Page 109 of Bad Luck Club

“Then why drag me out so dramatically?” Prescott demanded, his face turning red.

“Because you were about to cause a scene,” Finn said, his voice hard. “Addy’s worked hard for tonight—not one single thanks to you—and I willnotlet you try to take that from her.”

All four men stood in a line, blocking the path to the door, ready to do whatever it took to keep him from ruining the event.

Prescott was furious, but he took a step back. “You’ll be sorry for this, Junior.”

“My name,” Lee ground out through gritted teeth, “isLee. And the only thing I’m sorry for is that I didn’t come to my senses years ago. You did everything you could to keep me and my siblings apart, to keep us at odds with each other, and I’ll be damned if I let you interfere again.”

“You all deserve each other,” Prescott sneered, rage filling his eyes.

Lee stretched an arm around Jack’s shoulders and tugged him closer. “I’m not sure I deserve Jack, but I’ll do everything in my power to make up all that lost time with him. Our sisters too.”

“Ditto,” Jack said, his arm looping around Lee’s shoulders too. “There’s a trash truck down the street, Prescott. You better hurry. You’re going to miss your ride.”

Lee burst out laughing, and River and Finn joined him.

“One more thing,” Finn added. “Stay away from my fiancée, or I’ll have a restraining order filed against you.”

Lee turned to him in surprise. Had Finn proposed? He knew he’d done it early on in their relationship to prove he was in it for the long haul, and according to Adalia, he suggested it at least once a week, but he hadn’t proposed again. Not the kind of big, splashy proposal Finn Hamilton would want to make.

Prescott gave them all a harsh glare, and Lee was amazed by the realization that he couldn’t care less.

All four men turned their backs on him, heading back into the gallery, and River said under his breath, “I didn’t know you’d proposed to Addy again.”

“I haven’t yet,” Finn admitted. “Not officially. But I plan to do it this weekend.”

They all clapped him on the back, and Lee pulled him into a hug. “I couldn’t have picked a better man for her if I’d tried. I’m happy for you both.”

“Thanks, Lee,” Finn said, looking him in the eye. “That means more to me than you know.”

The rest of the evening went well, and when they closed the doors, everyone elated at the success of the exhibit, Lee apologized to his sisters for kicking Prescott out before they could get some closure of their own. But they both shook their heads adamantly. Adalia said she’d made peace with the reality that Prescott would never be the father she wanted. And Georgie claimed she didn’t need closure—she just wanted him gone—but Lee wasn’t sure he believed her.

Blue didn’t show up, not that Lee was surprised. He wanted to call or text her, but he didn’t know what to say. So instead, he joined his family at a restaurant that Adalia loved for late-night appetizers and dessert. Lee was desperate to get back to the hotel to see if Blue was there, but he’d bailed on Adalia too many times to leave her now. He felt like his family was still such a fragile thing. They would grow stronger, but they were still saplings that needed sunlight and water.

Still, Adalia kept sending him worried looks. She obviously knew something was wrong, and he felt guilty that Blue had stayed away from the opening because of him.

It was late when they left the restaurant and headed back to the hotel. They all took the same elevator, Adalia and Finn getting off first, then Jack and Maisie and Georgie and River on the next stop. Finally, it was just Dottie and Lee. She turned to him with a pained expression.

“Why do you think Blue got between you and that nasty man who was her husband?”

He blinked in surprise, his anger resurging. “To keep me from beating the shit out of him.”

“Yes, of course,” she said, looking exhausted. “But who do you think she was protecting, Lee?”

He started to say Remy, then stopped.

“I know you’ve been hurt, dear,” she said, her voice weary. “Your life has been full of one trauma after another, but so has hers. When you stepped between Adalia and your father, who were you protecting?”

“Addy. Of course,” he said with plenty of attitude.

“Because she was the vulnerable one, Lee. Not your father.” The elevator door opened on her floor and she stepped off, turning back to face him. When the door started to close, she threw her hand up to block it. “Of the two of you—you and Blue’s ex-husband—who was the most vulnerable? Who had the most to lose if the matter devolved into fisticuffs?”

He sucked in a breath as a fresh wound opened on his heart. Jeremy Rousseau would have had him arrested and splashed it all over the news. Not only would Lee’s professional career have been further damaged, but he’d be facing legal battles.

“Would she go to such effort to protect someone she’d set up? Someone she didn’t value and respect? Don’t let your pride take her from you.” She gave him a soft smile. “Sometimes groveling works wonders.”

The doors closed, and he wondered if he should go back down and make sure she made it to her room—it had been a long night for her, too, and she seemed tired—but her words played over and over in his head.

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