Jared coughed. “Her dad is alive?”
“Yes, and he’s imprisoned by Saul.” Theo’s hands clenched into fists. “I can’t believe she’s dealt with this by herself for a fucking decade.”
Jared and Chalton exchanged a look.
“What?” Theo asked, his instincts humming.
Chalton shrugged, typing rapidly on his computer. “You’ve always had a thing for her. I remember centuries ago… And you liked her.”
“So?” Theo asked.
Jared grinned. “It’s fun to see you be the one dangling after the last several months. You had many a smart-ass comment when Chalton and I were, ah…”
“Turning into mated wussies?” Theo asked, matching his grin.
Jared rolled his eyes. “Yeah. That.”
“Listen.” Theo had never lied to his brothers, and he wasn’t going to start now. “I like her, but this is just temporary and to scratch a quick itch. The woman is a thief, and she’ll be gone when we’re done here.”
Charlton snorted.
Jared coughed into his hand.
Theo rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Just because you guys got all domesticated doesn’t mean I will. Come on.” Even as he said the words, they sounded hollow to him. He was spared whatever retort his brothers wanted to make by Ginny moving into the room.
With her wet hair curling down her back, sans the makeup, she looked about eighteen. Pure and innocent except for the sparkle in those dangerously blue eyes. Unlike her usual fitted dress, she’d pulled on faded jeans with a soft robin’s egg blue sweater. The bruise from the night before marred her right cheek with an odd purple, making her look both beautiful and tragic.
She smiled. “The Reese boys all in one place.” With an exaggerated movement, she winked at Theo. “I hope your apartment is insured.”
Chapter 7
Ginny moved into the room, feeling like a doe surrounded by hungry panthers. The Reese boys en masse managed to take over the very atmosphere with a sense of male power. Even among vampires, they had presence. Their closeness was obvious, and she clasped her hands together as she sat in a leather seat. “Rumor has it Uncle Benny is heading home.”
“Yes,” Jared said, his gaze on her bruise. “Who hurt you?” His brows drew down.
She touched the still aching cheekbone. “An idiot Theo threw out a window afterward.” She smiled.
“You can’t heal yourself?” Chalton asked gently.
She shook her head. “The anklet keeps my powers at bay, unfortunately.” Could this be any more awkward? She’d dated Jared, kind of played him a little, had stolen from their family, and now had orgasmed from Theo’s very talented mouth. Heat flushed into her cheeks, and she couldn’t stop the blush.
Theo swore under his breath and moved for her, plucking her out of the chair and sitting back down with her in his lap. “Relax, lady. Jared forgives you for the past, Chalton isn’t mad about the Benjamin file, and you and I are working together until we’re not. Same rules as before.”
Humor filled Jared’s eyes. “He’s given you rules?”
She snorted and rolled her eyes. “He likes rules, you know?”
Chalton nodded, his gaze on his screen as he typed. “Always has been a tightass.”
That easily, she relaxed into Theo’s heat. They were friends again. At least for now. “I’m sorry I can’t give you the file back,” she said, her chest starting to hurt.
“We’ll get it back,” Theo said easily. “Let’s worry about one thing at a time.”
She nodded. “Jared, I’m sorry in general.”
The eldest Reese brother gave her a grin. “It’s all good, Gin. Though my Veronica feels terrible you two got into a fistfight while you were hampered by the anklet. She would’ve never hit you had she known.”
Ginny laughed. “That’s a ‘nice to meet you’ among my people. I like your mate. Very much.”
