“Why is he back?” Linc’s father asked.
“I don’t know. I tried to get it out of him last night. But he’s not talking. I didn’t want to push too hard and make him suspicious,” Linc told them.
“But he was breaking into his old apartment looking for something. And that tells me something,” Ethan said.
“What does it tell you?” Wyatt asked, looking weary and sounding short-tempered.
Linc was the one who should be cranky, not Wyatt. He hadn’t gotten a minute of sleep last night after getting back to his place with Emmett. But he’d done his family the courtesy of not calling them until this morning.
Why ruin their night too? This morning seemed soon enough to have all their worlds come crashing down around them.
“It tells me that he needs something,” Ethan said. “Probably money. What else could he have left hidden over Rosie’s?”
“If it was cash, why wouldn’t he have just taken it with him when he left?” Linc asked.
“Maybe he forgot it when he fled. He ran out of here like his ass was on fire the moment he heard he was gonna be a daddy. Not all men drop down on one knee with the family diamond ring when they hear they knocked up their girl,” Ethan said, earning him a glare from Wyatt, who had done exactly that with Olivia.
“Watch it,” Wyatt warned Ethan, his tone low with warning.
“Where is he now?” their father asked Linc, ignoring his two eldest sons.
“Back at my place. Still sleeping when I left.”
“You hope.” Ethan scowled. “He could just as easily be rifling through your shit. Looking for something to steal.”
“I have no proof he ever stole from us while he was working here,” Wyatt said.
“No. He only stole from Poppy, Eva and your wife,” Ethan returned, silencing Wyatt from defending Emmett any further.
“What do we do now that he’s back?” Linc asked his father directly.
“Nothing yet.”
“You said if he showed up, we’d take a vote,” Wyatt reminded.
“After we find proof that the will is valid and was in force at the time of John T’s death. Not before. I’m still looking into that. Until then, things stay status quo. No mention of that will we found.”
Thank God for their father remaining levelheaded. He was the one person who could rein Wyatt in. Their father might be the one thing to save the family from Wyatt’s obscene level of fair play.
A sense of honor was one thing, but Wyatt took it to the next level.
“If Emmett—”
“Good morning, darlin’,” Ethan said, loudly enough to overpower Wyatt’s voice. “Don’t you look nice. Heading out to work?”
“Shut it, Wilder.” Poppy narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend. “I know the cockroach is back. Eva already texted us. She’s on her way over so we can discuss it with Livvie.”
“I don’t want Olivia upset,” Wyatt said.
“Too late for that,” Ethan mumbled.
Poppy, usually sweet, all sunshine and good cheer, spun to face Wyatt. “If you don’t want your pregnant wife who’s already on bed rest for health reasons to get upset, you can send the cockroach packing rather than putting him up in the lodge like he’s a welcome guest.”
There was the sound of the front door opening. Poppy glanced toward the hall.
“That should be Eva now.” She shot Wyatt a glance over her shoulder. “Oh, and I’m gonna be late getting in to work today, boss.”
She turned and headed toward the door.
“And if that’s not Eva and it’s the snake, somebody had better come and get him before I do, because I’m not in a forgiving mood,” she said as she stalked out of the room.
Linc bit his lip to control his smile. There was nothing to smile about, the situation was deadly serious, but damned if these New York girls giving his misguided brother shit didn’t brighten his dark day.
But his tiny glimmer of joy didn’t last when he realized Poppy had whisked Eva right upstairs to Olivia and he wasn’t even going to get to see her. Talk to her. Make sure she was okay after last night. Damn…
“This bull shit is going to ruin Christmas, you know.” Ethan scowled, breaking into Linc’s thoughts about Eva. “Fucking Emmett. Those girls are not going to be happy as long as he’s around.”
“Are you seriously worried about Christmas at a time like this?” Wyatt frowned.
“I’m worried about a lot of things, Wyatt. Things that you should be worried about too. Like that scum walking away from here with something he didn’t earn and doesn’t deserve. The health of your pregnant wife and baby. That the best time of year for a kid is about to be spoiled for your daughter. That my girl and her two besties are pissed as fuck. And yeah, forgive me but I’m worried about Christmas,” Ethan spat.
Time to let his opinion be known. Linc got up and walked to stand next to his brother Ethan. “I agree. With everything he said.”
Nostrils flaring as he drew in a deep breath, Wyatt said, “I have to get to work.”
Linc watched him leave then turned to Ethan and his father. “I should get back to the cabin. Keep an eye on you know who.”
“Good idea.” His father nodded.
“Yup. Don’t trust that fucker as far as I can throw him.” Ethan, who was usually all jokes and smiles, wore a hard expression.
He was right about one thing. Emmett being here was ruining Christmas but more than that it was changing them. Putting a strain on this family and everyone close to them.
Linc only hoped the change wasn’t permanent and they’d be able to get back to normal after Emmett left.
But first they had to get him to leave.