Page 99 of Nothing to No One

“She went to Brooker, to tie some things up.” Despite not knowing exactly what that meant, she didn’t ask. “By process of elimination—”

“You avoided the hotels, that’s good,” Zairn said. “But your vehicle is parked downstairs. It’s registered to you.”

“Not like I’ve never taken my brother’s cars before,” Tripp offered.

And Roxie wouldn’t let that one just slide by. “Your chauffeur driven limo fleet used by you and all your family?”

Struan came to curve an arm around her. “The press don’t care about my car.”

“Oh, you think, big boy, do you?” Roxie mocked with an exaggerated nod. “Hmm, is it possible something happened last night?”

“God, what did he do?” she asked. “Was it at the party? Something that happened after he left us?”

“She’s talking about the kiss.” Struan didn’t appreciate filling her in. “The press will want more.”

“And coming from the Empress of More, they feed off that shit,” Roxie said. “It’s not an easy appetite to satisfy.” The blonde twisted to look at her own love. “Want to do something crazy?”

“Why? Is it a regular Tuesday?”

“Shut up, you might get laid out of it.”

“I got my future planning this morning, and the press know we have sex. That’s not front page news,” Zairn said, pausing mid reach into his inside pocket. “Unless you want to do it on the sidewalk?”

“Outside Bambi’s place, next to Struan’s car?” Tripp asked. “Shouldn’t you at least go a block over. Point is to divert attention.”

Roxie shrugged. “Whatever works. We could go visit our embryos. A visit to the fertility clinic always gets them going. Oh, oh, or… I could go with Tripp. Then it’s like cheating on you without the intercourse part.”

“Thanks for the offer, but we’re fine.” Struan strengthened his hold. “We’re figuring this out.”

“What does that mean exactly?” Wearing judgment, Roxie folded her arms. “I don’t like wishy-washy statements; say what you mean, Lowe. I won’t let you hurt one of my girls or make a fool out of her. Did you just drag her here for sex? Are you going to dump her with that cret—”

“Still his brother,” Tripp hummed, leaning into the line of sight between them.

“Maybe, maybe not. What happened today?” This time Roxie wanted an answer from her. “Was Roman an asshole? I swear if he touched you, I will send Ballard over there to—”

“Get charges for assault?” Tripp asked. “You know Roman’s the type.”

“So we should let it slide?”

“No, we send someone over there he can’t identify. Someone who won’t leave enough of him to report anything.”

“Still his brother,” Roxie parroted, mocking her friend’s previous assertion.

“No one put their hands on me,” she said then her shoulders rippled. “No one except the guy I want touching me.” She chose not to remind Struan of the brief incident in the closet. “This is Roman’s doing.”

“He told you to leave?”

“He didn’t appreciate us being together in what he called his house,” she explained. “So we left.”

“Together,” Roxie said. “You left together. To be together?”

That was a question she couldn’t answer. When she looked up at Struan, she assumed the others would too.

“We haven’t figured out the details, but I’m done watching her with Roman. I’m done with her being out there where I can’t protect her.”

In real time. He was always good at the aftercare, he just wanted to be around for the “duringcare” too. Hopefully, there wouldn’t be much more of that on the horizon, if he meant what he said about keeping her and Roman apart.

“That’s progress.” Though Roxie attempted to subdue it, she quickly lost the battle and burst with excitement. “You broke free, Struan!” Leaping over, she yanked the man down to hug him tight, quickly looping Bambi into the embrace too. “I am soproud of you. I knew beautiful Bambi would be enough. When I saw you looking at her, oh, Struan, I know a man in love.”

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