Breathless (Steel Brothers Saga 10)

“Okay,” Ryan said. “This all just got weirder.” He then explained to Marj about the phone call I’d had with Ted Morse last night.

Marjorie’s eyes widened, and her beautiful face paled a bit. “Wow,” was all she said.

“We all know Ted Morse is a mercenary,” Talon said. “And a dick. He’ll say whatever he needs to say to make a buck.”

“I went to school with Colin,” Marjorie said. “The Morses are hardly hurting for cash.”

“That doesn’t mean they don’t want more,” Joe said. “Some people are always looking for an easy way to add to their coffers. I’ve seen a lot of this since I took over the beef ranch. Plus, the bastard is willing to resort to extortion, as I know firsthand. He’s not a good man.”

“I know.” Marjorie shook her head. “But Colin is. Or at least was.”

“Good men don’t usually leave their fiancées at the altar,” Joe said.

“True,” she said. “And he regretted it, which makes me wonder if…”

“Damn,” Talon said. “If Ted had something to do with that as well.”

“Right,” she said.

“I guess I owe him thanks, then,” Talon said. “If Jade had married Colin, I wouldn’t have her now.”

“It’s just conjecture,” Marj said. “I could be totally wrong. He told me his father called him a coward after he ditched the wedding.”

“Yet it kind of rings true, doesn’t it?” Joe said. “That Ted might be behind it somehow?”

“Yeah,” she said. “It kind of does. And Colin wants an audience with Jade.”

“Which he’s not getting,” Talon said dryly.

“I don’t know, Tal,” Joe said thoughtfully. “Maybe Jade should talk to him.”

“When she’s in the middle of a difficult pregnancy? You’d be hard-pressed to convince me when she’s in perfect health.”

“What if his father was behind him not showing up to the wedding? Maybe he wants to tell her that.” Joe rubbed at his chin. “Maybe he has some knowledge of what his father might be up to.”

“No way,” Talon said. “No fucking way.”

Marjorie stepped up then. “I’ve known Jade a lot longer than you have, Tal, and you’re not giving her enough credit. She’s as strong as they come. She won’t let Colin upset her. She won’t do anything to put this pregnancy in jeopardy.”

“You don’t have to tell me how strong my wife is,” Talon said.

“Then let Colin talk to her,” Ryan said.

“Fuck you, Ry,” Talon said, standing. “If Theodore Mathias rose from the dead and wanted to talk to your wife, would you encourage it?”

“Easy, bro,” Joe said.

“First, that psycho did way worse to Ruby than stand her up at the altar,” Ryan said. “The situations aren’t even close to equal. But trust me. If Ruby wanted to talk to her father, I wouldn’t be able to stop her.”

“You think I should let Jade decide,” Talon said with reserve.

Marjorie stood then and faced her middle brother. “Do you even hear what you’re saying, Tal? Of course it should be Jade’s choice. Jade is your wife, not your child. This is her decision.”

Talon regarded me then. “What do you think?”

Way to be put on the spot. “I’m not a member of this family. I don’t get a vote.”

“Hold on again,” Marj said. “The only person who gets a vote here is Jade. Jesus.”