Free Dirty Sexy Secret (Green County Book 1) by Nazarea Andrews Page A

everything in me, everything that makes me a damn good journalist and reporter, no matter what the hell happened in Boston that says otherwise—it’s screaming now.
    It’s telling me that something is very wrong about all of this, and I take a deep breath to force myself to stay still. To not fall back a step, or worse, to bolt away and find my brothers.
    Why is it that even now, four years after leaving, I still want them, almost instinctively, when I’m feeling threatened?
    Above us the big clock strikes the hour, and John makes a low impatient noise in his throat.
    “My brother is impatient, Hazel. We have an appointment. But. You will come and see us.”
    It’s phrased as a statement, not a question. Not something I can ignore, if I don’t want to see them.
    It’s a fucking demand.
    But I nod, and I smile, and John falls back a step or two, almost vibrating in his impatience. Michael flicks his twin a cold stare and the other man—younger by twenty minutes, if gossip can be believed—goes still and silent, a frown still etched deep on his face.
    “I apologize, Hazel,” Michael says, his voice a low hum of noise and I shrug. “John doesn’t have the best manners in the city.”
    I smirk, a tiny thing, “Do you know my brother?” I ask, a gentle tease working up, even with my unease.
    Michael smiles at that, and then he takes a step away. “It was truly good to see you, Hazel Beth. I’m glad you’ve come home.”
    And then he nods at John who flashes me a blank stare before they’re walking away, the children and the park ignored, Michael’s long black coat flapping like a carrion bird at his ankles.
    I watch them walk away, and feel him moving up behind me. He’d been there the whole time.
    Gabe would never leave me alone with Michael and John. He leans his head on my shoulder, and that quickly, the tension slips away.
    “Do you think they’ll ever not be creepy?” Gabriel asks, and I shrug.
    “Probably not. I mean, they have such a fantastic streak going, why the fuck would they want to end that now?” I ask, and sit next to him.
    Gabriel laughs, a low noise that rumbles against my skin and settles me. Home.
    That’s what this has been about. From the dinner last night, to Mama’s this morning and the boys and Gabe, fuck even the damn park.
    I’ve been home for six. Fucking. Months. And it’s the first time I’ve acted like it means something other than just my address changing.
    It’s the first time I’ve let myself be home.
    “I’m sorry, Hazy. I should have told you.”
    I slide a glance at him, weighing the words. And then, softly, “You don’t have to apologize to me, Gabriel. He’s an adult and he knows what he’s doing.” I lift a hand as his smirk turns dirty, and his mouth opens and add, “If you make a joke about my brother being good in bed, I swear to god, I’ll break my hand on your fucking face.”
    Gabe laughs at that, and slings an arm around my shoulders. We walk back to my car in silence and then, “What did Creeper and McCreeperson want, Hazel?”
    “To catch up. You know they were always fascinated with me and the boys in school.”
    He makes a noncommittal noise, and I shrug. Slip out of his arms and open the car door. I hesitate and he stares at me. Patient. Waiting.
    “No more secrets, okay?”
    He nods once and I add, “If you hurt him, Gabriel—.”
    “I’m not going to hurt him. I swear, Hazy. If anyone ends up hurt in this equation, it’s not gonna be gigantor.”
    I nod and we slide into the car as I mull it over, but I don’t press. If. When. Gabe is ready. When he is, he’ll tell me what the fuck is happening and how he managed to go and fall in love with my brother.

E li and I don’t pretend we’re functional. It’s something that, once we realized we needed to quit pretending, worked really well for us.
    The thing is, everyone is dysfunctional to some degree. And our dysfunction, well—it keeps us whole, keeps us sharp, keeps us from