If I ever found any one of them, he’d pay. At my own hand. I couldn’t say that to my brother, though. “Maybe. I’ll think on that. But what are the chances of catching those assholes this late in the game? It’s been twenty-five years, Joe.”

“Yeah, I know. But I’ve been thinking about something else.”

“What’s that?”

“I think it’s time we tell Marjorie the truth. About everything.”

Marjorie? Jade’s best friend? From whom she had no secrets? Oh, hell, no. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not?”

“She’s just…not old enough to handle it.”

“She’s twenty-five. The rest of us had to handle it when we were half that age.”

“Well…” And the truth came out. “She’ll tell Jade.”

“Not if we tell her not to.”

“Look, Joe, you and Ryan and I decided a long time ago that the past was best left buried and we weren’t going to unearth it. Just as much for your sake as for mine.”

“But you’re unearthing it, don’t you see? By following this lead about the tattoo and now about the missing toe. Are you planning to just let that go? And if that was your plan, why did you go chasing all over to Grand Junction to find the designer of that tattoo?”

I sighed. “Pour me a Peach Street, will you?”

Joe headed to the kitchen and returned a minute or so later. He handed me a drink. “Come on. Let’s go outside and sit by the pool.”

We situated ourselves in a couple of chaise longues, and I took a slow sip of my bourbon. Damn good stuff, Peach Street.

I recognized the contradiction. Here I was, still wanting to bury the truth, yet I had gone on a wild goose chase trying to hunt down that tattoo. And now here I was all excited that I remembered something about another one of those fuckers.

On the other hand, we had decided long ago to bury it.

As if reading my mind, Jonah said, “I know what we decided a long time ago. But we were kids then, Talon. Just immature kids. You were embarrassed, humiliated, and hurt, and we all understood that. Even Mom and Dad. Now we’re adults, all in our thirties, and quite frankly none of us will ever be able to move on unless we all face this. Together.”

I shook my head. “I don’t know if I can do it.”

“Do you truly love Jade?”

I wished I could lie to him. Better yet, I wished I could say “no, I don’t” and not be lying. Jade would be better off for it. But I couldn’t do either. I nodded. “Yes, I do.”

“Do you want a life with her?”

Again I wished I could lie, for her sake. “Yes, I do.”

“If you want a relationship with Jade or anyone, you have got to face this and put it behind you. And the only way to put it behind you is to confront it, accept it, and find some way to deal with it.

“Hey, guys.” Ryan walked out, sporting some trunks and a towel around his neck. “Hey, Tal, I didn’t know you’d be here. I just came over to take a dip.”

Jonah let out a laugh. “Ryan, you have a perfectly good pool at the guest house.”

“Maybe I wanted to hang out with my bros.”

“You didn’t even know we’d be here.”

Ryan let out a loud laugh. “True enough. But you’ve got the good booze here.”

“You, the wine man?”

“Hey, I’m allowed to have a craving for Peach Street every once in a while. Tal finished up my bottle the other night.” He held out a hand. “Don’t get up. I’ll just help myself.” He came back with a drink and the bottle. “So what’s going on with you guys?”

“Well,” Jonah said, “your brother here is in love.”

“So I’ve heard.”

“Yeah, but this time he told her,” Jonah said.

“No shit?” Ryan said. “Good for you, Tal. Didn’t think you had it in you.”

It irked me when he said shit like that. Ryan was always jovial. Well, of course he was. Nothing had happened to him. I’d saved his ass that day. I pursed my lips and didn’t respond.

“And I was just telling Talon,” Jonah said, “that I think it’s time we tell Marjorie the truth.”

Ryan shook his head. “No, I disagree.”

“Thanks, bro,” I said. “That’s exactly what I said.”

“Why dredge all that shit up now?”

“Because Talon’s in love, damn it, and he’ll never be able to have a normal life with Jade until we all deal with this. Why do you think none of us have had serious relationships, ever?”

“I like playing around the field, basically,” Ryan said. “I assumed the same for you guys.”

“For God’s sake, I’m thirty-eight years old,” Jonah said. “It’s high time I settle down. The two of you aren’t getting any younger either. Don’t you want kids?”

I shook my head. “Are you kidding me? I wouldn’t bring an innocent child into this horrible world.”

“Tal, what happened to you was awful. Heinous. Unimaginable. But it doesn’t happen to most kids. Most kids have great lives, and look around you. Look at all that we have. All this is ours. We need a legacy to leave it to.”

“Marj will pop out some kids,” Ryan said.

“Maybe, but we need to carry on the Steel name.” Jonah rubbed his temple.

“Maybe she’ll have them out of wedlock.” Ryan swirled the whiskey around in his glass.

“Ha-ha. I’m serious. It’s time to face this, head on.”

“You know, guys,” I said, “this really has nothing to do with either of you. It’s all on me. It’s my decision.”

Jonah shook his head. “I am so fucking sick of you saying that, Talon. This affects all three of us. We all died a little that day. Ryan and I not nearly as much as you. I get that. But I should’ve been there for you. I should’ve protected you. And Ryan, he’s only here because of you. Because you protected him like I should’ve done for you. You think we don’t both harbor a hell of a lot of guilt over that? You know we do. I say it’s time we all move forward.”

I scoffed. “It’s real easy for you to say, Joe.”