Page 49 of Barrett

Reaching down, I laid my hand on his and threaded our fingers. Reghan turned and smiled. I nearly whimpered with how damn gorgeous he was.

“Oh god, this is what I have to deal with now, isn’t it?” Raiden asked. “It was bad enough when you two wanted to kill each other. Now, I have dreamy looks to deal with. One extreme to the other. Lovely.”

“You be quiet over there,” Lily said and tossed her napkin at him. Raiden easily caught it. “Your brother deserves to be happy. Just wait until it’s your turn, and he gets to watch you be a lovesick fool. And don’t give me that face. I know damn well you have two men to keep you on your toes.”

Raiden sputtered and glanced wildly around the table like he wanted one of us to save him. Reghan sat back smugly while their dad chuckled. Eventually, Raiden lifted the napkin and returned it to the sender. Lily caught it much like her son had.

“Payback’s a bitch, Brother,” Reghan said.

“Just wait until we’re in the gym, I’m going to kick your ass.”

Without thought, I released Reghan’s hand and reached in front of him to grip Raiden’s wrist hard. “Hurt him, and I’ll come for you.”

“Jesus, Barrett, I was joking.”

I gave him another hard squeeze before letting go and sat back. Reghan practically glowed. “Not a word,” I said to him.

Lily patted my hand nearest to her. “You’re going to be good for our son.” At least she didn’t yell at me for threatening Raiden.

22

REGHAN

Vailsat on the couch, his feet up on the cushions, as a puppy slept on his lap. Vail’s eyes held mine. They crinkled in the corners. “You’re happy, Reghan.”

I nodded but kept my lips pressed closed. Oh, I fought the smile that threatened to break free. I was ridiculously happy. It was the first time in as long as I could remember when I felt like this.

Last night, after having dinner with my parents, I pulled Barrett into one of the offices in the back, and kissed the hell out of him. I would have done a lot more had my brother not been waiting for me. As it was, he gave me shit for making him wait so I could “fuck around with Barrett.” His words.

Barrett and I didn’t go further than kissing, but god, I wanted to. It took every fiber of my being to pull away from him. I was addicted to that man.

“Things are going well with Barrett?” Vail asked. I hadn’t breathed a word of what was going on with us to anyone but my brother and Jordan. Vail had overheard though. It wasn’t hard to guess why I was happy, considering I usually walked around here with the face of a statue, no one getting much of a reaction out of me unless that smart-mouthed detective was in front of me.

Jordan exited his office, walking toward us. “Answer him or he’s going to keep asking you. And if you still don’t answer him, I’ll have to hear about it.”

“Things are going well,” I replied.

Vail sat up, bringing Aspen with him. The German shepherd puppy was a handful but was currently tired from playing with Tahoe. “That’s all you’re going to give me?”

“I’m not sure what you’d like me to say. My time with him is limited. I saw him yesterday. We had dinner with my parents and Raiden.”

“He’s already met your parents?” He was shocked, but his smile didn’t slip.

“It wasn’t intentional. We were at the steakhouse when he showed up to have dinner.”

“Alone?”

I nodded.

“I’m glad you were there so he had company. Although, it couldn’t have been easy meeting your parents that way.”

A smirk tugged on my lips. “I didn’t give him any choice.”

“And there it is,” Jordan stated. He stood at the counter, his back to me, while he poured a cup of coffee. “I knew Barrett wouldn’t be able to walk all over you. Then again, Vail and Hartley do whatever they want to me.” If there had been more people here, other guards, I doubted Jordan would have said as much. He wasn’t overly chatty with anyone; other than the men he shared his bed with.

“Barrett…” What was I going to say? How he put on an act? How he’d rather no one knew who he really was? What Jordan and Vail weren’t aware of washowhe really was. His mannerisms, his vulnerability, the way he smiled when he didn’t have to worry about who would see. A part of me wanted to keep that to myself. So instead of mentioning those things, I said, “He doesn’t want to lose his job.”

Jordan shook his head. “If he does, he can work for me.”

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