Page 161 of Stolen Voices
Why couldn’t Mason be kind enough to pretend he didn’t hear me orgasm and shout Eli was coming? I want his family to like me, not think I’m a sex exhibitionist or something.
Eli kisses my temple. “Don’t worry. He’s used to hearing things he’s not supposed to hear.”
“Seriously? You’re going to bring up The Blue Cantina?” Mason rips off his glasses and pinches the bridge of his nose.
Eli barks a laugh as he lifts me into his arms. I wrap my arms and legs around him, burrowing into him like a shield, and let him carry me to the stool beside his brother. He places me in his lap and massages the back of my neck protectively, making me melt into him.
“What’s The Blue Cantina?”
“A restaurant,” Mason grumbles.
“Not just any restaurant.” Eli pauses dramatically, and Mason rolls his eyes, returning to his computer. “It’s Jace and Rylann’s favorite restaurant to bang at.”
“Fuck, let it go already.” Mason shakes his head.
My mouth falls open in shock. “They’ve had sex in the bathroom at a restaurant?”
Eli laughs—like, shoulders shaking laughs—as he tells me the story of their rehearsal dinner and how Mason overheard them while they occupied the bathroom.
I twist around in Eli’s lap and squish his face between my hands. “I love you, and I will let you do just about anything to me, but I draw a line at sex in a public bathroom.”
Eli’s smile falls, and his eyes blaze with unbridled lust. “I never loved you more.”
He crushes his lips to mine, forcing them apart with his tongue. This kiss is passionate, wet, and dirty. His hands tangle in my hair as he tilts my head to the side and deepens the kiss. I’m a molten ball of goo, completely under Eli’s spell.
“For fuck’s sake, Eli. We have shit to do,” Mason grouses, reminding us of his presence and forcing us to break apart with a smack. “I’m super happy you found a woman who hates bathrooms as much as you do, but I need you to focus, brother.”
Eli presses his forehead to mine as he stares deep into my eyes. So much love fills his blue-green gaze that I can feel it warmly caress my soul. “I’m so fucking happy I found you.”
The butterflies in my stomach soar. “Me too, handsome.”
I’m rewarded with a wink before Eli spins me around again to face the computer covered in spreadsheets, invoices, and who knows what else covering the screen.
“Fucking finally.” Mason rolls his eyes, grumbling under his breath. He looks like a slimmer and slightly shorter, lighter-haired version of the man behind me. He’s hot. Not as hot as Eli—nobody is—but the grumpy, nerdy vibe he wears works for him, especially when he wears his reading glasses. Mason kind of reminds me of Clark Kent.
“Fuck off, Mase. I’ve put up with a lot from you and Em. It’s my turn.”
Mason grins. “True. I will allow it.”
I chuckle to myself, watching the two share a few more barbs. Having siblings like this growing up must have been nice. I’m an only child. Growing up, I wished for siblings; instead, I got Silla. Disappointing, to say the least.
The energy in the room shifts, and Eli takes a deep breath like he’s preparing himself for what he’s about to say. “Serious business now, Cal. Like I asked, Mason has been digging into Silla’s financials. She’s in debt out of her ass. You were right. She blew through her trust. And…” He stops, his face turning red with anger at the next part.
Mason continues for him. “She’s stealing from you, Callie. She has emptied your bank account, and has opened credit cards and store credit lines in your name all over LA. Boutiques, spas… You name it.”
I fight the urge to say “duh”. “I’m not surprised. Silla has always been greedy.”
“Unfortunately, that’s not the worst of it.” Mason opens a new window and what looks like a life insurance statement.
My stomach bottoms out when my eyes catch the name at the top. “Why is there a ten-million-dollar life insurance policy in my name?”
The only thing I’ve ever signed for her was the managerial contract. Right?
A memory of her lawyer coming over to have me sign paperwork for the concert comes to mind.
“That, my sweet sister-to-be, is our smoking gun.” Mason cracks his knuckles and brings me to the present. “And this is how we are going to put her away.”
Any other time, my heart would explode at Mason calling me his sister-to-be—because I want nothing more than to be a part of this big, crazy, wonderful family—but the sinking feeling in my chest overwhelms me.
