Dream (Rosewood Bay Series Book 4) Read online

  Sebastian blinked in surprise, whether at Mandy’s addiction he’d known nothing about or his middle brother’s use of the word we when describing the situation, he couldn’t be sure. The one thing Sebastian did know, he wasn’t part of that we.

  Before he could respond, Parker continued. “Remember the vacation she took with friends six months ago?” When Sebastian nodded, Parker said, “Rehab.”

  With everything Sebastian was learning, his head spun more. “Shit. I’m sorry.” He ran a hand through his already disheveled hair.

  “There’s more,” Parker said. He glanced at Ethan, who gave him a nod, obviously imparting permission to share the rest of the information.

  Frozen, Sebastian waited. What more could there possibly be? Mandy’s death wasn’t enough?

  Ethan rose and walked to the huge window overlooking the city, as Parker leaned forward. “In the last few months, as Mandy’s addiction grew, she was skimming from the business to cover the cost of her pills.”

  “Jesus.”

  “Ethan tried to protect her, to get her into rehab, to replace the money… things spiraled. We’ll be okay but you needed to know. Because the police are digging into where she got the pills. It could become public. Ugly.”

  As he began to put the pieces together of what his brother was telling him, Sebastian reeled with what, so far, had gone unsaid. “You aren’t shocked by this and not because Ethan told you last night, after Mandy died.” From the matter of fact way Parker had relayed the information, as if he’d already digested it and it had settled inside him, it was obvious. “You’ve known all along.”

  Parker merely nodded.

  He glanced at his sister, who sat wide-eyed on the chair next to his. “What about you? Did you know?” he asked.

  She swallowed hard. “Mandy told me recently that she was having problems. I talked to Ethan about it. I didn’t know about the business issues until last night.”

  “So everyone knew something. But me.” Sebastian rose to his feet, hurt and betrayal warring with anger, combining with grief inside him.

  Parker met his gaze. “I was there the first time he found her pills. That’s all.”

  But Sebastian sensed there was more to it. That he’d been left out of the loop for a reason. He glanced at Ethan.

  “We didn’t want to bother you with serious shit,” Ethan said. “You didn’t need to know. We were handling it.”

  “I didn’t need to know or you didn’t trust me to keep it to myself?” Sebastian asked, the truth crystallizing without his brother having to say anything. “Admit it. You were afraid I’d share info., like the Williamson deal.”

  It’d been his first year in the business and he’d been having a drink with a beautiful blonde. He didn’t know at the time she was the daughter of the man against whom they were bidding for a piece of property. He was young, cocky and stupid. She was busty which distracted him, and extremely bright. He’d bragged they were sure to snag the property, that nobody would come close to their number. She hung on him, praised him, made him feel important and he’d admitted that they’d maxed out their bid. They couldn’t go higher. It was all the information she’d needed to grab the property out from under them. Because of his big mouth.

  Ethan blew out a harsh breath. “Fine, I didn’t want it getting out that Mandy had a problem, okay? I figured the less people who knew, the better.”

  He straightened his shoulders and glared at his sibling. “Six fucking years and you can’t let it go? You were handling it as a family and didn’t think I needed to be part of it? I couldn’t have helped? I couldn’t have been there for you?” he asked, voice rising.

  “Not with something this sensitive!” Ethan shot back.

  Parker rose, stepped over to Sebastian and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Now’s not the time,” he told him.

  Glancing at Ethan, his older brother’s shoulders hunched, his pain obvious, Sebastian agreed. “He’s right. You’re hurting and you don’t need to deal with this shit right now.”

  There’d be time for Sebastian’s anger at his family later, after they’d all grieved for Mandy.

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  About the Author

  Carly Phillips is the N.Y. Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of over 50 sexy contemporary romance novels featuring hot men, strong women and the emotionally compelling stories her readers have come to expect and love. Carly’s career spans over a decade and a half with various New York publishing houses, and she is now an Indie author who runs her own business and loves every exciting minute of her publishing journey. Carly is happily married to her college sweetheart, the mother of two nearly adult daughters and three crazy dogs (two wheaten terriers and one mutant Havanese) who star on her Facebook Fan Page and website. Carly loves social media and is always around to interact with her readers.

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