Page 92 of Bottles & Blades

“Exactly,” he mutters, clearly reading the thought on my face. “You went through hell and came out the other side, buttercup. That deserves accolades, not love with strings attached and sharp words and middle of the night phone calls that aren’t emergencies.” He sighs. “And I don’t know your dad, don’t know how cognizant of reality he is, but he’s not completely free of this either. He’s standing—or I’m guessing, he’sstood—by and let her treat you like shit for far longer than last night.”

“That’s not…”

“What it’s like?” he finishes when I can’t.

Because thatiswhat it’s like.

I love my dad, but he never stood up to my mom. Not now. Not then.

It’s why I can’t live at home, why I needed to get out and find some distance.

Because my mom…well, she’s never let me forget how much she’s done for me.

“Just wait until I’m back to make your call,” he says. “I’ll only be a couple of hours because I had Marie free up the rest of my day. Take a long shower, raid the fridge, snoop to your heart’s content. Or go”—he presses a kiss to the top of my head and grins at me—“back to sleep and I’ll wake you up in the best possible way.”

“Honey.”

“Just give me this, buttercup.” His eyes are as soft as his words. “Please?”

How can I resist that?

I nod.

“Thank you, baby.” He kisses me again, doing it long enough that I turn into a pile of mush.

Then he’s pulling away, touching my cheek. “I’ll be back soon.”

“Okay,” I whisper.

He moves to the door, giving me the chance to appreciate the gorgeousness of him in that suit.

“Jean-Mi?” I call before he disappears into the hall.

He pauses, blue gaze hitting mine. “Yeah, baby?”

“Don’t work too hard.”

I hold the smile he gives me close.

Then I tug the covers a little higher.

Close my eyes.

And go back to sleep.

And later…he wakes me up in the best possible way.

Twenty-Eight

Jean-Michel

“So”—Marie,sets her tablet down—“that’s the best we can figure for why Duarte countered how they did.”

I rub the throb between my brows, lean back in my chair.

Easy to counter when they know how far we’re willing to concede.

“The question is can we recoup this deal or should we bail now and move on to something else?”

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