Page 37 of My Cruel Salvation

“I get it. I don’t like it, but I get it.” She bites her lower lip.

“What?” I ask.

“Is it okay if—I mean, if he doesn’t feel too awkward—if Christopher stays here with us? The place will be crowded, so maybe not all the time, but—”

“Are you kidding? Of course, that’s fine with us.” I probably sound too eager, but at the time we’d left for New York, they’d slept together, but everything was still very new. If they’re close enough that she wants him her to help her through all this, then I suppose everything is going well on the relationship front. Which, considering all of Brandy’s hesitations and issues, is absolutely terrific news.

And, yeah, I’m nosy enough to want to get a better sense of who my best friend is dating. Especially considering who his half-brother is.

I frown, immediately chastising myself for letting my thoughts go that direction. Like Devlin had already pointed out, it was unfair of me to paint him with the same brush as his brother.

“Devlin?” Brandy asks, as if where Christopher sleeps is up to him.

“That’s your call,” he tells her. “And like I said, the goal is for this investigation to happen fast. Get proof, get Blackstone, get this thing wrapped up.” He’s outlining what Saint’s Angels will do, of course, but Brandy doesn’t know that. I assume that she believes he’s consulting with the police. Or simply being the powerful local citizen he is and stepping up to the plate. God knows he could buy an army of private investigators.

Whatever Brandy thinks, though, the ultimate goal is to find Blackstone and confirm that he’s guilty.

And then, as Devlin said, they’ll neutralize the threat.

And, I think, that’s another reason for Christopher to stay here. Good relationship or not, it will be weird when his brother is arrested. If nothing else, Brandy will want to be around to console him.

I draw a breath, that word lingering in my mind.

Neutralize.

Such plain language for a not very plain deed.

Even a day or so ago, that might have been something I would take Devlin to task for. Not today. Not when stopping Blackstone’s vendetta could save lives, my own included.

I blink, realizing I’ve been lost in my own thoughts, only to find Devlin’s looking at me. “What?” I ask.

I see the smile in his eye and am certain he can read my thoughts. I scowl a little as the smile spreads to his lips. “I love you,” he says. “That’s all.”

Brandy presses a hand over her heart and looks about as melty as I feel. “We’re all going to be fine,” she says, because Brandy always looks on the sunny side of things. “And I promise I’ll be careful. I have a ton of work I can do here, so I’ll just mostly stay inside.”

“A plan,” I say, then jump as the doorbell rings.

Brandy gets up to answer it even as Devlin calls out, “Camera!”

“Right, right.” She snatches up her phone, looks at the security feed, and smiles at me. “Lamar.”

Chapter Fifteen

“You’re here,” Brandy says, throwing her arms around Lamar, as tears roll down her cheeks. “I’m so, so sorry about Tracy,”

Lamar clings to her, holding her tight, as if he’s afraid of losing her, too. I hurry over and join them, losing myself in this embrace with my two best friends. Behind us, I hear Jake whine, and Lamar actually laughs.

“It’s hard,” he says. “It’s harder now. In her apartment, at least I could tell myself I was working, block it all away. Here though...”

“I know,” Brandy says. “But we all understand, and it’s better here than by yourself.”

He takes her hand and their fingers twine together. Finally, he looks between the two of us and over my head at Devlin. “Yeah. It’s better to be here with you guys. Family, right?”

I meet Brandy’s eyes, and look back at Devlin, holding my hand out for him. He joins us. “Yes,” he says. “Family,” and I know he means it. For Devlin more than anyone, family is who you choose, not what you’re born into.

Jake bends his front paws down to the ground and whines a little until Lamar drops to his knees and scratches him, accepting big sloppy dog kisses that make him laugh. It lightens the mood a bit, and I’m grateful to the silly dog.

Brandy steps back, released from the tight knit of our embrace. She looks slightly at loose ends as she glances among us. “Um, so do you want coffee? A drink?”