Page 30 of Riding High

ChapterSeven

They reached Henry’s car and Jed scowled.Why the hell was he here?

Henry smirked.‘I heard Troyden had a pretty guest and I wanted to see for myself.’

Jed clenched his fists.Bythesea ran on gossip, but Eden had only arrived last night.Even for professionals, it was too soon for the village grapevine to swing into action.No, Eden wasn’t why Henry was here.

‘Who is she?And is she single?’Henry pushed.‘Are you interested?’

Jed’s jaw tightened.‘Would it stop you?’

Henry laughed.‘Of course not.It’d just make it more fun.’This was classic Henry: poking, pushing, needling like he had since they were kids.

Now, after a fifteen-year break, he was picking up right where he’d left off.

Arsehole.

But an observant one.He’d clocked Jed’s reaction to Eden and noticed the way Jed had bristled when Henry’s gaze had lingered on her legs, her chest, her face.

Jed shoved his clenched fists into the back pockets of his jeans.You’re not ten or sixteen.You can’t punch him.But damn, he wanted to.Mostly because he didn’t feel as indifferent as he wanted to be.A part of him, tiny but annoying, kept looking for similarities, a connection.And he hated that.His family, the one he’d worked so hard to be a part of, was solid.It was also complete.There wasn’t any room for half-brothers or new people– Eden included– making waves.

Henry rocked back on his heels, arms crossed.His expression shifted, unreadable.‘You didn’t come to the funeral,’ he commented, his tone bland.

Henry had noticed his absence.Why?‘Why would I?’

‘He was your father.’

‘Bullshit.The Duke and I had no relationship.Eighteen cheques a year didn’t make him a father.’

‘Fair point.’Henry exhaled.‘Yeah, he was a bastard.A deeply unlikeable man.’

Well…shit.Those weren’t words he’d ever expected the Baby Duke to utter.‘I still don’t know why you’re here.’

Henry hesitated.‘I’ve moved back to Bythesea Hall.’

Marvellous.‘So?’

‘I’ll be around.At the pub, in the village.’He hesitated a beat.‘I thought we could have a beer sometime, maybe get to know each other.’

Jed blinked as the words settled and burned.‘Where the hell did that come from?’

‘I’ve thought about it for a long time.’Henry ran a hand through his hair.‘I considered approaching you a couple of years ago, but the Duke would’ve lost his shit.Now that he’s dead, what does it matter?’

Oh, so now it was convenient?Now he wanted to play at being brothers?

Jed’s eyes narrowed to slits.‘Let’s recap, dickhead.I punched you when we were ten because you were a smug little knob.You ran crying to Daddy.The rest of the summer, and the summers after that, you and your posh friends made my life hell.Three years later, you showed up at my not-that-fancy boarding school instead of Eton.You spent the next few years undermining me at every turn.And now you think we’re going to grab a pint and bond?’

Henry winced.‘Look, I admit I was a shit?—’

‘Damn right.’Jed cut him off.‘To be clear, I have a family.Two brothers, a sister, and a father.I don’t need an entitled arse like you in my life.’

To his credit, though Jed loathed to give him any, Henry didn’t flinch.He just nodded, his face unreadable.

Jed turned to leave, then stopped.‘And if you so much as hint that I’m the Duke’s son to anybody, I’ll kick your balls so far up your body you’ll taste them.’

Now that was a solid exit line.

Thefuckhe was going to let Henry into his life.