“Don’t be ridiculous,” Luca spits. “Christ, are you actually this infantile? You need to back away from the business, Sienna. You’re neither emotionally nor intellectually capable.” Exasperated, he looks to his father, shaking his head contemptuously.
Balthazar casts a worried look her way.
At that, she stands, fleeing for her bedroom that she often uses when staying here.
Good fucking riddance.
“Well, this was a great talk,” I joke.
Brecken smiles wryly my way before peering at his dad. “How negotiable is the marriage thing?”
“It’s not.”
“We want the business, Dad,” he points out. And fuck me, I almost yell out in euphoric joy. “We’re trying hard to earn it by a good work ethic and collaboration. What if this upsets that balance we have as brothers? What if this turns it all to shit.”
“How would that happen? You’re solid.”
“We don’t know that Winter wants to marry. If we push it, she might bounce. Thenthe hotel’slost her andwe’velost her. I’m not jeopardizing that.”
Balthazar sighs, deliberating. “Then I’ll ask Winter for her thoughts on it myself.”
“Like hell, you will. We’ll be doing that in about six months,” Luca stresses. “Otherwise, we’re forcing a situation that could backfire. I’m not taking that risk. I’m with Brecken on this.”
“Same. Let’s give it some time,” I placate, feeling the tension rise. “But please stop Sienna from involving herself. She’s a liability.”
“As my daughter, like my sons, I will make room for her,” he counters. “She deserves something from this if she’d rather be involved than sell it. Don’t you think, Brecken?”
A non-committal shrug. “I guess. But we can’t work with her directly. She’ll have to report to different line managers.”
That sounds like he’s definitely in. Ecstatic, I rush out, “So you want to inherit rather than sell?”
“I do. I like what’s happening right now. Winter gets caught up in interesting cases, and I want to be part of this as long as she is.”
“For real?” I ask, just as Luca stands to fist bump his brother.
“Fucking A, man. That’s great! I was worried Sienna had you wrapped around her little finger.”
A scoff. “No. Maybe before, but not now. I needed some time to get my head around everything. To understand what it was I wanted.”
“You wanted Winter.”
His answering nod is shy and boyish. Being bigger than the rest of us, sometimes, I forget he’s the youngest. “Winter comes as a package deal. I accept that, so I want in. I want the four of us.”
“Sorry to play devil’s advocate, but it seems to be a hobby of mine,” I start, “but what will you do if she leaves us? Leaves Chateau B? If the relationship fails.”
Brecken smirks. “She’s never leaving. I won’t let her.”
Luca chuckles darkly. “Possessive much.”
“I don’t mean to sound like a prick, but why would she leave when she has us? Her dream job? And what the hell, Roo, but you renovated a tower for her so that she can live out her Rapunzel fantasies.”
“Rapunzel never had fantasies like hers,” Luca murmurs under his breath, his eyes bright with amusement.
Brecken’s smile is all confidence. It has Balthazar rising to his feet, voicing, “I think this is my cue to look for some celebratory champagne. In the kitchen, out of the way.”
“You arseholes,” I chastise weakly as his footsteps fade, hoping Winter never gets wind of this conversation. “But fuck, I like your confidence, Brecken. And while I know she came here primarily for the job opportunity, I’m pretty sure she’s not going anywhere now.”
Brecken’s smile is contagious. “Isn’t thatexactlywhat I just said? She’s never leaving. Fact. And don’t pretend you didn’t fix that ancient lock in the turret door so that it only works from the outside.”