Breathless (Steel Brothers Saga 10)

“You’ll look perfect as always,” Joe said, his gaze upon his wife.

Love. God, they were so in love it was almost sickening.

I was truly happy for both of them, but being in close proximity with all the Steel brothers, who were as pussy-whipped as all get-out, wasn’t going to be the easiest thing to deal with, especially not while I was lusting after their baby sister.

“We figure you can start next week,” Joe said. “That’ll give you a few days to get settled.”

“Hold up,” I said. “It’ll take some time to move everything to the ranch.”

“Don’t worry about that. We’re hiring movers. You and Evelyn won’t have to lift a finger.”

I twirled my mashed potatoes with my fork. “We still have to pack.”

“They’ll handle that.”

“I’m perfectly cap—”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. We know you are. But we’re happy to do this. It’s a write-off, you know?”

I sighed. “Look. I’m not complaining, but you’re making this too easy on me. I’m beginning to feel like a charity case.”

Joe shook his head, and the emotion in his brown eyes was almost…hurt. “None of us think of you that way. We’ve been through this.”

“I know, but—”

“No buts. You accepted the offer. We need you, and if we can make the change easier on you in the process, we want to do it.”

I opened my mouth to respond when my phone buzzed. I looked down. Shit. Ted Morse again.

“Do you need to take that?” Joe asked.

“I’m not taking it. It’s Ted Morse.”

“Colin’s dad?” Joe furrowed his brow. “Fucking bastard.”

“Jonah,” Melanie admonished. “This is a nice place.”

“Sorry. But you know what I think of that asshole.”

“Jonah!”

“He’s right,” I agreed. “The guy tried to have him framed.”

“I get it,” she said. “I don’t disagree. Trust me.”

“What the hell does he want?”

Melanie just rolled her eyes, apparently tired of arguing about language in a rather quiet upscale restaurant.

“He called me this morning. Said he had information for me and wanted to meet.”

“And you said…”

“Hell, no. Sorry, Melanie.”

“It’s okay. I give up,” she said.

“I told him to give it to me over the phone, but he said the FBI might have tapped us.”