“What?No. You know what? If you don’t want to tell me, don’t. Be a bitch. Family never comes first with you.”
Gee, I wonder why?
Also, that was total bullshit, since she was constantly doing shit for her family.
“Mike, I don’t know what you want. I’m away. On business. I can’t have this kind of call unless you want to get to the point.”
“Oh, please. You’re just a fucking secretary. When are you going to get real?”
Her cheeks burned and her shoulders slumped with defeat. Arguing would be pointless. Nothing she said would make a difference, which was why she hadn’t bothered to explain anything to her brothers before now.
Mati hung up without saying another word.
Reese gently took her phone from her hand, turned it off, and tossed it on the dashboard.
“Your family…” he began, trailing off.
“Yeah. I know.”
Mati didn’t know what to think when David got out of the car without saying anything, quietly shutting the door behind him. He stood on the sidewalk, took a deep breath, and shook himself as he let it out. Then he climbed into the back seat, undid her seatbelt, and hauled her into his lap.
Mati sighed and snuggled closer. God, this helped. Not just because he held her, but because neither he nor Reese offered any defense or excuse for her family. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her face against his neck, soaking up the unconditional comfort he offered.
“Do you think you can get us to the hotel from here?” David asked Reese.
Reese squeezed Mati’s knee and pulled neatly into the flow of traffic.
Reese had somehow forgotten how much he enjoyed driving, a fact he clung to while navigating the last few blocks to their hotel. Otherwise, he’d think about how Mati’s family continued to treat her like a second-class citizen. Like a drudge whose sole occupation should be to care for her parents. He knew from Mati’s rants in the past that this was not only constant, but had gotten worse when she’d hit thirty without getting married.
Thanks to David, Mati seemed settled by the time they pulled up in front of their hotel. Reese, however, was in a slow-boiling homicidal rage. Their flirtatious friend in the valet stand took one look at Reese’s face and passed off their ticket to his colleague to deliver.
They waited until Marcus wandered past the car before they climbed out. He hadn’t been required to follow them all day, but David had kept Chance and Marcus abreast of their whereabouts, and this was the plan upon their return.
Reese tossed his keys to the not-the-least-bit-flirtatious valet. “Room 1237.”
Mati and David smiled, maybe a little proudly. Reese felt pretty proud of himself. He’d conquered driving again. Now he wanted to go home and conquer these two.
They’d barely made it ten paces into the lobby when a familiar voice rose above the murmur of the crowd.
“Reese! Oh, my goodness, what a surprise!”
Reese froze, Mati and David stuttering to a stop on either side of him.
No fucking way.
They turned slowly, in unison, toward the voice.
Reese immediately noted the subtle but distinct shitstorm brewing around them in the lobby. Marcus stood from his lounge chair and moved to the door. Another man Reese didn’t recognize stood and dialed his phone, not bothering to disguise that he was watching them closely.
Nothing freaked him out more, though, than when David slid one hand behind his back.
Reese’s nerves coiled so tight his fingertips tingled.
“Chaz?” he asked incredulously.
“Hey! Hi!” Chaz jogged across the lobby, his hand out.
“Wow, I can’t believe you’re here,” Reese strangled out. “That we bumped into each other.” And that wasn’t hyperbole. He actuallycould not believe it.
