TWENTY-THREE
Anthea
The three brothersstopped in their tracks in front of the open car doors, staring at me and the scene around me.
“What thefuck?” Darius said. “We heard shots…”
I raised my chin, looking right back at them, and motioned to Holly, who’d sagged totally limp into the pool of her blood, her eyes staring blankly. “There’s the mastermind behind the shootout at the deal hand-off, such as she currently is. And there’s the guy who took the first shots, making both sides think the other was attacking them.” I pointed to Brant.
Felix was outright gaping. “And you just…”
I helpfully filled in the blanks. “This is what everyone is going to know happened: Holly and Brant got into an argument about what to do with all the crap they stole from you and my brother.” Careful to stay clear of the blood on the ground, I walked over to Holly, crouched down, and tucked my gun into her hand. “The gunshot residue will fit, as will the angles of the shots. Enough that no one’s going to bother to look more closely, anyway. I made it the cleanest job I could within the many limitations.”
“And what really happened?” Lucan asked quietly.
As I straightened up, I gave him a coy look. “Didn’t I just tell you?” I rubbed the side of my head where Brant had whacked me with his gun and winced. It didn’t feel sore enough to warrant concussion worries, but I was definitely going to have a bruise there. “Maybe given the fact that they’re here and so’s your stuff, this once you’ll take my word on the rest.”
Lucan’s eyebrows arched slightly. “You set it up so there wouldn’t be any heat on us.”
I shrugged. “Whatever you think of me, I’ve never wanted to screw you over. If I can do a job clean, then that’s how I work.”
Felix let out a disbelieving guffaw. Darius gave a huff of breath and strode toward me. I stiffened all over again, but all he did was wrap his arms around me and squeeze me close.
“I thought you were getting fuckingkilled,” he growled.
The demanding pressure of the embrace steadied me. “Ithought you’d be happier about that possibility, considering how we left things.”
“No,” he said hoarsely. “No fucking way. I just—finding out, after everything—” He pulled back to look at the bodies and then back at me, his eyes blazing with emotion. “You’re a goddamn marvel, Lady Noble. And this is the last time you’re going anywhere without me.”
“Er, shouldn’t I get some say—”
He cut me off with the crash of his mouth against mine, and for that moment, I decided I’d go along with his terms. We could hash out the details later.
I kissed him back with everything I had, my body waking up in an instant as if it’d been waiting just for this my whole life. Darius tugged my body flush with his, the bulge of his groin unignorable.
I was vaguely aware of his brothers drawing closer around us. Felix cleared his throat. Darius kissed me again, almost tenderly, and then raised his head to glower at the younger guy.
“Maybe there should be some apologies before the passionate mauling continues,” Felix said wryly. As his gaze darted to me, his mouth twisted. “Starting with me. We seem to keep getting tangled up in misunderstandings and miscommunication. I should have spoken up for you sooner—before these two bullied you out of the house.”
My throat tightened. “I get it,” I said, letting my gaze hold his before looking at Lucan and Darius again. “I was hiding things, and that was a sore spot for you, especially after the lies we’d only just cleared up. But I swear I only wanted to take down the people who actually hurt you and the Nobles. I’d like to see the alliance between my family and yours back in place if that’s possible. I’m not here to wage war.”
“Only on the people who deserved it,” Lucan said, glancing down at Holly and Brant. “I can’t help thinking we’re lucky you haven’t decided we deserve retribution too.”
The corner of my lips quirked upward. “I’m sure you could get there if you tried really hard.”
He smiled back, cautious but I thought more out of fear of saying the wrong thing than because he was wary of me anymore. “I think I like being on your side a whole lot better. Or on top of you. Or under you. I’m pretty open to the possibilities, if you still are.”
I motioned him closer, and he rested a hand on my waist. Then I met Darius’s eyes.
The eldest Rosano brother’s face had darkened. He tipped his head to rest his forehead against mine. “I’m going to lead the Hell Kickers one day. I should be a better man than I’ve been to you. I promise I don’t normally let my temper get the better of me like that. If you want to yell at me a while to even the score, have at it.”
I touched his cheek. “Yelling is definitely not what I want to do with you. I just need to know that we’re good now. No more worries about my loyalties?”
He paused. “Is it going to be a problem, being with us and being true to your family at the same time? We don’t know that Ezra won’t want his own retribution no matter what you tell him.”
I didn’t even need to think to know my answer. “I’ll only stand with my family when they deserve it too. My brother doesn’t have me on a leash—I make my own rules.” At least, I did from now on. After what I’d just survived, there wasn’t a single part of me that was willing to jump atanyone’scommand anymore, even my brother’s.
Darius exhaled roughly. “I wasn’t worried about that. I don’t think you’d turn on us for his gain—hell, you already had the perfect opportunity if you’d been interested in going there. I just don’t want to ruinyourlife so I can have you in mine.”