Page 46 of In the Dark

“You sure?”

“If she were too much, that would mean I’m not trying hard enough.”

“Interesting. If she’s pushing you, maybe she’s just enough, then?” He patted my shoulder before starting to walk past me.

“I don’t know what the fuck she is, but she’s something, all right,” I grumbled, then followed him up the stairs.

He chuckled and rolled his shoulders as we ascended the staircase. “Well, most women who move in with us are.”

As we got to the second story, I heard genuine laughter coming from Jasmina.

And then I heard Fran laugh too.

We rounded the corner, and there was the cause of all my stress, kneeling in front of my niece with a genuine smile on her face. I’d seen it once or twice before, but normally she was stoic, proper, calculated, and angry.

With my niece, she’d gotten down on her level and was explaining why that orange cat was purring and winding around Fran’s legs.

“Romeo is so cute,” Fran, my beautiful little traitor of a niece, said about the cat that wasn’t even supposed to be in the hall.

“He is honestly the cutest.” Jasmina looked up right then and met my eyes. “Don’t you think, Callahan?”

I wondered if I could talk one of my guys into killing a cat. Archer had always been one of the most dedicated of friends, but I saw the small smile forming on his lips as he stared at the scene too.

Asshole. I’d felt his restlessness lately, his darkness creeping back in, but when it came to these ladies, he hid it well. Or he just genuinely liked the damn cat.

Jasmina was manipulating everyone, and with Fran smiling up at me, I had to give in and agree. “He’s a nice cat.” I practically choked on the words.

“I told my daddy cats are nice, but he doesn’t believe me. He says we have enough animals with the bunny and dog.”

Jasmina stood to meet all of us outside her room and cracked her neck like she was readying herself. Rightfully so. Jameson had taken her uncle’s life. There was no denying that. Still, she didn’t step back or look at all afraid as she said, “Well, I’m sure your daddy will get you anything you want, Fran.”

“I’m sure he won’t.” Her lip pouted out, and she put a hand on her hip. Every day she seemed to have a new part to her attitude, which we loved, but it also got us into trouble. We were very bad at saying no to any of her demands. “He complains all the time about our bunny. He thinks it smells, but it doesn’t. Right, Mia?”

“Right.” Mia stood back from them, wringing her hands quietly.

When Jas finally took in how close Jameson was standing to Mia now, I could tell as she scanned how Fran looked up at her dad that she’d put all the pieces together.

“I’m Mia Darling,” Mia said, her voice a little shaky. “I’m …” She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry about what happened to your—”

“We share condolences and pay our respects, but we’re not sorry about what happened to him.”

Goddamn my brother. He was right, but I didn’t realize how her smile loosened the knot in my stomach until it dropped off her face.

Jas’s back went ramrod straight, and I knew that look in her eyes. It was the one she gave me on the cliff, like she was ready for a fight, for a challenge, for someone to underestimate her.

I glanced at Mia, and Mia had that same look in her eye as she stepped a bit in front of Fran. Archer read the room well enough to shuffle Franny from it, offering to get her a snack from my kitchen.

Guess he could keep his job for now.

Jas cleared her throat. “Is the expectation for me to accept an apology that wasn’t given?”

“You’ve been asked only to pay what your uncle owed or give a hand in marriage.”

“My uncle gave what he owed by paying with his life.”

“No.” Mia shook her head and held up a hand like she wanted us all to stop. “Please. Let’s start over. I didn’t come up here to gang up on you. I came here to find a common ground, but I do think it’s best we’re clear. My baby Fran was threatened for a deal. Your uncle would have trafficked her.”

“Don’t you dare tarnish his name.” She stepped toward Mia, but Jameson and I both stepped between them.