Page 26 of Smoke the Enemy

I tell her I will and want to ask her what her plans are for the holidays, or if she did anything already, but I’m worried it’ll only bring attention to how alone she is. She’s never mentioned family or having anyone in her life — other than Walter Dupree.

“I wish you were here. You could come. You’re welcome to join us for New Year’s.”

There’s a pause and then she sighs. “I appreciate that. More than you know. But I can’t travel. It’s too hard on me these days. I prefer to be here in the library, or hanging out at the nursery home. Oh, but don’t worry about me. Every day I’m reminded how grateful and blessed I am. I still have my independence, and I’ve got a young, beautiful lady who cares enough to call and check on an old bird like me. If God decides to bless me with a handsome man with a giant trunk, I’ll be able to die a happy woman.”

“Is that what you asked Santa for?”

“I did, actually! While I was sitting on his lap, I did a little shimmy and asked if he’d be the man for the job. Then the elf asked me to leave. She was a rude little tart. I guess she was worried I’d steal her job asSanta’s little helper.”

I want to believe she’s joking, but I know she’s not. Lois goes on to tell me the campus has been quiet, but she’s not scared to go there. School resumes in January and she’s praying it all goes back to normal. Can we ever go back to normal? I don’t even know what that is anymore.

Carmichael, North Carolina

Christmas Night

Soren

“Did you get your fix?” Steffan asks the minute I get in the door of our house. I speed past the lounge and dining room where our mother is ready to entertain guests for a nine-course holiday dinner, with my brother right by my side. I wish I could’ve stayed, but it was a quick trip. I also knew if I’d gotten my lips on her sweet skin, I wouldn’t have been satisfied with a quickie.

“What’s the point of having a private jet if we’re not going to use it,” I drawl while we continue walking through the house.

“Obviously you didn’t ask Father.” Steffan rubs his hands over his face, “Let me guess, you thought you’d be back before he noticed?”

“I made it in time for dinner, didn’t I?”

“Luckily we’re eating late.”

“And they’re preoccupied with the Conrads,” I growl in frustration. “Alex’s obsession with Taylor is making his moves erratic. He didn’t even notice me. She did… but he didn’t.”

“And our obsession isn’t?” Steffan turns to me, a brow raised. “It was only a few hours ago you flew to Mississippi and watchd Taylor from the shadows of her little church.”

While she sang so beautifully on the stage.I had been close to blowing everything out of the water when she found me in the crowd. I could see her longing written all over her face, and I wanted nothing more than to take her with me.

Steffan lowers his voice and his words are laced with concern. “Did she look okay?”

I nod, not really wanting to share the information. On one hand I see what my brother is doing. How he is keeping the peace between The Illicit by waiting and not openly displaying his affection for Taylor. On the other hand, I don’t see how he can be so calm with leaving her with a viper like Dupree.Stupid tie. She doesn’t even wear it, or knows what it means, so I don’t think it counts.

Was it over-the-top and probably a giant red flag that I flew all the way to Mississippi to see her? I never tried denying my obsession for her. The relief in finding Taylor unscathed was my Christmas gift to myself. I was about to go insane, especially after watching her make herself come. I simply had to see her and had the means to make it happen.

She’s smart, and I trust her — it’s Alex I worry about. The way his eyes followed her every movement and watched her lips as she sang. Her own self-preservation knows that on some level she can’t trust him. But when she looked at me, I could see the flash in her eyes. She was happy I was there. Even though she thinks she can’t trust us, she already does, and she probably hates it that she wants both of us. Taylor hasn’t exactly had an easy time of things since she arrived at Thorn University. The whole campus has been more of a nightmare than usual. That was another situation that was weighing on our brotherhood.

“Where’s Lee?”I ask, to change the subject. Interesting that Steffan’s little puppy isn’t nipping at his heels.

Steffan sits on the edge of the desk and crosses his arms. “He had brunch with Bailee and her aunt and uncle.” That’s awkward. Bailee lives with her mom’s sister and her husband since it was The Brotherhood who made her an orphan. “He should be arriving any minute. He and Bailee are coming here for dinner.”

“He’s bringing her?” I frown. Nobody else thinks that might be a little uncomfortable for her? Shit. She’s not even my girl, and I still think it’s a little fucked up. Then I chuckle, remembering my last conversation about her with Lee. “What happened to not bringing her near my ‘psycho ass?’”

“He’s pretty serious about her,” Steffan tells me, his eyes getting a faraway look in them, “Maybe he thinks since it’s the holidays and you’ll behave?” He gives me a knowing smile.Highly unlikely.In all the years I’ve known Lee, he’s never had a serious girlfriend. The guy has always found a different girl every week, and never dipped back twice. The fact that he’s been with Bailee for a few months speaks volumes.

Steffan gets serious. “She’ll probably get his tie.”

We both fall into silence with his words weighing between us. Never have I thought about giving my tie away. I knew what bringing someone else into our world would be like. I knew the level of crazy I was. Taylor was a game changer. Even if Alex did give her his tie, it didn’t matter to me. She was already ours.

Steffan and I fall into silence, both of us lost in our own musings when the door flies open. Lee storms in with rage in his eyes.Guess dinner got cut short?A smile tugs at my lips at the thought Lee might’ve gotten dumped on Christmas. I think there’s a sad country song about that.

“There’s been another fucking murder!”

“Calm down, man.” Steffan is now standing, his arm hovers over Lee’s in an attempt to rein him in.

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