“Jesus, Brody.” Finn twisted and tried to shove Brody away. “She must be a really good shag to have you so—”
Brody’s fist connected with Finn’s jaw. “You’re speaking of a gentlewoman, not a whore.”
Finn stared up at Brody. “But…I could see her nipples through that—”
Brody punched him again. “You’ll forget about that if you’ve got any sense. Now, are you going to apologize or do I need to keep hitting you?”
Finn brought his hands up to shield his face. “No. I mean yes. I’ll apologize, Brody. Of course I will. I’m sorry.”
Huffing a breath, Brody stood and reached for his brother’s hand so he could haul him to his feet. He straightened his jacket and turned to find the space behind him empty.
“Where did she go?” Finn asked, giving voice to Brody’s thoughts.
“She must have left when we tumbled to the floor.” He sent his brother a sidelong glance and saw that a bruise was rapidly forming on his right cheek. “Do you want a slab of meat to dull the pain?”
Finn shook his head, then headed for the sideboard where he poured himself a large glass of brandy. “I can’t believe you actually punched me.”
“I’ll do it again if you don’t watch that reckless tongue of yours.”
“I’m almost afraid to ask,” Finn said, “but would you have come to blows with me if I’d insulted someone else? Or is Miss Michaels of particular interest?”
Brody sighed and went to return the fallen painting to the wall. “It’s complicated.”
“I’m the king of complicated, Brody.” Finn grinned and gulped down some brandy. “So tell me about it.”
“I’d rather not.”
“Why?”
For a thousand different reasons.
“Because it’s personal, that’s why.”
Finn tracked Brody as he walked to his chair and waited until he was seated before stating, “You’re in love with her.”
Brody raised an eyebrow. “Watch it.”
Finn scoffed. He dropped into one of the two chairs that stood across from the desk, spilling some of his drink. “Deny it as much as you like, but you’ve never been this protective of any woman before. Admit it.”
His brother was right. The elemental need to come to Harriet’s defense had been instant and fierce. It went beyond the protectiveness Finn spoke of.
“Fine. I’ll allow that I might be slightly smitten.” He was also very upset and hurt, not to mention unsure of what to do next where she was concerned. Initially, he’d been compelled to lash out and push her away. He’d wanted to distance himself from her as much as possible. He scrubbed his jaw and considered Finn who was wearing the most annoying smirk he’d ever seen. “She tricked me though. Turns out she’s not who she claimed to be.”
Finn’s expression turned serious. He appeared to mull that statement over for a moment before asking, “Was there ill-intent behind her deception?”
“No.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“What’s the problem?” Brody gaped at his brother. “The person I fell for doesn’t exist, Finn. I lost my heart to a damn lie.”
“Are you sure about that?” When Brody didn’t respond right away Finn pressed, “Papa always said love is born from the harmony found between two well-matched souls. It’s not external, so it should have nothing to do with who Miss Michaels may have claimed to be, but rather with who she is right here.” He pressed his fist to his chest. “Focus on that and I’m sure you’ll find the connection you shared is real.”
Brody sank against his chair in baffled silence. Not in a million years would he have expected his scamp of a brother to impart such words of wisdom.
Swallowing, he acknowledged the tightness in his chest and the way his pulse fluttered with newfound hope. The clock on a nearby shelf ticked as he pondered the threat he’d made Harriet earlier – of severing ties with her forever.
A sharp pain pierced his heart, causing him to wince as he realized that losing her would likely kill him. Because…
