Page 129 of The Long Game

Jack backed off, pushing Colton into the gathering of their friends and family and giving Daphne room.

“Gentlemen,” Daphne said crisply, “you cannot enter a private residence, uninvited, and then harass my client, abuse Sam, and threaten Colton.”

Grady’s father gave Daphne an insulting once-over, then asked Grady, “Who is she?”

Grady smiled. “My lawyer. I suggest you address her directly before youreallypiss her off.”

Grady’s father scoffed and didn’t spare Daphne another glance.

Daphne’s eyes narrowed. Grady had warned the idiot.

A loud knock on the open door drew everyone’s attention and Grady wondered who else might possibly join this circus.

“’Scuse us.” A man Grady had never seen before in his life came into the apartment carrying the front of the queen-size mattress they’d left propped in the hallway. The back half was hefted by another unfamiliar face. They forced their way past the assholes and leaned the mattress against a wall.

Who the hell were these guys?

Then two more people stepped into the apartment and Grady’s mouth dropped open.

Because while he was happy and incredibly relieved to see Hannah, she was standing next to…

Was thatRené Gauthier?

To say Grady was shocked to see one of the most notorious criminals in Canada standing in his goddamn doorway would have been the understatement of the century.

Just when Jackthought the day couldn’t get any more surreal, René entered the chaos with a teenager on his arm.

Jack couldn’t help it. He smiled. He hadn’t seen René in years. He was older, but still terribly handsome, and he still smiled at Jack like he was something special.

All Jack had needed to do was ask for his help, and René had delivered.

How could henotsmile?

A loud gasp issued from the man who looked disconcertingly like Grady. “Hannah!”

That explained who the young woman was. Rather than show any relief at seeing the members of her family arrayed before her, she cowered by René, who patted her hand in a fatherly fashion.

When Brock David, who clearly didn’t know how to read a room, made a grab for Hannah, he was intercepted by one of the men who’d carried in the mattress.

René had brought muscle.

Hannah made a break for it, skirting behind her protection until she could run for Colton and Sam. She flung herself into their arms.

“Get back here, girl! Do you have any idea what you’ve put me through? You will learn your place!” the man Jack guessed was Hannah’s father yelled.

Jack had to fight not to curl his lip. “Do they ever use women’s names? Or do they just call them ‘girl’ all the time?” he asked Grady.

Grady sighed. “Pretty much. Girl. Wife. Sister. Ma’am.”

“Except my dead name. Turns out they like using that one just fine,” Sam muttered darkly while patting Hannah’s back.

Jack grimaced. “Ew.”

“Seriously,” Grady agreed.

“Who are you to judge us?” Grady’s father snapped.

“Your son,” Grady snapped back.

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