Filed To Story: Craving The Wrong Brother Book PDF Free by Elysian Sparrow
“You have your books,” he replies, gesturing to the top of the bag like it’s a valid point.
“Books. Really?”
“There’s TV. Music. A jacuzzi. Champagne.”
“Fuck you, Knox.”
He smirks and drops to sit on the edge of the bed, eyes trailing me as I stand up and set both bags upright beside me.
“Just a couple of days, pretty,” he says. “We’ll get you back into civilization once I’ve made sure Mateo isn’t a problem anymore. Look at the good side. You get to spend time with a few degenerates, learn some slang, pick up a few bad habits. Most of them are just as crazy as you. You might not want to leave.”
“Haha. Funny.” I fold my arms. “It’s weird that you’ve never mentioned taking me to your club until now.”
He shrugs. “I wasn’t sure I wanted you in the club before.”
“Then why now? Why not just fly me out of the country or something?”
“Flying you out would mean not seeing you for a while. I can’t have that. We’re still in the honeymoon phase of this relationship. You understand, don’t you?”
I narrow my eyes. “Maybe.”
“And it would mean running away. I don’t run from my problems.”
“So you’re okay with me seeing your club now?”
A strange look crosses his face. “I think I’ve studied you enough to know that even if you found out kill people, you wouldn’t leave.”
“That’s a whole lot of presumption.”
“Is it?”
“Well, do you kill people?”
“You’d want to know, wouldn’t you? So you can have another excuse to be mad at me.”
He stands and crosses the space between us, pulling me to him by the waist. His body is all heat. I realize he’s right about this being the honeymoon phase-because certainly, in a year’s time or maybe a few messy months from now, I’ll be immune to this. Immune to the way his touch short-circuits my brain, the way my body leans in before I even tell it to. But right now? Right now, it feels like I’m burning alive, and I don’t even want to put the flames. out.
“I love you, you stubborn woman,” he says. “And I want you to get your ass right now to the club before it’s night. So you don’t look like fresh meat to customers.
I roll my eyes and reach up on tiptoe, pecking him quickly on the lips. But he doesn’t let me drop back down. His hands anchor me in place, and deepens the kiss, mouth coaxing mine open in that slow, firm way that makes my knees tremble.
By the time he releases me, I’m breathless.
“I love you too, gangster boss. See you later tonight,” I manage to say, straightening.
“Certainly. Are you still making a stop at your father’s house?”
I tilt my head. “Is my mother still at my father’s?”
“Well, yes.”
“Then I am.”
“Don’t stay too long,” he says, already reaching for my bags before I can.
I follow him out of the room, fuming slightly.
He’s had his fun trying to make me delay this visit since Thursday. But I’m done stalling. I need answers. I’m not leaving that house until someone tells me what the fuck is going on.
And thank God Knox won’t be there to try and talk me out of it with his wise words about me staying out of grown folks’ business.
My father’s business has been my business for twenty-eight years.
The car slows in front of the same house I’ve known since childhood, and even with four armed men packed into the car with me, it still feels like I’m arriving alone.
I shift against the door as the vehicle stops. The moment I step out, I see it-my mother’s car.
Parked clean in the middle of the driveway.
Knox wasn’t lying. I hate that he wasn’t lying.
The guards begin to move when I do, stepping forward like shadows in formation. My hand goes up before they can trail me up the walkway.
“This is a very personal business,” I say without turning around. “I’d like for you all to stay right here, okay? I’ll be out soon.”
“Boss said we shouldn’t let you out of our sight,” one says.
I turn slowly. “This is my father’s house. You think Mateo’s in there?”
“Rules, ma’am.”
“I’m your boss’s girlfriend,” I say, biting out the word with a little more heat than I intended. “And I’m giving you another rule.”
They glance at each other, visibly hesitating, but none of them move when I walk away.
My jaw is clenched as I climb the porch stairs.
I knock. Hard. Last I checked, I still had a key to this place, but I can’t for the life of me remember where I left it.
A moment later, the door opens.
It’s my father-bare-chested, in sweatpants, and blinking like he’s just woken up from a nap.
“Sloane?” His voice is rough with sleep. “What are you doing here?”
“Nice to see you too, Dad,” I say, stepping forward. “May I come in?”
He shifts, blocking the doorway a little more. “I’m afraid now’s not a very good time.”
Really?
“It’s my house too,” I say. “You can’t chase me away.”
-push past him before he can answer, brushing his arm and stepping into the familiar space.
My eyes sweep the room quickly-sofa, hallway, staircase. No sign of her yet, but I know she’s here. I can feel it in my bones.
My father shuts the door behind us. His bare feet make soft sounds as he moves across the hardwood floor, following me,
“What are you looking for, kiddo?”
“Where is she?” I ask, spinning around. “I heard Mom’s been living here.
“Who told you that?” he says, his tone tighter now.
“You shouldn’t have threatened Knox, Dad,
*So what? Your gangster boyfriend has people watching me now?
“Where is she?” My voice rises before I can control it. “No. Fuck that. Where are your wife and your kid?”
His face tightens at the word ‘wife.’
“It’s honestly not what you think, Sloane.”
“What am I thinking, Dad?”
The stairs creak. I turn instinctively toward the sound, and a familiar voice floats down.
“I knew it wouldn’t be long before the cavalry arrived.”
It’s Grandma June.
She’s coming down the stairs in a floral house robe and silk scarf tied neatly around her silver hair. She sees me and smiles. And damn it, there’s a small pull in my chest when I see her. The tiniest tug of comfort, one I try to smother immediately. I don’t want to smile right now. I came here on a mission, one I intend to carry out with all seriousness.
So I keep my face flat. Neutral.