Page 51 of Midnight Revelations

Two hours later, I finally pulled into the garage in the basement of the apartment block. I left my bag in my room and wandered up to Xavier’s since I had been summoned.

“You took your time,” Jordan said when he opened the door.

I gave him a filthy look and walked in without a reply. All eyes moved to me when I entered the living room. Cassandra and Megan sat on the sofa. Lucas stood watching out the window, and Lucrezia sat on a chair. She was pale and her hands unsteady when she pushed her hair behind her ear.

“Hey, Man. You okay?” Xavier asked as he wandered into the room.

“A few family issues to sort,” I replied.

His gaze dropped to my hands because he probably knew what would happen as soon as Michael put a finger on Lucrezia. “Is his face worse that your hand?”

I shrugged and wandered to the kitchen area to find a glass. Tonight required alcohol. Lots of it.

“What the hell did you do?” Jordan demanded, following me.

“Made Michael realise that he’s not untouchable.” I poured a drink and swallowed it in one gulp. “I left him contemplating his life choices.”

Jordan lifted a glass from the shelf and I poured him a drink with the bottle still in my hand. “Do I need a clean-up crew?” Jordan asked.

“Not yet. I would keep them on speed dial, though.” I filled my glass again and downed it in one. I walked back to the others with my glass in one hand and the bottle in another.

“Your brother assaulted my daughter tonight,” Lucas said, his eyes darkening.

“Where was her security detail?” I asked. “The point of them is to keep undesirables away.”

His expression tightened. “We were at a civilised event,” Lucas replied.

“Just because you put a criminal into a suit doesn’t make him civilised.” My comment could refer to any man in this room. I was beyond fucked off since I had to watch some asshole paw my partner while I pretended not to feel a single emotion to keep her safe.

“Ash!” Xavier tried to intervene.

“What?” I gave him my full attention. “You summoned me and here I am. I have problems just like every other person in this room. Probably more right at this moment in time.”

Xavier scowled at me.

Jordan stepped in. “Can we all calm down?”

“No,” I snapped. “We can’t. If Lucas has a problem with my brother, I suggest he takes that up with him and not me. I’m sick dealing with second-hand problems.”

“Now wait a minute—” Lucas started.

I cut him off. “I don’t have a minute right now.” Full asshole mode had been engaged and I couldn’t find the switch to turn it off. “No offence, Lucas, but get your own house in order before you come after mine. I am not my father or my brother, and you sure as hell don’t get to phone me when I’m on a mission to complain that I helped your daughter.”

Even Jordan moved away uncomfortably because he knew when I got into this mood nothing good ever happened at the end of it.

“I had genuine concerns,” he grated out.

“Then take them up with your daughter, since she was advised on what was in the contract before she signed it.” My phone rang and I turned my back on them and set the bottle down. “Yeah?”

“Poppy phoned me upset after your conversation tonight,” Aaron said.

“I think maybe I’m the injured party here, Aaron.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t expect someone to photograph us.”

I wandered out of the room. “But it was okay to fuck her in my apartment?” Silence followed from his end. “You know what I have to deal with at the moment with Dad and Michael. I don’t need your shit on top of it.”

His sighed deeply. “Are you interested in Poppy? Because she said you haven’t touched her.”

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