Page 70 of Hot Momosa

Leo

Thanksto the invention of the MRI, scientists had debunked the myth that human beings only use ten percent of our brains, but my brothers hadn’t gotten the memo. After annihilating a couple cases of beer, I doubted any synapses fired in their gray matter.

“You’ve been warming that chair for over an hour.” Dante gave me a drunken glare. “Seriously, what’s up with you?”

I knew him too well to cower. The only place my baby brother was a threat was on the computer.

“Besides the woman I love being harassed by a psychopath?” I deadpanned.

Marco held his arms out at his sides. “We all have problems, bro. But look around you. We’re in the middle of the freakin’ Gulf of Mexico under a bright blue sky. This is no place to mope.”

“I’m not moping.” I glanced inside the cabin at Gabe and Enzo. They’d kicked back and were deep in conversation, likely about fatherhood or wives or current mortgage rates.

Gabe caught me staring and frowned. He said something to Enzo and the two knuckleheads joined the rest of us.

This time, Dante narrowed his eyes at our brothers. “What’s up with the two of you? You’ve been gossiping like a couple of old ladies at Sunday mass since we left the marina.”

Thankful to have the attention off me, I sat back to enjoy the sun.

Enzo nodded in my direction. “Something you want to tell us?”

“About?”

He and Gabe exchanged glances, and I knew. Shanna and Maggie hadn’t kept mine and Dahlia’s secret. Not that the revelation surprised me. Maggie had looked downright shell-shocked when she’d left the condo. Shanna, on the other hand, had grinned like she knew the winning lotto numbers.

“Fine. Yes. I have something to tell you.” I took a swig of my beer. “You’re all a bunch of pains in my ass.”

Enzo folded his arms and rocked back on his heels. “Very funny. Now spill it.”

I opened my mouth to tell him to go to Hell, but a reel howled from the aft side of the boat before I had the chance. “Grab it!”

He stared as if I’d spoken in Swahili.

Marco darted toward the sound.

I motioned to the bowed rod. “This is a fishing trip. You have a fish.”

“I’m on it!” Gabe moved quicker than someone who’d consumed his body weight in beer should have been able to and shouldered Marco out of the way. The big jerk gripped the pole with both hands and yanked it hard enough to snap the line.

Turning to Enzo, I said. “Gabe sucks at this. You might want to go help.”

“Damn it. This conversation isn’t over.” He hurried away.

Good freaking riddance.

Dante plopped down beside me and pulled out his phone. “What was that about?”

“Who knows. How’s the signal?” I hadn’t checked my messages since the previous evening. Although I knew Dahlia was safe in Stuart’s capable hands, I had an overwhelming urge to hear her voice.

He hitched a shoulder. “Satcom it works great… When it works.”

The show on the other side of the deck kept me entertained while waiting for my cell to power on.

“Great job setting the hook, Gabe.” I added every bit of admiration I could muster to my voice. The more I sucked up, stroked egos, and smiled the less likely they’d be to bust my balls about Gunnar.

Gabe flipped me the finger.

Shaking my head, I scrolled through my messages. Six from Julia Carpenter to call her. Seems she had breaking news on Meriwether. The last message referred me to a website. I clicked the link and waited for the gossip rag article to load.

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