Stella shakes her head. “I don’t know the truth, no. But I agree with you. I believe that Jonas had filled his head with promises of this insane future, probably a powerful position beside him at the head of this Family, and your brother just ate it all up.”
“It’s just so unlike him.”
“People do strange things for money and power, Jodie.”
I nod, beginning to understand that statement more than I ever thought I would.
“I’m sorry too,” I whisper. “I’m sorry that people I thought were decent human beings hurt you. You didn’t deserve any of that.”
“Maybe not,” she says, “but it brought us right here, didn’t it?” She bumps her shoulder against mine. “And I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I could quite happily be on some tropical island right now,” I joke. “The company would be the same, though.”
“I learned long ago that home isn’t a place. I’ve been moved time and time again. Home is where your heart is. And mine belongs with those boys, one more than others, but all of them all the same.”
“They’re really quite something, aren’t they?”
“They sure are. The girls are pretty fucking awesome too.” A wide smile splits across my face. “Come on, I’m sweating my tits off.” She grabs my hand and pulls me out of the sauna toward where Calli and Emmie are sitting on the end of two loungers with a massive plate of fresh fruit between them. But Stella doesn’t slow down.
“I need to cool down. You in, Jodie?”
“I don’t know what—” Before I can figure out her intentions, she picks up speed, dragging me along with her, and hauls us both into the pool, causing a massive splash in our wake.
My scream is cut off when I go under, my arms and legs flailing to get back to the surface.
“Oh my God, you’re crazy,” I bark right as two more bombs go off around us and the three of them come up laughing with wide smiles and excitement sparkling in their eyes.
* * *
Butterflies are havinga freaking riot in my belly as I sit in Stella’s passenger seat as she drives us back toward their building.
“I hate to admit it, but I’m actually starting to like going to the spa,” Emmie says from the back seat.
“Yes,” Calli sings while Stella barks, “I fucking knew we’d break you eventually.”
“Yeah, my skin is all soft and shit. Theo’s gonna love it.”
Calli makes a gagging noise. “Less talk about fucking my cousin, please,” she requests, just like she has done multiple times this afternoon.
Emmie chuckles, letting me know that she’s doing it on purpose, and I decide I should really join in.
“You should just be glad it’s not your brother. I’ve seen his white arse railing—”
“Enough,” she blurts.
“He really is quite an animal too. The way he made, Bri—”
“Oh my God, stop please,” Calli begs, much to all our amusement.
“I like you, Jodie,” Emmie announces. “You’re like the missing piece to our puzzle.”
“Thanks. You’re not so bad yourself,” I say, shooting her a wink over my shoulder.
“Do you think there could be anything serious between Nico and your friend?” Stella asks me a little more seriously.
“Nah. Brianna is about as big a player as he is. She’s convinced the only thing men are good for are their cocks and tongues and fingers.”
“She’s not entirely wrong,” Emmie jokes.