Page 61

Is it? You know deep within you your connection isn’t a mistake. Even your father can see it.

He doesn’t see anything, he’s just extremely happy about Eni’s daughter.

Okay, so in that case, you should be okay with her dating the guy sniffing around her at the office.

Fuck you, I’m going to sleep.

I’m you, buddy.

I pull her into my arms and sleep. When I wake, she’s not in bed, which is surprising. I get up and as soon as I open the door, I hear her and my dad laughing. Ice is also here, and another voice.

“So, for real, my brother is your bodyguard?” I hear my brother’s drug-infected, hoarse voice.

“Leave her alone, David,” I hear dad. Damn it! Why is David, my annoying younger brother, here? He told me he couldn’t make it. I wonder what changed his mind. I close the door and decide to shower and brush before heading out to meet them. All four are in the kitchen. David is sitting too close to Jola and whispering in her ear. She gives him a fake chuckle. My scowl is immediate. My eyes darken as I laser in on his arm on the back of her chair and his looks. I know that look. He thinks he can get my girl. Ice is frowning at him, but my brother is too clueless to grasp that getting inappropriately close to my girl means he’s inching close to a landmine.

“Jola,” I call to her, my voice calm.

She turns my way and springs right out of the chair next to David and comes to me in seconds.

“Whoa! That’s fast,” David mocks and feigns disappointment.

“You should be glad she did that,” I hear Ice mutter to him.

I wrap my arms around her. “Did you sleep well?” I ask her quietly.

“Like a baby, so quiet out here. I kinda like it.”

I kiss her temple.

“Morning, Darcy,” my brother shouts. “Heard you were still sleeping,” he says loudly. Why the fuck is he shouting?

“Morning, David, and I’m awake now. Morning, Dad. Ice.”

He nods. I pull Jola close to me. Ice swiftly moves to a seat next to David, who frowns at Ice for taking Jola’s now empty seat. Jola and I take the empty seats across from them.

“Morning, son. Jola and I were just about to get started on the puzzles,” he says, still excited about having Jola here.

Jola wants to get up; I pull her down to stay with me and nod to my dad.

“What time did you arrive?” I ask my brother, who had told me he wasn’t coming.

Everyone goes silent at my calm yet lethal tone.

“I changed my mind and decided to show up this morning. I didn’t know you would be bringing work home.”

I nod. “But she and I are getting along fine. Right, Lex?” he says to her with a wink. “I promised I’ll show her the pond.”

“She doesn’t go anywhere without me,” I gruffly state.

Jola is squeezing my hand. I do not squeeze back. There’s tension circling between my brother and I.

“Jola, let’s get started, and leave the boys,” Dad says, getting up.

I squeeze her hand and she is still, for a moment and looks at me, her eyes questioning if I’m okay.

“Go on,” I say to her.

She gets up and heads out with my dad. Ice follows suit, like he’s not about to be in the middle of the storm that’s about to pour. Besides, he knows not to leave Jola alone.