“Civil or not, I don’t have the answer for you,” he grumbles. “And trying to get information out of Lavender when she doesn’t want to give you will only give you a headache.”
“I’m aware,” I say softly, touching my hand to my still throbbing temple. At the other side of the warehouse now, I gesture to Antonio, who nods. I click the key fob in my pocket and pull open the car door. “That’s why I’m calling you.”
The car engine roars to life.
“Are you driving Lavender’s McClaren?”
It’s not hers yet, though I find myself smiling at his incredulous tone.
“She’s not even interested in cars,” he mutters. “Never mind appreciate a machine like that.”
“Focus, Brin. Cast your mind back and tell me which one of her shithead boyfriends would be a prime candidate for frightening your sister.”
He falls quiet for a beat. “What do you mean frightened? Is she being threatened? You’ve got a security team.”
“She’s not under threat, no.” But her sense of right and wrong seems to have been tweaked. More to the point, I feel protective. Protective of the woman I forced to marry me. The woman I was wholly unprepared for. I can’t make sense of my feelings, but I do know what conversation I’ll be having with Lachlan. I’ve known all along.
Who the hell did I think I was kidding?
It hasn’t been confusion keeping me from speaking with him but disbelief. Discomfort. Denial. There’s also one moredto the list. Dunce. Because I’m a fucking idiot.
“Then I don’t get it.”
“You don’t have to get it. You just have to help me find out who he is.” So I can pull his spine out from his throat. “So old boyfriends?”
“Tod’s the only one she’s ever brought home, and I can’t see him lifting his hand to her. Not unless he wants Lavender to shove it so far up his arse he can tickle his tonsils.”
“It’s not Tod,” I agree. Tod is her safety net somehow. And a pain in my ass. But he’s no threat. “Who was she dating before?”
“She doesn’t date,” he says, unconcerned. “She never has, as far as I know.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just what I said. Like I said, Tod’s the only bloke she’s introduced us to.”
Is he saying what I think he is? What kind of brother would insinuate his sister fucks around—and to her new husband?
“You might not have noticed, but Lav and I aren’t exactly bosom buddies.”
“Brin,” I growl as the shutters jerk and shudder, though eventually lift.
“I know, I know. Lavender is just such a mouthful.”
More like a handful.“It’s her fucking name. Don’t disrespect her by calling her anything else.”The McLaren roars as I pull out of the warehouse.
“I bet that thing sticks like snot to the road when it corners,” he says in answer to the sound of the accelerator.
I find myself shaking my head. At the junction, I take a left.
“And you know, it’s not my fault our parents gave us stupid names.”
“Lavender isn’t a stupid name.” It’s calming and soothing and… but maybe she was misnamed. “This is not what I wanted to speak to you about.”
“Yeah, well. I can’t help you.”
“Yes, you can. And you will, Brin. I need a name. Ask her friends, your mom. Someone.” Because Lavender isn’t as brave as she makes out. Someone has made her fearful, and I plan on returning that favor. Before this marriage is through, I need her to know she’ll never have to worry about him again.
27
