Page 68 of Nothing to Beat

“Of course it pisses me off, but I’ve done the angry at the media thing before.Only one who ends up exhausted is me.Don’t fuel their fire.I’ll stream tonight.Soon as people see me making fun of the story, they’ll lose their steam.”

Wow, this woman was a pro.

“Okay then,” Tripp said and clapped once.“What’s for dinner?”His finger jumped her way.“And do not say deep dish.Some of us have a wedding to look good for.We’re having a night off, pizza junkie.”

“A junkie or…” When her eyes met Roxie’s, the possibility glowed in them.“Could’ve been a false negative.”

“Great.”Tripp exhaled.“Just what I need, to find out I’ve been dragging my pregnant sister-in-law around the country, waving her in front of gangsters and assholes.”

“There are gangsters and assholes in New York just the same.And I’m fine.Negative is negative.”

“You can’t be sure.What’s with all the pizza?Feels like a craving to me.”

“Which you know from the dozens of times you’ve been pregnant,” she replied to Tripp with an incredulous, prolonged blink.

“It’s not a pregnancy craving…” Her spine sprang straight.That voice came from the foyer.From in the damn room.“It’s rebellion.”

The moment he came into view, she jumped up and rushed to him.“Breck!”

Leaping onto him, she didn’t even care that her dramatic show was over the top.Her arms locked around his neck and she buried her face there, breathing him in.It was ridiculous that her eyes watered.Why was she in such a state over him just walking in?She should be mad or uncomfortable that he’d happened upon her without invitation.Instead, joy infused her.

“What took you so long?”she mumbled against him.

He stroked from the top of her head, down her spine, and patted her ass, bending forward to put her back on her feet.On her feet, right.Yes.Polite company.Etiquette rules.At least she hadn’t wrapped her legs around him and planted her mouth on his.That’s what she usually did in hotel suites.Though they didn’t usually have an audience.Wow, she deserved a medal for remembering there were others in the room, in the state.

Though he prompted her to take her own weight, he kept his arm tight around her, holding them together.

Tripp came over, arms open.“Good to see you, brother.”

Instead of a hug, or other warm welcome, Breck glared.“You’re lucky I’m not in charge of Trust Fund Tax anymore.What have you got my girl mixed up in?”

“Hey, this one isn’t me.”Showing his palms in surrender, Tripp stalled.“I’m just along for the ride.”

“Yeah,” Breck muttered.“That’s usually the way with her.”

“I’m right here.”

“Not for long.”

“Wait…” Tripp frowned.“Does that mean Caber’s in charge of Trust Fund Tax?”

TWENTY-FOUR

LINKING THEIR FINGERS, Breck took her away from the audience, without answering Tripp’s question, and through to the master bedroom.Just like Bastian, he closed the door.Another talking to?What was with the men in her life?Okay, so… huh, maybe she deserved this one.Better to get a lecture and know he cared than to be ignored.Oh, it would break her heart.

“Did Bastian call?”she asked.

Was that what prompted the trip?

“No,” Breck said.“But he should’ve.”

Wandering from him, she went to sit on the edge of the bed.“I asked him not to call you.Not to tell you where I was… You knew where I was because of Roxie, right?”

He came to stand in front of her.“Were you really hiding from me?”

“No!”And she never would.“I didn’t want you to feel responsible for me.I don’t want you to feel responsible.”

“I’m always responsible for you, and you me, that’s the way it works.”