“Don’t you know you should never leave a pretty woman or food at a table unsupervised?” he asks before shoving the last bite of pancakes into his mouth.
“You know I can still kick your ass, right?”
“You can try.” He shrugs as he stands then looks down at Mia. “Have you noticed he’s a little possessive?” He holds his fingers an inch apart.
“A little.” She fights back a smile and I walk over to him, shoving his back, and listening to him laugh while I pull Mia from her chair. The moment she’s standing in front of me, I cup her face.
“I’ll see you tonight.”
“Text me and let me know everything is okay.”
“I will.” I dip my head and kiss her, sweeping my tongue into her mouth. When I pull away, I touch my lips to her forehead then look at my brother.
“Let’s go.”
He moves to leave ahead of me then stops and turns to look over his shoulder and winks. “Later, Mia.”
“Just fucking go, you idiot.” I shove him forward, listening to Mia laugh as we head out of the house.
“I can see why you like her,” Bax mutters as he backs out of my driveway.
“Yeah.”
“So it’s legit?” he asks softly after a few minutes.
“Is what legit?”
“The whole curse bullshit?”
I smile. “I don’t know, man. All I know is the moment I saw her, I knew I had to talk to her. Then I knew talking to her wouldn’t be enough, that I wanted more. And I don’t think that feeling’s going to go away until I have all of her.”
“Couldn’t you have waited until we were done with this house to find her?” he grumbles, turning onto the road that will lead us to the house. “I mean fuck, man, look at the history of bad luck anyone with our last name has when it comes to settling down.”
“Are you trying to say that you think me getting with Mia is why someone trashed our house?” I ask in disbelief.
“All I’m saying is it’s a pretty big coincidence,” he mutters, and I start to laugh, but the sound dies in my throat as we pull up to the house where police cruisers and about six trucks are parked.
I get out with Bax and greet my uncles and cousins with chin lifts, not bothering to join their huddle with the officers they’re talking to. I go up the steps to the front porch and head inside. All the rage I was feeling earlier comes back tenfold when I see the damage that’s been done. As I look around, I realize it had to be more than one person; either that or someone was here a long time, which seems unlikely, because they wouldn’t have wanted to stick around too long and risk getting caught.
Bax didn’t lie; everything that could be destroyed is, even down to some of the hardwood flooring.
“It will be okay.” I turn to face my uncle Asher. “The insurance people are already on the way along with a security company. We’ll put cameras out here, get this all cleaned up, then start over. The house is still standing. That’s what’s important.”
He’s right. I know he’s right, but that doesn’t help the fury building inside me. “I want to know who did this.”
“We’ll try to find out,” my cousin Cobi says, walking into the room. “I’ll also ask the guys if they mind doing a run down here when they’re in the area, just so people know we’re keeping an eye out.”
“Thanks, man.”
“You know I got your back.” He pats Uncle Asher’s shoulder. “I’m gonna head out. Hadley’s home, and I have the day off.”
“I’ll walk you out,” Uncle Asher mutters, and Cobi lifts his chin in my direction before they both disappear.
Alone, I scrub my hands down my face then remind myself that after I deal with this bullshit, I get to go home and spend the evening with Mia, which means my day will end just as good as it started—in other words, spectacularly.
CHAPTER 10
Mia
I SLIP ON my Toms, grab one of my thin, oversized sweaters from my closet, and head down the stairs. Talon called an hour ago to let me know he’d be home by four and that I could meet him there any time after that. I should play it cool and wait until at least 4:30 to leave, but I’ve been pacing for forty-five minutes and know I won’t be able to make it that long. When I reach the kitchen, I find Cece sitting at the island on her laptop looking at real estate, the same thing she was doing when I got home early this afternoon.
“Any luck?” I ask, nodding at the listing she has open.
“I’ve found a couple places that might have potential. I’m just not sure I can afford a four bedroom right now,” she says as I squat down to give my girls some love when they circle my feet.