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Reese’s hand comes down on my back. “Cat,” he says softly. “Sweetheart. He doesn’t believe I’m guilty.”
“I damn sure don’t,” Gabe interjects.
I twist around to face Reese. “But he—”
“No,” he says, his hands coming down on my arms. “He didn’t look at me with accusation, but rather anger that this is happening.”
“But I—”
He kisses me hard and fast. “He’s on our side.”
My lashes lower but I don’t turn back to my brothers.
“Cat,” Reid says. “Let’s talk alone.”
I rotate to face him. “No. Now is not the time for you to—”
“Please,” he says softly.
I blanch. “Did Reid Maxwell just say please to me?”
“Yes, little sister, I did. Let’s talk alone.”
“I—well, you said please so yes, but do not accuse my husband—”
“Reese didn’t cheat on you, Cat,” Reid says. “I know that.”
I swallow hard and Reese leans in close. “Gabe and I will go to the front living area.” He kisses my temple and then rounds the island. In another thirty seconds, I’m alone with my brother who I’ve had a tenuous relationship with my entire adult life.
“I know that we’re broken,” he says, using the same words Reese and I have today, as well, only with Reese and I it’s not true. With Reid and I, it is.
“That’s an understatement, don’t you think?”
“Yes, and I had reasons for everything I did, namely to protect you.”
“Rejecting my goals and dreams was protecting me?” I challenge.
He looks skyward before casting me in a turbulent stare. “Right now, you have a big problem I can help you fix so I am not going to make this about me. It’s about you and Reese but that said, I read mom’s letter she left you when she died, and Reese is not dad.”
“The letter where mom told me to chase my own dreams and to never be with a man who cheated like our father did on her. And?”
“I didn’t know dad cheated on her like that. I thought—fuck, Cat—I thought she was the one thing that kept him human. If I’d known, I’d have done something. Just like if I thought Reese was cheating, I’d drag you out of here, but he’s not. Let me help. I’m good at ending bad situations. I’ll represent you both if you’ll let me. And I’ll protect you both.”
I swallow hard. “I hate this,” I whisper.
“Of course you do, but you’re strong—proven by the fact that you keep all the Maxwell’s in line—and anyone who does something like this is weak. You called me, Cat. I’m here. Let me really be here.”
“I didn’t want you to get sideswiped if she went public.”
He arches a brow. “You didn’t want my help or support?”
“You aren’t really one to dish those things out.”
“I am always here for you, Cat. The fact that you don’t know that needs to change, but right now, let’s go talk to Reese and Gabe and end this woman.”
“I’d agree about ending her but what kind of person does this? She must be mentally ill.”
“Or just greedy, Cat. I see it all the time in ways that I’m glad you’re naive too. Thank you, mom, for urging you to chase your dreams, because I wanted you to come inside our world where you wouldn’t be naïve to this kind of stuff.”
