Page 69 of Broken King

My comment on the time he came home surprises him. “Staying up because you’re worried about me, little brother? I can take care of myself.”

“Not worried. Just happened to hear you come in.”

Leaning back in his chair, he chuckles. “And what were you doing up at three a.m., may I ask?”

As if I have a thrilling night life.

“I don’t sleep a lot anymore, so I’m always up at that time,” I answer, likely disappointing him with my boring life.

“Not hanging out with the new nanny?” he asks in that sing-song voice he uses when he’s busting chops.

I shake my head, confused why he’d even ask that. “No. We aren’t like that. She’s usually busy with the boys.”

My brother sets the chair back on the floor and leans forward toward me. “So you do know her schedule, though?”

I hate when Marius gets like this. I sense the teasing is coming soon, and although I have no idea why he insists on bringing Sabrina into it, I’m not biting.

“No, I don’t know anything about her schedule. She lives here like I do and you do, for the time being. Other than that, I don’t know what she does. Why the hell are you interested in if I know her schedule? Are you into her?”

That would explain his questions. And the way he was acting the other day.

Maybe I misread his mood today. Maybe he’s not eager to bust my balls about something stupid. Maybe he’s just into the new nanny.

But he quickly dispels that theory when he shakes his head and answers, “She’s not my type. I get a bad vibe off that one.”

“Then why are you interested in if I know her schedule or not?”

Of course, he doesn’t answer my question. Instead, he jumps up from his chair and walks over to the refrigerator to get a drink.

“Guess who I saw when I went to The Library last night?” he asks, again using that sing-song voice.

“No idea. The nanny?”

He pokes his head out from behind the refrigerator door and laughs. “I don’t think she’s old enough to get into bars, is she?”

“Fine. One of your exes? Let me guess. She threw a glass of something in your face, and then you charmed her into realizing she really wants you, and the two of you went back to her apartment and you showed her why she should miss you.”

That gets me another laugh as he closes the refrigerator door and walks back to the table with a can of soda. Sitting down across from me again, he says, “I like the way you think, but no. Take another guess.”

Already tired of this, I say, “I don’t know. Someone you knew from high school?”

“No. Katie Abbott.”

I’m surprised by his answer and blurt out, “My Kate?”

He grins like what I call her is amusing. “The very same. She was there looking as sweet and innocent as always. Seriously, bro, you need to get going with her, or some guy is going to steal her away.”

My jealousy rises with each word until I snap, “Someone like you, I presume?”

The look he gives me makes it seem like that’s either the last thing he could ever imagine or the worst. Either way, I don’t like it.

“Don’t act like she’s not beautiful and smart and everything you could ever want, Marius. I may not have both my hands anymore, but I have both of my eyes. Kate’s the entire package.”

My brother tips the soda can back against his lips and takes a drink before saying, “First of all, she’s not my type. I like my women a bit more on the wild side. Second of all, if she’s such a catch, why are you letting her be out on a Saturday night and not with you?”

As I plan on explaining to him that I don’t feel the need to control Kate’s every move, he adds, “And third of all, that girl you’re crazy about is sure you’re banging the nanny.”

Thank God I’m not drinking the soda or I would have choked on it when he said that. “What? That’s insane. I barely know Sabrina.”

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