense his own anger rising. “You go easy on me?” He laughs, rueful and sickening. “You’re a joke, Carson.”

“You’ve been warned. I tried to ignore your shit for years. I put up with it, told myself it would all go away, that we could go back to being brothers. But we can’t, can we?”

“Can we?” he mocks, coming down to the bottom of the steps. “No, we can’t, you stupid piece of shit. We haven’t been brothers for a long time.”

That pierces me, and I know it’s true. We haven’t been brothers for a long time, not since we were children. Twenty years or more we haven’t been brothers, but I haven’t been able to admit it to myself.

Not anymore. I can see him for what he is.

“Good,” I say. “I’m glad. I don’t have to feel bad when I crush you.”

“Come on, where’s the anger, you pussy!” he says, getting hysterical. I step back away from him, looking around. “I nearly killed your beloved driver. I scared and hurt your girl. You’re just going to take it?”

There’s movement in the room beyond the staircase. It’s brief, but there’s definitely somebody back there. I step back toward the door and grab the handle, not turning my back.

Elliot keeps coming toward me. “You’ve been out for me from the start, always trying to destroy me, always taking what you think belongs to you. But it’s my turn, Carson. I’m going to take your woman, your driver, everything you own, and I’m going to burn it all to the ground. I’ll cut your pretty little girlfriend’s throat and I’ll make you watch.”

Two men step into the hallway, both holding guns, both coming straight toward us. I push the handle down and stumble out the front door, stumbling back down the front steps. I grab the gun from my jeans but before I can draw it, the men grab Elliot and start pulling him away.

“Let me go!” he screams, rage driving him now. “He’s going to hit me, just watch! We’ll get it on camera and he’ll be done. Come on, Carson, you fucking pussy, come at me!”

As the men pull Elliot away, I slip the gun back into my jeans and walk to the car. I get behind the wheel, start the engine, and pull away.

As I put some distance between me and the insane and ranting Elliot, I realize what happened back there.

He must have had cameras wired all over, recording everything. He probably assumed I’d attack him, beat him up, hurt him, whatever. He had men nearby to stop it if it went too far. He was going to use that tape to show our father or maybe to blackmail me in court. Doesn’t matter what he was going to do with them, but I know he was trying to provoke me.

I didn’t take his bait. I’m lucky that I had such a bad feeling to start out with, because otherwise I would have fallen right into his trap. I wanted to hurt him, wanted to go after him, and the only thing holding me back was that sinking feeling. And the moment I glanced at the men in the back room.

At least now I know what lengths Elliot will go to. The person that was once my brother is dead and gone, completely dead and gone, and I don’t have to worry about that anymore.

I don’t have to restrain myself. I don’t feel bad. That man back there is not my brother. He’s a person that’s going to try and do anything he can to hurt me, including coming after the people I care about.

For Albert’s sake, for Kylie’s sake, for the sake of the whole town, and for my own sake, I’m going to break Elliot into a thousand pieces and piss on his grave.