Page 6 of Ruined

I thought for a moment before shaking my head. "No. I was just curious. My brothers and sister, how did they react? Were they upset? Did they know what happened?"

"All three of your siblings know your parents killed my parents," Reuben said softly. "I told them myself. They had the option of joining your parents or staying the hell out of my way. Rose works for me once in a while, but otherwise they took the second option. I didn't want to have to kill any of them."

"Why?" I asked. He didn't seem reluctant to kill, when and wherever necessary.

He gave me a lingering look in response.

"You thought someday I'd come back and I wouldn't forgive you for killing them?" I guessed.

He really had thought of me a lot more than I would have expected him to. Thinking he was out of my league seemed silly, now I was looking back at the past. What would have happened if I'd gone to him when I had the chance? He might have saved me from going through hell.

No, there was no 'might' about it. He would have.

"I hoped you'd come back. If what your father said about you being married and living in the suburbs was true, I would have kept my peace, but this is your place."

He gestured around himself and the house. "If your siblings chose to make trouble, I would have done what I had to. But not without considering the potential consequences."

"The only one who looks like he has any potential of causing trouble is Dane," Damon said. "He's ambitious and he's always looking for a way in. He'd be right here at the table, if he could, but none of us would turn our backs on him."

"I wouldn't turn my back on him either," I said. For a while, I'd wondered if Dane knew what I was. It was possible he did and thought the Sparrow was inactive because I was living life as a suburban wife and mother.

That thought gave me a moment of panic. If he knew I was active again, he might wonder why. He might come looking for me.

Let him try. He probably wouldn't think to look for me here. If he did, he wouldn't get past the front door without me knowing. I'd have plenty of time to make myself scarce. No one would enlighten him unless I wanted them to. Someday I would, but not yet. Not until Kurt was dealt with.

"Family are the people you choose," Gianni said, his eyes intent on me.

"That's deep," Damon said.

"It's true though." Gianni was unruffled. "You three are family to me. More than anyone I'm related to by blood. The twins too. They're more like my younger brothers. Except my actual younger brothers are assholes."

"Does that mean I'm like a sister?" I teased.

I remembered the way his cock felt in my hand, running my fingers up and down his length and over his Jacob's ladder. The way he came in my hand. The way his cum tasted when I licked my fingers clean. Yeah, there was nothing sisterly about it.

"I hope not," Gianni said. "Because if we're related, I'm in all kinds of trouble. There's nothing brotherly about the things I want to do to you." In a loud whisper he added, "I don't want to do brotherly things to Damon either."

I glanced over to see Damon's reaction. His face was as tightly masked as ever, but his eyes darkened slightly.

In the corner of my eye, I caught Reuben watching us, his whole body rigid. I knew he wanted me, but he spent a lot of time with these guys. Did it go beyond work and brotherhood? If it hadn't, could it?

A shiver of heat passed through me at the idea of these men kissing each other, touching each other. For a few moments, I let my imagination run wild.

Finally, Reuben cleared his throat. "Gianni, make the arrangements to travel to Dusk Bay. Don't let Daisy know you're coming, or anyone else there. I'd rather catch them unaware. If they have anything to hide, we'll find out sooner if they’re not expecting you."

"Got it, boss," Gianni said. "If they're up to something, we'll bust it wide open."

CHAPTER 3

MINA

"I had no idea Reuben owned a private jet." I trailed my fingers along the back of a seat before lowering myself onto the soft leather.

Gianni flopped sideways onto the seat facing me, feet dangling into the aisle.

He grinned. "When he realised Zeke and his band were still flying commercial, he bought this bad boy." He patted the leather beside his thigh. "No one said he couldn't be petty once in a while."

I was smiling as I fastened my seatbelt. "So he bought this to get one up on his brother? Does he ever let him use it?"

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