Page 162 of Heartless

The back of my throat burned.“Baby, no one knows exactly what happens when—”

“So, if no one knows, who’s to say that your dad hadn’t found the only way he could to say goodbye to his son?”She curled her other hand over mine, and her gaze drilled straight through me.“He loved you, Jake.He was saying goodbye.”

Emotion choked me.I tugged on her hand and pulled her out of her chair and onto my lap.She looped her arms around my neck and touched her head to mine while the others quietly left.Locking my arms around her, I dove into the scent of her neck.Then I wept at the loss of my father.

And she held me.Held my soul.

When I shifted back, her soft hand went around my face.Her face was flushed and wet.She’d been crying with me.

I cupped her nape.“Sienna baby—”

Her body tensed, and she dipped her chin.“I’m exhausted.I’m going to get some rest before dinner.”

My pulse raced.Forcing my arms down, I let her go.

****

Sile and I had firedup the grill for dinner while the women were relaxing by the pool.

“You good?”he asked.

“Yeah.”

His hand clamped on my shoulder.“The girls are getting hungry.Want me to take over the grill?”

“Wanna keep that fat head attached to your shoulders?”

He grinned.“Would help.”

From our elevated standpoint we could see Bianc and Sienna, both wearing bikinis, lying side-by-side on the daybed while Cam had claimed the two seaters across from them.

He pulled a couple of beers from the cooler and set one on the side table.

“Someone said to me, ‘the woman who owns you will bring the best or the worst out of you.Your only choice is to pick which.”He jerked his chin.“Brother, you gotta stop fucking up with Sienna.”

I turned the slab of meat on the grill.“Never got a problem with being called out for the asshole I am before.Thrived on that shit.Then, she comes in, and with one fucking smile, she...Fuck.”

Smirking, he placed the icebox full of seafood on the table.“If you want her sweet ass in your life, you—”

“The fuck you’re looking at her ass for?”

My friend shook his head.“The best and the worst, brother.”

Couldn’t help but laugh with him.“When are you going to do something about Bianc?”

Like every time she’d been mentioned, his expression hardened.“The princess of The Family.”

She was.Unwillingly, but she was.“She’s Bianc.”

“Yes, she fucking is.”

I clapped his shoulder, and we got to work on dinner.

****

Sienna

Night had fallen.Everyone had left, and Bianca had retired to her quarters, leaving Jake and me in front of the sleepy fire.After the delicious, barbecued surf-n-turf, we’d all moved to the family room where I’d learned more about Jake’s father through the people who loved him.Jake had taken a seat in the corner of the sectional before he’d pulled me close and wrapped his arm around me.Curled up against him with my cheek on his chest and my legs folded under me, I was falling asleep.