Chapter 6 - THE THING SCOTT ALMOST DID
Scott did not handle peace as gracefully.
Three months after the wedding, Meredith found him sitting alone inside Owen’s old garage workshop.
A bottle of bourbon remained unopened beside him.
Good.
“What are you doing?”
“Thinking.”
“Dangerous.”
He smiled weakly.
She sat.
Scott stared at Owen’s old motorcycle.
“I keep seeing Victor.”
“At the chapel?”
“Yes.”
“My hand was already moving.”
“I know.”
“If you hadn’t stopped me…”
“You stopped yourself.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Meredith turned toward him.
“I caught your sleeve. You sat down.”
Scott looked away.
“Barely.”
“Still counts.”
He rubbed both hands over his face.
“Part of me wishes I hit him.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
“Because hitting him would have made everything simple for five seconds.”
Scott looked at her.
Exactly.
“He hurt you.”
“Yes.”
“He got Owen killed.”
“He helped create the circumstances and covered it up.”
“Lawyer.”
“Accuracy.”
Scott sighed.
“I hate your lawyer.”
“So does Victor.”
That made him laugh.
Then Scott became serious.
“I ordered something.”
Meredith went still.
“When?”
“The night after the wedding.”
“What?”
“Two guys to watch Victor.”
Her jaw tightened.
“For what?”
“I don't know.”
“That is a lie.”
Scott closed his eyes.
“If he moved against you…”
“You were going to hurt him.”
“Yes.”
Meredith stood.
“Did they?”
“No.”
“You called them off?”
“Morning after.”
“Why?”
Scott looked at Owen’s motorcycle.
“Because I heard your voice.”
Do not give him what he came here for.
Meredith sat again.
Scott whispered:
“I’m tired, Mer.”
“Of what?”
“Being the brother who’s supposed to get angry.”
That sentence broke something open.
Their father expected Scott to be muscle.
Victor expected it.
Security planned around it.
Even Scott had begun confusing rage with loyalty.
“Owen hated fighting.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Scott looked at her.
Owen had been the gentlest of them.
The one who fed stray cats behind warehouses.
The one who studied finance because he thought business could reduce family violence.
The one who went to Victor with evidence instead of to a gunman.
They had avenged Owen by becoming everything Owen disliked.
Scott started therapy the next week.
He told nobody except Meredith.
Later, he took over Hail Maritime’s security division.
First thing he changed?
No family member could direct private security actions without written review.
Charles called it insulting.
Scott replied:
“That's the point.”
May you like
Meredith almost applauded.
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