Page 30 of Face Off

Briggs kept his eyes closed like refusing to look might prevent the next thirty seconds from happening.

I removed my sunglasses and turned toward Lyric. “Spanish is my first language, and everyone here knows that except you.”

Her mouth tightened. “How would I know?”

“You want to know why you don’t?” I slipped the sunglasses into the front of my shirt. “Because you aren’t welcome around me. I make a point of ensuring you feel that.”

“Ryan,” Briggs warned.

“No, brother. You asked me to be nice. This is nice.”

Lyric stared at him. “You’re going to let him speak to me like that?”

Briggs opened his eyes slowly. The humor had disappeared from them, leaving behind the exhaustion he kept trying to hide from everyone who knew where to look.

“You came to his best friend’s wedding and complained because he spoke his first language.”

“I didn’t complain about Spanish. I said excluding everyone else was rude.”

“You didn’t care about making everyone uncomfortable when you were talking to me like I was embarrassing.”

“I never said you embarrassed me.”

“You didn’t have to.”

The words struck somewhere beneath my ribs. Briggs looked at me, and the brief recognition in his face told me he heard the history inside them too.

Lyric picked up the suitcase he had set beside the SUV. “Where am I supposed to check in?”

Briggs reached for it again. “I’ll take you.”

“I’m capable of finding the desk.”

“I know you’re capable.”

“Then stop treating me like I’m helpless.”

She walked toward the entrance, leaving Briggs standing beside the vehicle with both hands empty.

Cade watched her go before turning toward him. “Why do you stay?”

Briggs’s jaw flexed. “We’re not doing this.”

“She treats you like shit.”

“She’s stressed.”

“She’s always stressed.”

“This is your wedding weekend.” Briggs forced another smile into place. “Go be rich and romantic somewhere. I’ll deal with my relationship.”

Cade looked ready to push, but Bliss slipped her hand into his and shook her head slightly. Briggs noticed the movement, then bent to collect his duffel from the back of the SUV.

“Where are Easton and Aura?” he asked.

“Already inside,” Bliss said carefully. “Aura is supervising the ballroom setup, and Easton is pretending he isn’t hiding from her.”

“Healthy marriage preparation.”