Page 92 of Heartbreaker (Paths to Love 3)

My entire body seized. I hadn’t forgotten about Drew’s nugget of bad news he’d dropped on me, but so far his hit ratio was zero. Not one part of me believed the shit he was spewing.

“You were wrong about Mulaney and Dad, and you’re wrong about this.” I shoved a hand in my pocket and squeezed the life out of my stress ball.

“‘Rose-colored glasses’,” he sang, quoting the old John Conlee song. Hadn’t I told myself not that long ago I was wearing them when it came to Mulaney? It didn’t matter.

“Enough,” I yelled as I kicked at a nearby trash can.

“She’s got you so blinded—”

“You’re the one who’s blind. Don’t talk shit about my wife again.”

Drew was out of line and completely wrong. I’d reached my breaking point.

“Easton—” He sounded contrite, and I calmed a bit.

I leaned against the column, letting the wind cool me off.

“How’d Mama’s doctor appointment go?” If we were going to talk, it might as well be about something he actually knew about.

“I’m only looking out for you,” he said. “I don’t like telling you this stuff about your angel of a wife.”

“I asked you a question,” I said. If Drew were here right now, I’d sock him straight in the face.Why the hell is he pursuing this?He seems . . . giddy about it.

He huffed out a sigh. “She seemed excited. The doctor has an experimental treatment he says has had promising results.” My brother didn’t bother to hide his skepticism.

“If she’s happy, that counts a lot.”

“I just don’t want some witch doctor getting her hopes up.”

An ambulance wailed as it pulled into the hospital drive. I waited until it was silent before continuing the conversation. “What if it works?”

“Then I might start believing in miracles.” After another pause, he said, “Hey, I’ve got some good news. The money you put in their account is still there.”

“I guess. It may disappear tomorrow, though.”

“I take it you won’t be home tonight either.” Something struck me as odd that my brother referred to the hotel as home. I liked spending time with him, but our living arrangement wasn’t permanent. Mulaney was my home.

“I’m not sure when I’ll be back, but keep me in the loop.”

We’d barely hung up when I received a text message. It was a photo of Mulaney, two men, and another woman walking. Mulaney led the other three, and I couldn’t get a read on any of their expressions, though they didn’t appear to be speaking.

Rodrigo is on the left. Damon is on the right. Gia is the other woman. All whores.

I bristled at my brother’s text. They were people, and what they chose to do was their own business. What Mulaney did with them . . . I darkened the screen and ignored the flare of jealousy that licked through me. It couldn’t mean what Drew was suggesting. Surely not.She wasn’t a liar.

Chapter Forty

Mulaney

“Have you seen that Green boy?”

I hated even asking the question, but having Bryce as part of a past that had shaped my life, I had to make sure my niece wasn’t affected the same way I was. The rejection had made me stronger, though my personal relationships with the opposite sex had suffered. It took Easton to make me see not all men would lie and cheat.

I passed Leona a cup of hot chocolate and picked up my coffee.

“Yes.”

Although her response was almost a whisper I nearly dropped the Styrofoam, some of the hot liquid splashing on my hand. “Shit.” I shook my hand off and blew on where I’d been burned. “What the hell do you mean yes?”

---