A buzzing sound drew my attention, and I glanced at the stone countertop to see Blair’s cell phone vibrating. Her finger hovered over it for a beat, her face awash with indecision. Then she took a deep breath and hit the ignore button. I could only imagine the shocked look on my face. It started to ring again, and she glanced guiltily at the screen but didn’t answer. Then she looked at Imogene. “We have to hurry.”
The next second, my own phone was ringing. I dug it out of my pocket, unsurprised to see Justice’s name flashing on the screen.
“Please, Thatcher?” Imogene pleaded with wide, tear-filled eyes. Shit. Another hormonal side-effect of her pregnancy, but one I hated. “We’re trying to plan his surprise birthday party and since he never lets Blair out of his sight—a family trait, apparently,” she interjected dryly, “she had to slip away.” Imogene’s whiskey orbs pleaded with me, and I felt myself caving when my phone began to ring again.
“I’m sorry, sugar, but if I couldn’t get ahold of you and didn’t know where you were, I’d lose my fucking mind.”
I stabbed the button to accept the call. “She’s fine, bro,” I said quickly. “Sitting in my kitchen with my wife, and my security is watching over them.”
Justice was silent, but I could hear his heavy breathing on the other end of the phone. When he finally spoke, his voice was raspy. “Thank fuck.” Then he growled, “Put her on the fucking phone, Thatcher.”
I held the phone out towards Blair, and she stared at it like it was going to bite her. “You’re only getting yourself into more trouble,” Imogene sighed.
Blair’s shoulders dropped, and she reluctantly grabbed the cell phone. “Justice—” she started.
Standing as close as we were, we easily heard his reply when he interrupted her. “Do you have any idea how fucking worried I’ve been, bunny?” She tried to speak, but he cut her off once again. “No, don’t say anything. You’ve already earned yourself a spanking. You’ll be lucky if I don’t chain you to our fucking bed. Now give the phone back to Thatcher and get your pretty little ass home.” Blair huffed, making it clear she was annoyed but mumbled an affirmative. She’d started to hand it over when Justice called to her. “Bunny?”
“Yes?”
“I love you.” Justice’s voice was soft and full of emotion. “I wouldn’t survive without you.” Blair’s whole demeanor seemed to melt, and her eyes took on a slightly dreamy quality.
“I love you, too.” Just then, the doorbell rang, and Blair rolled her eyes. “Really? Benjamin is here already?”
I chuckled but quickly stifled it when Imogene and Blair both turned deadly, accusing eyes on me. I grabbed the phone and assured my brother that I would make sure Blair was delivered directly to her bodyguard before letting her out of my sight, then hung up.
I smoothed out my amused expression just as a tall, olive-skinned Italian dressed in a black suit sauntered into the kitchen. He glared right back at Blair, and my laughter slipped out again. Imogene smacked my arm, which only made me laugh harder. Especially when I really thought about the fact that Blair had pulled one over on the guy who was former Italian Special Forces and could probably kill a man with his pinky.
Kyla entered the room from the back porch at that moment, and she stopped short when she spotted Benjamin. Her expression turned smug, and he scowled at her while biting, “Shut it.”
Her eyes widened with fake innocence, and she put her hand on her chest as though to say; Who? Me? “I didn’t say a word,” she protested.
“You were not saying it very fucking loudly,” he growled.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she retorted. Then she walked over to him and put out her hand. Benjamin sighed and reached into his pocket, pulling out his wallet and withdrawing a one-hundred-dollar bill and slapping it into Kyla’s outstretched palm. “You could have given me a heads up,” he grumbled.
“What fun would that have been?”
Their exchange didn’t make any sense to me, and I turned to ask Imogene about it. She was looking anywhere except at me. Her bright pink cheeks and fidgeting hands had my senses on high alert. A quick glance at Blair showed her in much the same condition.
“Kyla.”
“Yeah, boss?”
I kept my stare trained on Imogene as I asked, “Why does B owe you?”
She chuckled, and Imogene’s blush deepened, making my eyes narrow. I took ahold of her chin and forced her to meet my eyes.
“We had a bet going. If our protectee managed to give us the slip, we had to pay the other one hundred bucks. Since he lost Blair, but Imogene couldn’t shake me, he lost.”
Imogene groaned. “Kyla! Where’s the loyalty?”
Before another word was said, I shouted, “Everyone out!”