Page 24 (2/2)

“Jesus,” he said to Nick, annoyed here the conversation had taken him “I’m… not ready to date… or fuck I have loose ends I have to tie up, and until I do that, I’ involved with anyone else”

Julian had apologies left to hts of her—and he couldn’t get near Kendall Parker to have his say He’d tried, but her brother-in-law, and Julian’s one-time best friend, Kaden Barnes, wouldn’t let him close

Not that Julian blamed him Julian and Kade had a nasty history, made worse by Julian’s addiction and piss-poor choices You didn’t sue an old friend, drag up his hidden, ugly past, use his sister-in-law, and walk away unscathed Julian had done all those things And more But Kade didn’t know the ht to put the past behind him and move forward

Nick studied hihtfully, so Julian did the same in return His friend was in his late forties, to Julian’s thirty, his hair starting to gray, and he’d been clean and sober for over ten years They’d ers and stories afterwards

Nick had taken Julian into his family, invited Julian and his sister over for holidays, and he generally boosted Julian up He believed in him Much like Kade had once done, except now Julian was smarter and more receptive to help and friendship

Sohts always came back to Kaden Barnes and Kendall Parker

“It’s ti his mind “You can’t move on with your life until you settle the past”

“I know” Julian wrapped his hand around the cold glass of ice water “I just don’t want to upset the delicate balance of her life” And concern about another hu instead of his oas a novel emotion for Julian

The only person he’d ever put first was his younger sister Alyssa was the driving force behind every move Julian had made Good and bad Not that he’d ever use her as an excuse for his addiction or behavior He had faenetics at work, and his own shitty choices to thank for that But Alyssa’s accident had altered the course of Julian’s life That was so he couldn’t deny

“You don’t know you’ll upset Kendall’s life Just because Kade told you to stay away doesn’t mean he knohat’s best for her Maybe she needs cl

osure as much as you do,” Nick said

That KendallJulian had considered before He ran a hand over his face, rubbing his tired eyes

“Maybe you have a point,” Julian conceded, and thought about Kendall Parker

She was a beautiful, vibrant woht in his self-created dark life Only he’d been too stupid to appreciate her He’d also been so wrapped up in his quest for revenge and getting what he’d believed was rightfully his share of Kade and his partners’ coht in front of him Kendall had been in as much trouble as he’d been

She lived with bipolar disorder and Julian hadn’t known She had her own life challenges, so their ti but his own needs He’d used her for personal gain, pitted her against her twin and Kade, and generally fucked up her life

His stootten her shit together?” he asked Nick “What if seeing ?” He couldn’t live with himself

Nick pointed a fork his way “Doesn’t she need to be responsible for her behavior just like you need to own yours?” his friend countered, spouting what sounded like group tenets