Page 84 of Nothing to the Wedding

“Got a lot of potential targets in this room.”

Tripp should be her next stop on Sam’s introduction tour.Either they’d hit it off or hate each other’s guts.Tripp never really hated anyone.Sam, on the other hand, found people distasteful.Not as individuals, just in general: people.And she called herself cynical?Where did it come from?Her big, beautiful brother, that’s where.

“You haven’t spoken to anyone in this room,” Roxie said.“You can’t fall in love with someone if you haven’t spoken to them.What you’re targeting is sex.”

“What’s wrong with that, Little Sister?”

“Nothing, but you can’t sleep with anyone without talking to me first.”

That brought not only his attention to her, but a slight lift of his upper lip.Was he laughing at her?

“I’ve gotta vet my dates through you?”

“Or Zairn,” she said, completely serious.

“You’re kidding me.”Next time his scrutiny on the crowd seemed more intent.“Now I’ve gotta take one of these women home.”

“You don’t have a home,” she said.“And you might be able to sleep with one, you just have to check with me first.”

“Did you check with me before sleeping with him?”he asked, his chin bobbing in Zairn’s direction.

“No, because you don’t know him.I know all these people.”

“Every single one?Your entire family consists of seven people… And Blayne’s in the gray zone.”

“Speaking of, I know you know men who own guns,” she murmured, leaning in.“How come you haven’t had any of them go all big-brotherly on Blayne yet?”

“He and Sonia deserve each other, Talks-A-Lot.I go big-brotherly when it’s necessary.Besides…” Another nod at Zairn, “bet he knows some guys who own guns.Shit, you have access to Sean Ballard and Ryder Stone, what’s the problem?Cost too much of your allowance?”

“They’re on account, actually, and I instruct them without Z’s permission all the time.”

“You do?”Zairn said like that was news to him.

It wasn’t.The guy never got through saying that her access was absolute.And she did talk about these things, most of the time.Wasn’t her fault if he chose not to listen.

“Might need the nod if you’re paying them to kill a guy.”

“You know, you’re right though…” She sighed.“Blayne’s not worth the potential charge.I like Ballard and Stone too much to send them to prison.”Her head dropped against Zairn.“And this guy would be lost without me.”

“Where do you think you’re going?”Zairn asked.“We’ll pin it on them.Tell the cops you were with me the whole time.”

“I like this guy,” Sam said, matter-of-fact.

She exaggerated her laugh.“Because he’ll give me an alibi?Geez, brother, catch up to the now, please.Every time I get arrested, he bails me out or pulls strings.Z’s got the routine down.”

“Thought you knew she gets mixed up in shit.”

“She does and I do,” Zairn said.“I’m around to make sure she gets away with it.”

Sam’s eyes dropped to hers.“I like this guy.”

Twice in as many minutes was a good sign.

“Well, too bad, he’s taken,” she said.“I already married him, find your own.”

“He got a sister?”

“No, and ew again, you’re not allowed to screw around in the family.Most of the women in this room are family, so I say again, check with me before you screw them.”