She slowly stood. Stone and Bogs didn’t say a word as she exited the office and made her way down the hall. Roxanne was dealing with a barrage of emotions. None more overwhelming than her disappointment in her brothers.
****
Jonah took the elevator to the top floor and walked down the long hallway to Ethan’s office. His friend hadn’t given him any details regarding the meeting. Ethan hadn’t made it sound urgent, but when Jonah suggested the following week, Ethan asked him to come in the next day. He assumed it had to do with the new project he’d been working on. Unlike Jonah, who worked on his own timeline, big contractors had a way of demanding a tighter schedule.
He knocked on the door and heard Ethan’s voice.
“Come in.”
Jonah grabbed the knob and opened the door, walking in a few feet. He scanned the room, seeing three additional familiar, yet unexpected, faces.
What the fuck is this?
“Hey, man.” Bogs lifted his chin in greeting but made no move to get up from his chair.
“How’s it going?” Jonah said, darting his gaze between Stone and T, who stood side by side near the wall.
Stone smirked. “You look surprised, motherfucker.”
He naturally assumed the meeting was work-related. By the brothers' presence, he came to a different conclusion. All signs pointed to Roxanne. He knew she’d mentioned their relationship to the women. If it was a problem among herbrothers, he expected a call from one of them. Not a meeting with all.
Jonah sighed, closing the door behind him. “I am.”
Ethan stepped around his desk, stopping in front of it. “We thought it’d be best to keep this between the five of us. If Roxanne got wind of it, she’d be suspicious.”
What the fuck?
Jonah walked deeper into the room, eyeing T. On his best day, he was a scary motherfucker. They’d be evenly matched in a fight, but not even Jonah would take his chances. Thankfully, T didn’t seem angry.
“Is this the warning you give to all of Roxanne’s men?”
Bogs snorted, clasping his hands over his stomach, leaning into his chair. “No, we usually just scare the fuck outta them. Figured that shit wouldn’t work on you, so we’re not even gonna bother. Though I will say,” Bogs grinned, “I miss that shit.”
Jonah snorted, shaking his head. Roxanne’s words played over in his mind.They’d approve.
“This is a warning though. Just not the kind you’re thinking.” T folded his arms over his chest.
Unlike Stone and Bogs, he was devoid of any and all humor. T wasn’t known for his lighter side, but Jonah could sense his tension.
“Alright,” he said.
Ethan sighed, sharing a look with the brothers before he spoke. There was definitely something serious on their minds.
“Usually, I wouldn’t share a personal inquiry, but considering the special circumstances, we think you should know. Roxanne is asking a lot of questions.”
Fuck.
“What questions?”
T lifted his hand. “She stopped by yesterday and asked if we could look into your family’s case. Seeing if we could track down Rueben Pryor.”
He’d hoped she’d respect his wishes and privacy, but Jonah had had his doubts. In the back of his mind, he’d been concerned. Roxanne seemed shaken by the information about what’d happened. It affected her. He should’ve known she wouldn’t let it go.
Jonah clenched his jaw. “After I asked her not to.”
Ethan spread out his hands. “She thinks she’s helping.”
“Well, she’s fucking not, E,” T snapped.
