Page 62 of Love Without Demands

We sat, and Lehra curled her legs beneath her and faced me. She was wearing a red-and-black top and skirt that revealed a Cruz approved amount of thigh in her current position. Luckily I had excellent peripheral vision and could enjoy the view while keeping my eyes on hers.

“It was a car accident outside Atlantic City.”

“Wow.” I scrubbed a hand over the top of my head. I can’t say the news made me sad because I knew entirely too much information about Chloe from Paul. “How did you find out?”

“I called Gianna to check on Janie-Bug.”

“Yeah, I talked to Auburn a couple hours ago. He said the surgery went well, and she should be walking soon.” I shook my head. “That kid’s a warrior.”

“She is,” Lehra said with a soft smile.

Jane’s biological parents had hurt Gianna and Auburn’s daughter when she was two, and the little girl had been in a wheelchair ever since. Apparently, Auburn had his cousin, Beau, look into it, and he found out the couple was dead. That was good. Otherwise, I’d be tempted to hunt the fuckers down for hurting that baby girl.

My phone rang, and I snatched it up, seeing that it was Auburn calling. I answered immediately. “Hey, man. I just heard. How are you?”

“I’m okay,” he sighed. “It’s… weird. I’m not sure how to feel about it. I just got off the phone with Dad a few minutes ago.”

Worry rose like a flash in my chest at the mention of his—our—father. “How is Paul doing with all this?”

“He seems to be okay. They were going through the divorce when all this happened.”

“Anything I can do for you?”

“Actually, yes. We’ll be here in Texas for a few more days while Jane recovers enough to fly. My brother, Monty, is taking a commercial flight since we have the private plane to transport Jane. Do you think you could pick him up from the airport?”

My mind reeled.My other brother is coming, and I get to meet him for the first time.

“Yes, of course. Send me the details.”

“Okay, I’m going to get back in there to Jane.”

“Give her a hug from me. Jaxon too.”

“I will and, Cruz?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you. You have no idea how much it means to me that I can always count on you. I feel like… like you’re part of my family now.”

My heart lodged in my throat.We are family.

“What did he say?” Lehra asked as soon as I hung up.

“He, uh, wants me to go pick up his brother.”

Her eyes round. “Wow, Monty is coming home? Hasn’t he been gone for, like, sixteen years or something?”

“Yeah, about that.”

“I wonder what he’s like?” she mused.

“I know he’s a detective in Florida, and he just solved a big serial killer case.” I smiled, oddly proud of the brother I’d never met. “Auburn’s been talking about it.”

“I saw him on TV. He looks a lot like his brother.”

Which one?I wanted to ask.

Averting my eyes so I didn’t allow her to see my secrets, I stood. “I’m getting some water. You want anything, Tink?”

---