Bad by Nicola Marsh

made Steele laugh.
    "Yeah, what's with that, Wyatt?" Steele said. "I make the tough decisions, Zane's toughest decision is what sneakers to wear to training, and people fall at his feet?"
    "Beats me," Wyatt said, pleased it was his turn to side with Steele. "Speaking of Zane, let’s get him over here…" Wyatt trailed off, horrified when he glimpsed Christopher striding into the room.
    "What's wrong?" Steele glanced over his shoulder and froze.
    Furious, Wyatt turned to Kurt. "I told you not to invite him."
    "I didn't." Kurt appeared suitably surprised but Wyatt had no idea if he faked it. "Since when has Dad not done exactly as he pleased?"
    "Asshole," Wyatt muttered, not sure if he referred to his father or brother. "Come on, Steele, let's go join the ladies."
    Kurt held up his hands. "Hey, look, I'm sorry."
    "You've got nothing to apologize for." Steele's flinty gaze made Wyatt want to rub his arms it was that cold. "Unlike that old bastard." He nodded at Kurt. "Good meeting you, but I'm not hanging around to confront him here."
    "Understood." Kurt hesitated a second before slinging an arm over their shoulders. "I want us to be friends so let's all have dinner before I fly back to LA, okay?"
    Touched by his brother's rare show of emotion, Wyatt nodded. "Okay. We'll catch you later."
    Leaving Kurt to deal with Christopher, Wyatt fell into step with Steele, all but running for the opposite end of the massive ballroom Kurt had hired for the party.
    "Can't believe he had the gall to show up here," Steele muttered, fury making his words sound forced and staccato. "Gutless bastard. Probably thought confronting me in front of a room full of people would make our first meeting in thirty-three years easier."
    "That’s his MO," Wyatt said. "Taking the easy way out."
    Steele’s jaw clenched tight, making his neck muscles stand out, before he blew out a long breath. "Zane never should've opened the door to any kind of contact with him."
    "You can't blame him for wanting a relationship with his father."
    Wyatt should know. He’d craved it growing up, until finally realizing at graduation that nothing he said or did or achieved would make a mark with his narcissistic father.
    "No, I guess not." Steele huffed out a breath. "It's just seeing him again, after all this time…" He rubbed at his chest. "Didn't think he had the power to affect me anymore but he has."
    Wishing they knew each other well enough for Wyatt to give Steele a bear hug, he settled for a hand on the shoulder. "Don't sweat it. We all deal with stuff in our own way."
    "Thanks, mate." Steele took a few deep breaths and straightened. "But I need to get out of here."
    "Sure, let me say bye to Ashlin and I'll come with you."
    "You don't have to do that."
    "I want to." Wyatt shrugged, Steele's palpable gratefulness making his throat tighten. "We're brothers. We need to stick together."
    Steele glanced away and blinked. Wyatt knew the feeling.
    He'd never cried, even as a kid. Tears were wasted. Emotions futile. Kurt had been the one to throw tantrums to get his way. It had worked. Their mom had doted on her eldest and Christopher thought the sun shone out of his ass. Wyatt had learned early in life that being quiet and introspective served him better. Avoid conflict. Do his own thing. Fuck the world.
    But as he reached Ashlin and she smiled at him with warmth and admiration, he knew he'd met the one person to rock his previously staid, stable, comfortable world.
    "What's wrong?" She touched his arm. "You look shell-shocked."
    "Christopher has shown up uninvited," he said, his voice low. "Steele can't hang around so is it okay if I leave with him and come back for you later?"
    "Sure." She kissed his cheek, making him feel ten foot tall. "I'll try to stay away from the hot footballers in the meantime."
    "I won't." Miranda piped up, not ashamed to be eavesdropping. "My eyes are hurting with all this candy on show."
    Steele sniggered, masking it behind a cough when Miranda