“Yep.” Bel’s smile was evil. “You said you don’t want any handouts. Here’s your chance to earn something in a completely human way.”
“Well, shit …” Meph slumped back in his chair and blew out a breath.
“Plus, if you want Iris to stay with your lazy ass, it’s high time you learned some basic life skills. Can’t believe she still puts up with your shit.”
Meph winced. “I’m working on it.”
“Have you ever cooked her a meal? Unlike us, she actually needs food to survive.”
He winced again. “I can order takeout.”
“Wow,” Bel deadpanned. “She must be totally impressed by your ability to use the Uber Eats app and spend all your hard-earned broke-ass artist money.”
“Fuck,” Meph groaned. “You’re relentless.”
“Just telling it like it is.”
“What about Iris? What’s she gotta do to pay her way if she lives here with me?”
“Nothing. You’ll be responsible for both of you.”
“What? Why? That’s not fair.”
“Because you’re a lazy fuck, that’s why. Life’s not fair. Deal with it. Or rent your own place that you can trash, and see how long your woman stays with you.”
Meph groaned again. “You’re brutal, man.”
Bel sipped his coffee, feeling smug. There was no way Meph would agree. He’d made a compromise, taught his brother a lesson,andmanaged to continue living solo, even after trying to make changes as Sunshine had encouraged. This way, he was absolved of all blame, and Sunshine couldn’t say he hadn’t tried—
“Fine,” Meph said, sitting up straight again. “I agree.”
Bel froze with his cup at his lips. “What?”
“I’ll do it. I’ll be your damn maid and landscaper and pool boy and whatever the hell else if Iris and I can live here.” It was Meph’s turn to look smug. “And I can tell by the look on your face that you thought I’d never actually agree, and you’d get to go back to loner living. So suck it.”
“Damn it,” Bel said.
“Which room’s mine?”
“The basement suite. Better yet, the fucking crawl space.”
“What, we can’t have the room next to yours?” Meph’s grin was evil now.
“No.” Bel set his cup down and jabbed a finger in Meph’s direction. “And if I hear you two fucking even once, I’ll toss both your asses out the front door. My house, my rules, got it? I want this house spotless and the yard looking like a fucking Zen garden. No second chances. You don’t make a mess. You don’t touch my shit. And you don’t eat my food until I say it’s ready. And this is atemporarysituation, got it?”
“Got it, boss.”
Bel shook his head. He couldn’t believe he was agreeing to this. “When are you moving in?”
“Iris’s lease is up at the end of next month.”
“Fuck my life.”
Meph was still grinning. “You know Lily and Mist are gonna want to move in too when they get back from traveling, right? And there’s only one suite.”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”
“They get home next week.”
