Page 97 of Flame
“I think you talk a lot.”Just like your sister.
He bursts out laughing.
“You really could’ve wound that up in a sentence or two.”Then I wouldn’t have had to sweat buckets over here.
He settles down. “Does Bianca know how you feel?”
“I don’t know.”“Tell me you’re mine, Bianca.”I smirk. “She might.”
“The sooner the two of you stop playing cat and mouse, the better off we’ll all be.”
“Well, since you know how I feel, I feel comfortable saying this. She can be a pain in the ass.”
“Don’t I know it.”
I grin. “What do you need from me? What can I do?”
“Right.” He blows out a breath. “I don’t want to tell her about Dad yet. She tries to play it tough, but I know it’ll hurt her. And I don’t want her worrying about it until we find him. Then she can deal with it knowing he’s put away and can’t hurt her.”
I pace the room. “But how do we know he won’t send someone else? Where are the Downings in all of this?”
“Well, strangely enough, our attorneys reached out to them about the amendment. They sent a formal reply that they weren’t aware of the amendment and had no interest in pursuing it.”
“And we can believe them?”
“I never believe anyone fully,” he says. “But sending a letter via their attorneys is putting it in writing. If something happens to Bianca, they know they’ll be one of the first persons investigated. I think this is their way of saying their nose is clean, so to speak.”
I lean against the sofa. “So why did your father write the amendment in the first place? I don’t understand.”
“We don’t either. We’re still working on it. But if you can keep Bianca busy and out of the public eye until we find Dad, that will help.”
I smirk. “I think I can do that.”
“I bet you can.” He groans. “Let’s remember she’s still my baby sister, and I will still kick the shit out of you, Carmichael.”
Our laughter blends, easing some of the tension that crept back into my shoulders.
“Tell her I called, okay?” he asks. “Tell her she should check the family chat sometimes. Just because she’s married doesn’t mean we don’t exist.”
“I will. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Hey, Foxx.”
“Yeah?”
I can almost hear his smile through the phone.
“You should make a real go of this,” he says. “You and Bianca. You’re the only man I know good enough for her, and she’s the only woman who’s good enough for you.”
Damn you, Jason. “Yeah.” It’s all I can get out without sounding like a moron.
“Ah, the one-syllable answer. There’s the Foxx we know and love.”
“Fuck off.”
He laughs. “Talk to you later.”
I end the call.
