Page 78 of Bitter Arrangement

“That doesn’t mean my brother’s cartel problems are your problems too.”

He shrugs slightly. “But what if it does? He’s my brother-in-law. We don’t know each other, but that shouldn’t matter. Family is family.”

“Alexan, just stop, okay? I appreciate the offer, but you’ll only make me upset again. There’s nothing we can do for him.”

“Let me think about it.” He pats my ass when I start to protest. “That’s all for now, alright? Just let me think.”

“Fine.” I sniffle and feel like a child again. “I promise I won’t cry after every time we have sex.”

“I know that.” He brushes his lips over my neck. “Mostly I’ll leave you a quivering, smiling, post-orgasm mess.”

“Promise?”

“Always.”

We stay like that for a little while. I’m honestly touched that he wants to help my brother, even though that’s not his problem and he’s got enough going on. I feel guilty that I brought it up, but I couldn’t help it. All my emotion just spilled out once he broke down my barriers.

He can think. That’s not asking too much. But I won’t let him do anything that might put him at risk.

Alexan’s my family now too.

Which means I care about him and need to protect him with everything I have.

Chapter29

Alexan

Nobody follows me to Pomegranate House the next day. I’m guessing Mantis got the message loud and clear.

I don’t like a tail.

Daron, William, and Eric are already sitting at a corner table waiting for me to show up. Daron’s entertaining the other two with some funny story from his youth. All three of my men have coffees in front of them. I nod at a waitress to bring over a fourth as I pull up a chair.

“And I said to him,listen, you little shit, it’s a fucking stool, not a goddamn dildo.” Daron grins and gestures like he’s climbing a rope, and the other two start cracking up like they’ve just heard the funniest story in the world.

My coffee shows up, and I let their laughter die down. It’s good those three are getting along. I need them focused and working hard, but camaraderie is a big piece of any new group.

That’s part of why I brought Daron on. He’s charming and outgoing, which makes him the perfect social glue. William’s more like the quiet and serious type, while Eric’s still too green to be useful.

“You missed a good one, boss,” Daron says, leaning back. “Should I tell it again?”

“Only if it’s more than half true.”

“Ah, damn, then I’d better not.”

William shakes his head, still smiling. “I knew you were full of it.”

“That really didn’t happen?” Eric seems disappointed. “What about the perfect hack?”

“That, my young friend, was real.” Daron’s eyes sparkle as he glances at me. “You knowthatstory, right?”

“Daron can’t go ten minutes without talking about his crowning achievement.” I sip my coffee and try not to laugh.

“I broke into a bank and pinned it on the bastard that stole my fucking girlfriend!” Daron leans back and stretches. “Poor bastard never should’ve touched her.”

“The worst part is you didn’t actually like that girl,” I point out.

“It’s true.” Daron steeples his fingers. “I was going to break up with her anyway. But it was the principle.”

---