The comment revealed Popi had heard the entire conversation, and it took effort not to hunch. Popi knows what I like… dear Gods!
“My love, stop teasing Rue.” Dad’s appearance from the direction of the kitchen was a welcome relief.
Except Popi didn’t let go, and Rue could hear voices upstairs. He didn’t want to have to face his other brothers, too. Not when he’d already proven his brain wasn’t in working order.
He gave Dad a begging look, and the traitor’s lips twitched. Eventually, he came and kissed Popi on the forehead. “Let Rue go, love. He needs a shower, it smells like he visited a brothel.”
Rue sent Dad a horror-filled look at being so blatantly called out, except it worked and Popi let go to swing to face Dad, hands going to his slim hips, his chin jutting forward. “And how would you know what a brothel smells like?”
“Brothel, who's been to a brothel?” Laken’s voice carried to them from above, and Rue rolled his eyes at his misfortune.
“Ask your dad,” Popi said, so sickly sweet.
Rue sent Dad an apologetic look, grateful despite how he’d achieved the deflection. He took that as his cue to leave and made his escape, dashing for the stairs. Laken eyed his suit with raised brows as Rue skipped past.
“It was just an analogy, my love,” he heard Dad say.
“Is that so?”
Shutting his bedroom door a minute later, Rue breathed out a sigh of relief that Laken hadn’t followed. He stripped off his suit jacket, wondering how a man of twenty-seven years old could act like a teenage boy caught coming home after the first time they’d had sex? He’d got caught out that time too, Popi really was like a ninja!
Ten hours later, Rue had given the question from the morning way more attention than he should. It infuriated him when the answer was doing what Jupiter and Popi suggested and packing a bag. Yet, wasn’t that sending the wrong message?
Monty hadn’t been off with him when he’d arrived at work, except there was something about his eyes that Rue hadn’t been able to pinpoint. Monty had acted the same way he always did… just those damn eyes gave Rue the guilts. Was he casting his own feelings onto Monty? That, he couldn’t say.
“Do you know why we’ve been summoned?” Laken sidled up, matching Rue’s pace as he headed to the boardroom down the empty corridor, bringing his thoughts back to where he was headed.
It was late, and Rue’s plans for the evening had gotten scuppered by the call from Silas asking him to stay for an urgent meeting with his brothers. “Not rightly sure, but I saw the pressdude in the corridor earlier. Last time he was here it was to do with Drinkwater.”
When Rue glanced sideways, he tripped over his shoes, frowning. “What the fuck happened to you?” he asked, flabbergasted, his lips twitching before he burst out laughing.
Laken’s hair resembled a bird's nest, and his shirt buttons were mismatched. Rue blinked several times, sweeping his gaze over his normally impeccable brother.
Laken raised a self-conscious hand to his hair, stiffening at Rue’s laughter. “I don’t know what you mean!” he replied indignantly, sniffing loudly, nose going up in the air like he’d smelled something bad.
Rue knew that look all too well, Laken was putting on his Mr Frosty Pants front. It was too much, and Rue shook with the force of his laughter. “Man, you need to go to the restroom before you enter the boardroom. Jupiter will make mincemeat of you.”
His brother stomped off, muttering something Rue didn’t quite catch. Rue wasn’t gonna poke his nose in Laken’s business when he didn’t want anyone doing that to him after this morning. He’d gone to apologize to Jupiter, only to find he wasn’t in his office and hadn’t been all day.
In the boardroom, he took a seat, his gaze sweeping the table, landing on Jupiter. The man didn’t so much as acknowledge him, and Rue sighed, disheartened. He hadn’t really expected anything else.
His phone vibrated, and he tugged it out of his pocket. Seeing Monty’s name on the screen, he winced. With one glance at the others to check no one was close enough to read the message, he opened it.
Monty:Does that mean you aren’t coming at all tonight?
Rue:Silas has called an urgent meeting, like I said, not sure how long I’ll be here. Didn’t want to put you or Kendrick out. I messaged him too.
The dots danced to say Monty was answering, so he waited.
Monty:Kendrick said he’s still going to call. Can you come after the meeting… if you want to, that is? We won’t mind the lateness of the hour.
How much he wanted it should have him saying no.
Rue:Alright, I’ll message when I leave here so you know when to expect me.
The dots appeared again.
Monty:I have some leftovers if you’re interested.
