Page 196 of John + Siena: The Complete Duet

THREE

Siena stepped out of the cool complex into humid July air. It made the lingering wetness from the quick shower she had taken to get rid of the workout sweat stick to her skin. The smell of chlorine from the complex’s pool vanished with every breath of fresh air she took in.

The day was beautiful, and the streets were quiet. A clear sky, and a bright sun that suggested no rain was on the horizon, despite the humidity. Siena couldn’t complain about that. Nobody wanted rain in the summer.

Then, as quickly as her happiness came, it fled just as easily at the sight of the man waiting for her next to a running Mercedes.

No, not her enforcer.

Her brother.

Darren pulled the aviator sunglasses he wore away from his face as Siena took the steps of the complex slowly. The longer she didn’t have to be in his presence, or talk to him, the better. He gave the simple black dress she wore a curious look, and his gaze narrowed on the bag she carried. She was barely within reach of her brother before he snatched the bag from her shoulder, and opened it up.

What the hell?

“Hey,” Siena snapped. “Give me that back, Darren.”

“In a sec.”

He didn’t even look up at her as he dug through her bag. His hands pulled out her personal effects without any care at all. All that was in there were her workout clothes, a bathing suit if she felt like using the pool when she came to the complex, the cell phone her brothers provided, and her wallet.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

Still, he kept looking like he expected to find something.

He wouldn’t.

Siena was not dumb.

“Why are these clothes damp?” Darren asked.

“Because working out makes people sweaty,” Siena said. “Which you know, gets on the fucking clothes you wear while you work out.”

Not that her brother would know anything about exercising. The older Darren got, the rounder he became in his middle. Pear-shaped when it came to his body, while his hair was thinning at the top of his head. Sometimes, if she turned too fast, she was struck by how much he looked like their father.

She figured that was probably a lot of Darren’s problem where his health was concerned. He had been spoiled too long by their father. He had become accustomed to eating whatever he wanted, and never cared for his body. He much preferred to sit behind a desk like their father had taught him to do, and issue orders, instead of doing something himself.

So far, Kev had avoided behaving that way, too. He was still quite a spoiled, demanding man, however.

“That’s disgusting.”

Darren made a face, and handed the bag back to her as though the item had suddenly turned diseased. Screw him. Siena snatched it from his grasp with a dirty look, and slung the bag over her shoulder.

“What in the hell was that all about?” she demanded. “I don’t go through your stuff like I have any business doing so.”

Darren gave the complex a look, and then his sharp gaze cut back to Siena just as fast. She didn’t like the way his eyes glinted with something unknown. She couldn’t trust her brothers with a goddamn inch, to be honest.

“It’s strange—that’s all,” he said. “Every time you come here, your enforcer says you come out wearing the same shit you go in with. Problem is, Kev and I both know you pack clothes to work out in every time you go.”

Siena barely hid her frown.

Her brothers were looking into her business, and that spelled bad news. It made her uncomfortable as hell to think that either one of her brothers were starting to get suspicious about anything she did. Especially if that meant they might take away her one opportunity for her to actually get away from them.

She had to think … and fast.

“Do you want to wear the same clothes you work out in for the rest of the day?” Siena asked. Pulling her bag from her shoulder, she offered it to her brother. “Here, take it again and smell the clothes in there. Do you think sweat smells like fucking roses, or what? Jesus Christ. Get a grip, Darren.”