Page 41 of Marvelous

I shook my head as I went.

Bronson

I eyed Talia as I watched Alec leave.

I closed my eyes as I recalled what I had done for Cassie, and what she had done for me, all those years ago.

Then I said, “Let me enlighten you on something, Talia.”

She was biting her lip.

“I think highly of your entire family. I respect every single one of you. But tonight, you just lost my respect. You don’t deserve to know anything about Cassie.” Then I looked at Harlee, “And if you fire her over this one’s stupid mouth, you’ll lose my respect too.”

And with that, I tossed a twenty on the table and left.

Dom

I didn’t get it.

What the fuck was up her ass?

I’ve known Talia for most of her life.

And never has she judged anyone without proof first.

Talia

“What the fuck? What did I say?”

Dom shook his head, then threw down a twenty. “He’s right. Never known you to judge anyone like that.”

Then Dom left too.

Lila sighed, “I get it, you were protecting me, but Talia, what you did was wrong.”

“How am I in the wrong? You all saw what I saw.” I said.

Everly nodded, “Yeah, but I saw the respect and adoration in Bronson’s gaze when he laid eyes on her. Not lust or heat. And it was the same for her.”

Alec

After that went down, my brothers, along with Dom and Bronson, were on my back porch the next night.

They had all shown up with cases of beer.

“Okay, brother, what’s her story?” Garrick asked Bronson.

I had my forearms resting on the tops of my thighs. I wanted to know the story too.

And after what went down at the bar, I wasn’t sure if Cassie would tell me.

He sighed, “It’s really just as much her story as it is mine.”

Garrick nodded, “Get that. But I almost had to sleep on the fucking couch last night. I said one wrong word to her, and she blew the fuck up at me.”

Carter nodded, “Same.”

Dom shook his head, “Nah. You don’t owe any of us an explanation. Talia needs to pull her head out of her ass.”