Page 36 of Enemies with Benefits (Finding the Right Brother #1)

"Yeah, it's not exciting, but it pays the bills, and as a bonus, it means he can make sure Mom gets the best care.

Which is totally going to keep her on this side of the grave," Mason said brightly.

Moira shot him a look while Kayden looked unfazed.

It made sense, since he had always dealt with people's oddities well, and had told me that when it came to death and dying, he was not going to judge someone for their reaction.

I, however, could only look at him and wonder if the brightness in his voice seemed a little.

..tinny, too forced to be believed even when it was coming off as flippant.

"They'll be back tonight, or tomorrow. Either way, Micah's going to be going straight to bed if he gets back tonight," Moira said, eyes lingering on her brother before turning to me. "So you can have the night to yourself."

"What? We're going to let him mope around his apartment all day?" Kayden scoffed.

"I don't mope ," I seethed. "You ass."

"I distinctly remember how good you were at brooding," Moira said with a chuckle.

"Is there a difference?" Mason asked.

"It's more manly," she threw out with a wink in my direction. "We can't describe him as anything that isn't manly or he'll start pouting, I mean, brooding."

Mason nodded. “Ah, right, of course."

"I'm sure I can figure out something to do with him," Kayden said, but I didn't miss the way he glanced at Moira quickly, eyes darting away just as fast. Clearly, he’d been hoping to have some time with her tonight, considering that meant she wasn't going to have to be in Mom mode.

The thinning of her lips was the only thing to show that she probably had the exact same thought, and I knew right then and there I had to say something to stop it in its tracks.

No way in hell was I going to be the reason they weren't going to have some time to themselves.

Before I could open my mouth to tell him to stop acting like my babysitter, Mason stepped up. "How about I take him off your hands?"

Kayden glanced at him in surprise. “Wait, what?"

Mason shrugged. “We haven't had our designated duking it out this week, why not tonight? That way, you can have your fun without having to make sure he's being properly taken care of and not pouting in a corner somewhere."

"Brooding," Kayden corrected.

"I'll tell it how I want to," Mason said with a grin.

"Fuck both of you?" I growled. "I'm just fine on my?—"

"And you," Mason turned to his sister. "You already worked this morning, which means you should be off already, having your own fun.

So, how about you both get out of my face and go do.

..whatever. I don't care. Learn how to stitch, join a circus, have a wild night on the town, and wake up in a shallow part of a canal somewhere for all I care. "

I didn't miss the sharp look Moira shot his way, but if Mason noticed, he was doing a damn good job of pretending he didn't. "I guess I could use a drink or two."

"Then go get one," he said, waving her off. "Kayden?"

"What?"

"I know you've got to be annoying and stubborn if you've managed to be friends with Jace this long."

"Not sure how that's a compliment, but sure, okay."

"Which means you're more than prepared to make sure my sister doesn't try to get back to work when I'm not looking. Because she'll definitely try to give me the slip if I make her have fun, go get her a drink at the bar, make it a double, and see if you can't convince her to have fun somewhere."

"Sure?"

"Cute and willing, gotta love that combination."

"Yeah, Jace is right, you are kind of an ass."

"And a damn fine ass it is," Mason said casually. "Shoo."

"Christ, I really do need a drink after this conversation," Moira said with a roll of her eyes and strode off toward the bar.

Kayden glanced between her and Mason, hesitating before deciding to follow her, immediately chattering away when he reached her, and I watched as the tension in her shoulders slipped away.

"Wow," Mason said with a sigh. "Those two really thought they were fooling everyone, didn't they?"

"Did you just...annoy your sister into taking a night off and going on a date?" I asked, both in shock and a grudging acknowledgement of his skills.

"See, the way to get away with something with Moira is to annoy her so much she would rather be anywhere but around you," Mason said with a wink. "Literally the opposite of you."

"Don't fucking start," I growled at him.

"What?” he drew out innocently. "Seems like the more I annoy you, the more you stick around. I might have even been tempted a time or two to think that you enjoy being pissed off."

"I'm going home," I said with a roll of my eyes. "I'm not going to stand around and listen to your shit if I don't have to."

"You've never had to, Jace. But you've always chosen to stick around anyway. I wonder why?"

Before, I couldn't tell him why. Now? Well, we both knew what kept bringing me back to him, which was precisely what he was trying to rub my nose in without being obvious.

Even he was at least conscious that it wouldn't be good to broadcast what was going on between us, especially with total strangers.

It was nice to know he had some self-control and shame, but really, it was nice to know that I probably wasn't the only one struggling to deal with the reality of what we were doing.

I jerked when a blond head popped up, Milo grinning as he leaned on his brother. "So, we all know that those two are fucking, right?"

"That is, in fact, known," Mason said with a shake of his head. "And it's nice to see you've recovered from your dire injury so that you can join the gossip circle."

"I'm not participating in any gossip," I pointed out before either of them got the wrong idea.

"Of course, of course," Milo said brightly, and then his smile took on a tone that set alarm bells off in my head as he glanced between Mason and me. "But what I really want to know is...how long have you two been fucking?"

It felt like the bottom of my stomach disappeared and dropped to my toes.

It wasn't a question on Milo's part, he had said it with the complete confidence of someone prepared to present a file on why he was right.

It was like getting slapped in the face with an icy hand, and I could only stare at him, my lips parting in surprise as I went rigid, wondering what we were going to do to make sure the mess didn't spill over into the rest of our lives.

Mason blinked and turned his head to look over at his brother. “Milo?"

"Yesssss?"

"Have you been getting into Dom's romance books again?"

"I...what does that matter?"

"Because real life isn't a book. Two men who can barely stand each other aren't automatically fucking just because you want it to be so."

"Oh, c'mon," Milo complained, gesturing between us.

"Two guys who are....well, one is smoking hot and the other is my brother.

A history between them, sure, it's a bad history, and it's got a lot of blood and fighting, but a history!

Suddenly spending all this time together, managing to bicker but without immediately turning it into a fight. "

"Smoking hot?" I wondered aloud.

"I'm thankful that from the context, he was talking about you," Mason said with an arched brow.

"Well, yeah, of course I was talking about him. Why would I mention you like that?"

"I don't know, man. You and Eli have always had this weird thing between you, so forgive me if I get a little worried sometimes."

"Oh fuck off!" Milo huffed, his good mood disappearing in a flash. "It's not like that and you know it!"

"Mmm," Mason hummed. "Hey, Milo?"

"What?” his brother snapped.

"You really should have learned your lesson with Eli."

"Huh?"

I watched as Mason stepped back, leaving one foot in front of Milo's, and giving his shoulder a shove, sending the blond flying to the ground in a crumpled heap again. “Because really, it's just too easy at this point."

I couldn't help but let out a bark of laughter. “Jesus, you're both morons."

"Clearly it’s in the blood," Mason said as Milo twisted to get up, somehow managing to tangle his limbs. "Now let's get out of here before he actually gets up and decides to do something else incredibly intelligent."

"I don't need a babysitter," I repeated, glaring at him.

"Mmm, fine. I'm going to go back to my room then," he said quietly, shrugging as he turned back toward the stairs.

I couldn't prove that he had purposefully turned away, so his ass would be facing me dead on as he mounted the stairs.

Just like I couldn't prove he had been doing it for the express purpose of making sure his ass moved from side to side.

What I knew full well was that it was exactly the sort of thing he would do, knowing my eyes would find their way to his ass as if I were that goddamn easy to manipulate.

I stomped up the stairs after him. “How long are Milo and Elijah in the hotel for?"

"Mmm, about a week. They're supposed to go on some road trip or something at the end of the week.

Arlo should be in tomorrow to see them and Marcus, since it's been a little while," Mason said as he climbed the stairs and made for the elevator.

Which was a strange path to take, considering there were perfectly good elevators on the main floor, but I had learned at least a little not to question when he did something strange or nonsensical.

If only because the answer would usually be tailored to get under my skin.

The doors slid open, and I stepped in after him, glancing up at the camera. "Right."

"Relax," Mason said with a chuckle. "The ones in the elevator are the least watched in the whole hotel.

Even then, the security guy is mostly for show while he sits in the office pretending he's not watching porn all day and playing phone games.

The only time anyone bothers with the recordings is if something happens. "