Page 1 of Reconcile
1
SAWYER
My brother sits across from me in the fancy restaurant where we’re having lunch, dressed nicely in his button-down dress shirt and perfectly tailored slacks. But I’m in a suit and tie, determined not to be the baby of the family and to have Cole see me as the man I fucking am.
Of course, Cole isn’t really one to give a damn what I’m wearing.
“You look good, little brother. All grown up.”
Okay, scratch that. I guess he does.
“Right. Thanks.” I take a drink from my scotch and feel his eyes tracking me. I lift my eyebrow in annoyance. “What?”
“It’s a little early for scotch, isn’t it?”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes because Cole is the closest thing to an ally I have in my family. “Not really. You should try it. I find it makes the day go by much faster.”
His lips purse as he takes a drink of his water, his gold wedding band catching my eye. Cole is married. He’s the only one of the four of us I expect ever will be.
I put my drink down and nod toward his ring. “So, Oliver is still putting up with you?”
His lips turn up as he looks contentedly at his ring. “Of course. How could he resist?”
There’s that Ross family arrogance.
“Thatwould be impossible.”
Our food is placed before us, but before I can dig in, my brother grows serious. “You shouldn’t be working for Lincoln Sterling. You should be working with us.”
Us.
My stomach sours, thinking about my oldest brother, Spencer. That motherfucker. I don’t know if it’s the ten years between us or if everyone is right when they say we’re too much alike, but we’ve never gotten along.
“No.” I say simply as I take a bite and chew, not offering more.
Cole has always been in between us and not just by age. For whatever reason, he’s tried to be the peacekeeper, but it doesn’t work. Our sister, Samantha, couldn’t give a fuck, but Cole cares.
“Just no?”
“Just. No.” I shrug my shoulders, silently hoping he’ll let it drop as I take another drink of my scotch.
He watches me, not moving, and I see the familiar disappointment in his eyes as he sighs heavily, “Spencer has changed, Sawyer. A lot.”
I snort and put my drink back down. “You really don’t have to bullshit me. It wouldn’t matter to me if he has. I like working for Linc.”
“You’re a Ross, not a Sterling.”
My shoulders straighten as I look into his eyes, knowing it hurts him. The truth is, I never wanted to be a Ross. Our father is a complete asshole, and so is Spencer. Cole is serious but kind, but he’s still way too serious. So is Samantha. And our mother.
I never fit in with them. Always laughing and joking around. Being totally inappropriate and embarrassing the family name.
When I befriended Asher Sterling at a young age, something fit. And it’s not at all that his family wasn’t like mine. In fact, our fathers are good friends.
But instead of worshipping their father, Ash and Linc hate him.
The Sterlings have their darkness, but the Rosses are plain blackness. Ruthless and wicked.
Cole sits stiffly. “Our father has no spot in our business. None. It’s only us.”
