Page 94 of Pretty Pink Poison

Rafe’s smile softened, his voice low, almost gentle. “Yeah. I am. Because there comes a time—and a love—that’s so great thatyou’re willing to set your family aside and build one of your own. He just hasn’t realized that yet.”

I hated that it made sense, that Rafe saw that when Bane and I hadn’t, and that I wanted it desperately immediately. “You think he’s capable of ever seeing that?”

“With you, Pink? Yeah. He’ll see it. And when he does—God help anyone who stands in his way.”

“I wish he’d hurry up.”

“Want me to help with that?” He lifted an eyebrow. “I think it’s as simple as me moving the wedding up.”

CHAPTER 30

BANE

How the hellwas I going to live without her?

I couldn’t find her. There were very few people in the world who could hide from me. They didn’t have the means, the places, or the intelligence to outrun me.

Yet, the Hardys and my brothers did.

Rafe had finally begun to pay attention to his fiancée it seemed, because she disappeared into his SUV and then was gone, stolen from me in the night. I called him within an hour. “What the fuck do you mean she doesn’t want to see me and you’re not going to allow it either? Where the fuck are you?”

I’d told Pepe to follow her, but he got orders to stop if she was with Rafe. You didn’t follow other Black men. That had always been an agreement I’d had with my brothers that I was now completely regretting.

“Bane, listen to yourself. You’re talking tomethis way. I’m her—”

“I don’t give a fuck who I’m talking to because before you’re anyone else, you’re my brother, Rafe.” They weren’t ever words I thought I would say. I put our business before everything else, our ties, our partnerships, and our alliances. But maybe mybusiness was my family first as I sat there staring at each skull on the shelves lining my office.

I heard him breathing calmly, as if my admission didn’t change a thing. “Well, damn. When did you figure that one out?”

“Very recently.” I winced, thinking Rafe probably had been mature enough to always know it.

“Should have talked to your Oracle much sooner. Bet they would have told you that early on.”

“I don’t talk to the Oracle. I only listen.”

“Rather than listening to other people’s entries,” Rafe hummed. “You should talk yourself. The therapists on there are top tier.”

“I know they are.” I opened my laptop to see if I could hack his SUV or something. “We hire the best.”

“And we condemn the worst,” he finished the silent promise we’d all made when we bought the app that had given us an outlet and the ultimate bargaining chip for the world.

“We know everyone’s secrets but our own.” I slammed the laptop shut knowing it would be impossible. “Just tell me where you are.”

“Pink and I have an understanding,” he started, and I knew I wouldn’t like where this was going. “She wants to move the wedding up. Three months to put together a small ceremony will do it.”

“The fuck? No,” I immediately told him. “Why?”

“Maybe because we both talked to one another tonight. Wetalkedrather than just listened. You can’t solve everything by putting together and fixing everyone else’s problems, Bane. Especially when they haven’t asked you to.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“Have you tried focusing on your own shit? Tried letting her go so that you can figure out what the hell you need instead?”

“I don’t need anything.” I punched my desk. “I just need her back here.”

He waited for a beat and said, “Want to tell me why?”

“Not at the moment.” I’d already admitted too much to him today.