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This was Brax’s grandmother? Oh my god, she was vile. Poor Brax.
“Indeed. You boys scrub up well.” The way she looked them up and down gave me the ick factor. There was nothing sexual about her gaze. It felt more like she was deciding whether they were worthy of her attention. From the faint smile, I guessed she liked what she saw.
Then her glacial blue eyes slid in my direction. She scanned my pink and blond hair and curvy figure, and I knew immediately I fell short of whatever impossible standards she held women to. I didn’t fit the mold of what a well-bred woman should look like. I wasn’t skinny enough for starters. That woman had never eaten a burger in her life. She probably survived on lettuce and lemon water.
“And who’s this?” she asked derisively, her lips pursed as I squirmed uncomfortably.
“My girlfriend,” Brax announced smoothly from behind her. We all looked up. Me with relief and the boys with varying degrees of surprise. This was not something any of us were expecting. After a lot of discussion, the plan had been to say I was Quinn’s girlfriend, as Brax’s grandmother knew Quinn’s family and they were rich enough to be beyond her influence.
“Girlfriend?” Lily saw the way Quinn held me and I could tell immediately she didn’t believe Brax. Something snapped inside. Rage bubbled up, burning my anxiety away. How dare this woman treat her grandson that way. She was vile! He was a good man, a kind man. He didn’t deserve to be held to ransom for her gain.
I stepped forward, brushing past her to get to Brax. She hissed with displeasure when my arm touched her crepey skin, but I ignored her.
“Darling, I missed you,” I cooed, moving into Brax’s arms and kissing him hard. He hesitated for a microsecond then returned my kiss with gusto. For a few glorious seconds, the whole world faded as desire claimed us again, but this wasn’t the time or the place. I dragged my lips away, breaking the connection.
Brax’s blue eyes were so much like his grandmother’s, but whereas hers were like chips of glacial ice, his were warm pools of water on a summer’s day, inviting me in.
Honestly, I could drown in Brax’s eyes and right now, it was fucking tempting. But now was not the time. I moved back but retained my grip on Brax’s brawny arm.
“Yes, we’re together,” I confirmed, smiling at the way Lily’s mouth pursed like a cat’s asshole. “All of us are,” I added with a touch of glee. The wine I’d necked was taking effect and I gave no shits.
Harley grinned and moved forward to tuck an arm around my waist while Quinn tried not to laugh. Lily’s expression morphed from a scowl to shock. I guessed polyamory was not a thing in her world. Who’d have thought it, eh?
She stared at Brax in horror. “You…” she spluttered, seemingly lost for words. “This…this is…disgu—”
“Ah Lily! These must be your grandson’s friends?” A tall guy with salt and pepper hair and a warm smile materialized behind us. His olive skin and Spanish accent gave him a look of a younger Antonio Banderos. I confess, I was not immune to his charm, but the guy had nothing on my boys.
“That’s right. Quinn Ellis, pleased to meet you.” Quinn extended his hand, and the man shook it firmly.
“And I’m Harley Jackson.”
“Mateo Silva, I am an old friend of Brax’s grandmother.”
The woman had friends? Color me shocked.
“It’s lovely to see you again, sir.” Brax was polite but there was an edge to his voice and I wondered that it was about the guy that had caused his hackles to rise.
“Indeed. It’s lovely to meet your friends.” From the emphasis on the word friends, I guessed he had overheard my little announcement. I tried not to smile at the thought of scandal infecting Lily’s perfect little world.
“Kids these days,” Lily gritted out, looking like she wanted to scratch my eyes out. “Brax is free to play the field before he settles down with a nice girl,” she said with her beady eyes on me, making it clear I wasn’t that girl.
The insult washed over me. I was more riled by the suggestion there was a blue-blooded brood mare lined up in the wings, waiting to take her place at Brax’s side so she could pop out a few perfect little mini-Braxs and continue the family line.
Not that I was against kids. Far from it but not gonna lie, it wasn’t the best time for procreating right now.
I could tell Brax wasn’t too happy about the insinuation he had no choice about his future wife either.
“Playing the field is good when one is young,” Mateo agreed, his warm smile still in place. “All young people deserve a bit of freedom before they take on the mantle of adult responsibility. After all, now that your son is no longer with us, Brax has a lot of hard work ahead of him.”
Mateo’s eyes lingered on me for a moment when he spoke of Brax’s father’s passing and a cold shiver snaked up my spine. Had he guessed who I was? Lily seemed oblivious to my identity; I was so far beneath her that she hadn’t even bothered asking my name.
She sniffed. “Anson was always a weak man.”
I stared at her in disbelief. This was her only son she was talking about, Brax’s father! Was she so emotionally dead that she couldn’t express a smidgen of empathy for Brax’s loss?
“I’m sure your grandson will make you proud, Lily. He seems like a fine young man.” Mateo turned to me and smiled. “It’s been a pleasure to meet you, my dear.” He took my hand and kissed it lightly. Under any other circumstances, I might have swooned a little, but I was much too tense and upset to enjoy the chivalrous gesture.
“Gentlemen, enjoy the rest of your evening.” Mateo dipped his perfectly coiffed head at Brax and the guys and then took Lily’s arm. “Come now, mi querida, let’s leave these youngsters to enjoy their evening while we catch up.”
