Page 304 of Manhattan Bossholes

“I get it,” Jimmy said. “My mother’s great at getting sympathy when she wants it. She played you. But it’s not a bad thing to want to believe the best of people. Or to try to bring a family together. You had good intentions because you’re a good person. And that’s what matters.”

“I don’t know about that,” I muttered. What a damn mess I’d walked into.

“Case in point,” Jimmy said. “You schlepped all the way out here to pick up a guy you’ve only met once, who’s the little brother of the guy who broke your heart. That sort of kindness is rare. And it deserves better than being yelled at by Trent.”

“I thought you’d be on his side,” I said.

“I am on his side,” Jimmy explained. “This is me being on his side by realizing what a fool he’s been and hopefully getting him to see sense before it’s too late. I’m on the side that wants him to be happy in the end. With you.”

I smiled softly at him. “You’re a good brother, Jimmy.”

He shot me a grin. “I know, right?”

Ten minutes later, we pulled into the hospital parking lot. I drove into an empty space, climbing out of the car as Jimmy jumped out. “You’ll text me and let me know how things are going?”

Jimmy nodded. “You could just come up, you know.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t think Trent wants me there.”

“I want you there.” I smiled at him, but Jimmy didn’t see it because someone caught his eye over my shoulder. His face fell. “Uh oh.”

Uh oh? I whirled around, spotting Trent. He stormed toward the car, furious.

24

TRENT

“What the absolute fuck is going on?” I snapped, watching Natasha climb out of a car I didn’t even know she owned, with Jimmy, who’d clearly been used as someone’s punching bag. The entire side of his face was a nasty shade of purple.

Christ! All I’d wanted was some damn peace and quiet in order to think, away from the waiting room where the guys kept giving me worried looks. But instead, I came outside to find this?

I’d been calm for about two seconds, but any measure of peace I’d found had now burned away. I had fire in my veins, charging through my body, filling me with the strength for a battle I hadn’t been expecting to fight. “What is happening here?” I demanded of Natasha, my voice rising. “What are you doing with Jimmy?”

Natasha closed the car door and turned to face me, annoyingly calm in the face of my anger. Did she really not give a single shit about what I was dealing with?

“Trent,” Jimmy said, coming around the car to stand beside Natasha. “How’s Nana Dee doing? Have the doctors said anything? Have you been in to see her? I got here as soon as I could figure out a⁠—”

“Why does his face look like that?” I roared, my pulse throbbing in my forehead. Natasha just stood there like a statue, ignoring the massive fucking elephant in the room.

Natasha straightened and crossed her arms. “Why don’t you ask him? I know it’s not your forte⁠—”

“That’s your response?” I snapped. “You show up here with my brother looking like he’s gone nine rounds with Ali, and that’s all you have to say?” Jimmy’s face fell. I knew I was scaring him, but the last thing I was going to stand for was an ex of mine bullying my little brother. “Have you not already done enough damage to this family today?”

Jimmy reached up, touching the side of his face, wincing as he did. “No, Trent, you don’t understa⁠—”

I stepped forward, taking his face in my hands, getting a good look at the bruising. “You have a fucking black eye. Come on, we’re going to get this looked at.”

Jimmy flinched out of my grip. “It doesn’t even hurt,” he insisted. I knew he was lying, putting on a show to look tough.

I glared at Natasha. “If I find out you had anything to do with this, I swear to God I’m going to⁠—”

“What?” Natasha challenged, all fire as her hands fell to her hips, those curls of hers spiraling wildly around her face. She was maddening.

“She had nothing to do with⁠—”

“Go inside!” I snapped at Jimmy. “Have a doctor take a look at you.”

“I don’t need a doctor. Listen to me⁠—”