Page 69 of The Wrong Husband

I sigh.

“You really should get that.” She reaches for the phone and hands it over to me without looking at the screen.

I take in the message, then wish I hadn’t.

“Bad news?”

“Depends how you look at it.” I look up at her. “How do you feel about meeting the family?”

Her gaze widens. “Your family?’

“That was Arthur, my grandfather. He’s reminding me I’m expected at lunch for our weekly family get together.”One I’d hope to miss. But Arthur’s tone makes it clear I can’t skip out on this.

"It’s a family event. Why do you want me there?”

"Because”—I hold her gaze—“I want them to meet you."

Panic wells in her eyes. “I… I’m not sure that’s wise.”

“I think they’ll love you,” I say honestly.

“I’m not ready for this.”

I allow my expression to turn pleading. “In all honesty, these weekly meetings are a torture. My grandfather can be rather presumptuous. And he won’t take no for an answer. If I have you by my side, it might make the entire thing more bearable.”

She scowls. “That’s not fair. You know I can’t say no to you, not after you’ve been so nice to me.”

“I could drop you back home if that’s what you want?”

A haunted look comes into her eyes. “I don’t want to go home yet.”

“So, you’ll come with me?”

25

Connor

I can’t believe she agreed. Everyone seems taken in by her. Including my least likely to be charmed brother.

"You and James' sister?" Brody eyes me as he takes a sip from his coffee cup.

Since when did my brother take such an interest in my personal life?Did something in my expression give me away? Do I look as shaken as I feel?

Has she undone me so thoroughly I can’t hide how she’s turned my world on its head?

Lunch was mercifully without event. Then, the family adjourned to the library. Those with kids, including my brother Nathan and my friend Sinclair, left.

"Didn’t expect to see Toren and Viktor here." I glance toward where the two of them are deep in conversation with James. All three are sprawled in armchairs in the far corner of the plush room.

“All three are family friends. You know how Arthur loves stacking these ‘family’ occasions with people he thinks he can wrangle a deal out of.” Brody lifts a brawny shoulder like none of this affects him.

But I’m not fooled.

No matter how much we Davenport brothers have carved our individual ways in this world, we’ve never managed to stay completely unaffected by Arthur’s machinations. It’s an unspoken worry that we’ve learned to watch out for, so we can deal with the fallout.

"What is he planning?" I scratch my jaw. Why does Arthur want to consolidate his relations with the Hamiltons, Whittingtons, and the Royal Family of Verenza? It makes business sense, of course. And the old man never misses a networking opportunity. But having these three men over, and at the same time? I’d love to get an inkling of what he’s thinking.

"Arthur’s not going to share anything." Brody sets his jaw. "He prefers his little reveals.”