Free What Matters Most by Bailey Bradford Page A

and his ankle seemed determined to match the pain beat for beat. He groaned then gagged at the unfamiliar sensation of stitches on his tongue. It was like having a spider perched in his mouth, and that was a comparison he could have done without.
    “Hey.”
    Josh forced his eyes open. Justin sat on the coffee table beside the couch where Josh had crashed. Dark bruises ringed Justin’s eyes, his bottom lip was split, and he had a knot on his jaw. All in all, the guy had to look worse than Josh, but he was smiling almost shyly. It was so unlike Justin that Josh closed his eyes and gave them a good rub. When he opened them again, Justin was frowning at him. There was the brother Josh knew so well.
    “How are you feeling?” Justin asked, bending over to peer at him. Josh huffed an annoyed breath before he could think better of it and Justin sat back abruptly, fanning his face. “Still pissed, then.” He sighed and tipped his head from side to side, cracking his neck.
    Josh shivered; he hated it when Justin did that.
    “Oh good, you’re up. I brought you some yogurt and juice for you to eat before you take your antibiotics and pain pills.” Evan stood in the doorway holding a tray, a bright smile on his face. Josh didn’t bother smiling back, his normally sunny disposition having WHAT MATTERS MOST
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    decided to abandon him. He spotted the orange juice and rolled his eyes. He really needed something acidic when he had stitches in his tongue.
    Evan’s brows drew together as he looked down at the tray he held. “What? I didn’t—
    oh.” He came into the room and handed the tray to Justin. Josh watched the exchange and saw the ease between the two men. Apparently they had kissed and made up. Good for them. Then he saw his brother’s raw knuckles and Josh’s stomach clenched. How bad had Justin hurt Nick? Josh sat up, eyes glued to those knuckles as Evan hurried from the room with promises to return with a bottle of water.
    Justin cleared his throat and folded his hands in his lap. Josh glared up at his brother and rolled his tongue cautiously around his mouth. The muscle felt thick and hurt like a bitch, but Josh thought he could talk. He only needed to say one word, anyway. “Nick?” It came out kind of slurred, but Justin didn’t laugh, which disappointed Josh in a way. He’d planned to douse his brother in orange juice if given the slightest cause.
    Justin looked at him and that shy smile settled on his lips again. “You don’t have to worry about him. Officer Stanton told us before we left the police station that he was going to make sure that asshole left town for good.”
    “Dick!” Josh snapped as he struggled to reach the glass. He’d have preferred
    something with more weight, but it’d do for a start.
    “Yeah, he was,” Justin held the tray up just out of Josh’s reach. “I know you’re thirsty, but Evan’s bringing you some water.”
    Josh considered kicking the tray with his good foot. He hadn’t been so angry or…or hurt in a long time! All Nick had wanted—Josh thought—was an opportunity to meet his siblings, and Justin, and Officer Asshole, had made sure that wouldn’t happen. That was why Josh was so upset and acting like a three year old in the midst of a tantrum, he told himself. It had nothing to do with him or the way he couldn’t forget how Nick’s lips felt pressed against his, the sounds the older man made, soft grunts and growls as he grabbed Josh’s ass and pulled him close. Maybe if I hadn’t been such a coward and had told Annabelle—
    “Here you go,” Evan said, pressing a bottle of cold water into Josh’s hand. Evan unscrewed the cap and sat beside Justin on the coffee table.
    Josh glared at his brother, ignoring the other man. Slowly, he leant forward and raised his arm. Justin looked confused for all of a minute, then his eyes widened as he tried to scoot WHAT MATTERS MOST
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    away. Josh snapped his wrist and