Page 60 of Sinful Deception

“It’s just collecting information!” He shoves up off the bed, unbuckling his belt and unsnapping his jeans.

And since I’m still crouching, I push up fast enough to make my legs sing. “Why the fuck are you undressing?” I hear the shuffle and whisper of people in the hall. “Folks are gonna start gossiping.”

He shoves his jeans down to reveal black boxer shorts and a leg wound so fucking angry and red, my stomach jumps in response.

“Oops.”

He snarls under his breath and tosses his jeans away, only to replace them with a pair of loose basketball shorts that, when he pulls the fabric up, reveal his healing wound.

“I’m heading out there to find some dessert. Then I’m gonna makeyourwife treat my leg. She’ll be right by my cock, Arch, and you deserve to watch. Since you’re clearly the fucking asshole who doesn’t mind low blows.”

“Make Aubree do it!” I follow him to the door and stop when he swings it wide and finds everyone except Mia and Fifi on the other side.

Cato’s grin stretches from ear to ear. “Things started to sound a little gay in here, till I heard the part about Mayet touching Fletch’s cock.” He reaches down to adjust his pants. “I volunteer to shoot myself in the leg if it means?—”

“It doesn’t.” I move through the doorway first, slamming my baby brother to the wall and grabbing Minka’s hand to take her with me. “You’re not treating his leg. You’re a doctor for the dead, and unfortunately for Fletch, he’s still breathing.”

“You’re bossy.” But she stumbles behind me, clinging to my hand and following me back into the main living space. “I’m not sure Aubree’s allowed to help anymore. Her owner won’t let her.”

“You’re not funny!” Aubree snaps. “And stop talking about my relationship.”

“See?” Minka crashes into my chest when I stop and turn, wrapping her arms over my shoulders and stepping onto her toes to nibble on my bottom lip.Not bleeding. This was a win for me.“He’s got her locked down and unwilling to help. The old Aubree would volunteer to treat a man’s wounds. But now she’s Mrs. Tim the Third, and suddenly, she can’t even help a friend.”

“I would hurt you if I wouldn’t feel bad about it when we were done.” Aubree strides past and makes a beeline for the fridge. “I have seven siblings, Mayet. Don’t think for a second I can’t throw down.”

“Mmhm.” She looks up into my eyes. “Everything okay?”

I cup her jaw and bring her to the very tips of her toes. Because I can, and because I fuckin’ love knowing she’ll do whatever I want. “Nothing has changed. We just have to be faster when shit hits the fan and save him from doing something stupid.”

“Oh, good.” She drops to flat feet. “Status quo, then.”

MINKA

Istumble through my apartment the next morning, searching for those damn shoes I selected two nights ago, and snarling when four sets of Malone eyes stare back in silence.

Tim, of course, has common sense and knows not to pile into an apartment as small as ours.

“Stop watching me and start helping.” I toss pillows off the couch and send the remote flying until it lands with a crash. “It’s a black shoe, people. Hardly a mystery, considering we’re heading to a funeral.”

“Black heels,” Felix teases. “Black pantyhose.”

“Black dress,” Cato adds. “Almost black hair. It’s all a bit depressing.”

“Yes, but so is burying a woman as young as Jada.” I slam my knee against the edge of the coffee table and hiss, but the collision shifts the table, at least, and reveals my heel hidden beneath. “Finally.” I bend and snap the damn thing up, only to straighten out and growl at the four identical stares. “Is no one else disappointed at the loss of potential? She could have been rich and famous. And if not that, then a happy housewife and mom. But she fucked up and now it’s all over.”

“Our moms died in their teens,” Micah rumbles, draping his arm over Tiia’s delicate shoulders and holding her close. Because she’s in a whole other world, a whole new city, in someone else’s apartment, to attend the funeral of a woman she’s never met, to support a man she hasn’t met, for the brother-in-law she’s known for five minutes.

Wonderful.

“Jada made her choices with both eyes wide open,” Micah continues. “She was too old for theyoung and naïveexcuse. And she had a family to fall into when things got bad. Maybe they were assholes. But she had options.”

“You’re mean.” I sit on the edge of the couch and slip my foot into the heel. “Scientifically speaking, I’m not sure she was mature enough to enter a marriage, have a baby, or avoid the advances of an older, charming man who would eventually be her undoing. And when that all came down, I’m not sure she had the mental capacity to sample drugs safely. She was screwed from the start.”

“Scientifically speaking,” Cato drawls, “she had the love and support of a man who would have killed himself to make her happy. You can have a rough upbringing and an underdeveloped maturity, and still know actions come with consequences. Even kindergarteners are taught that.”

“I sure hope you all get this out of your systems before we meet up with Fletch.” Standing, I smooth my dress down and check to make sure I’m ready. “We can think she was a piece of shit without saying so out loud at her own burial.”

“It’s gonna take a miracle to keep all five Malone mouths shut.” Felix grabs Christabelle’s chin and pulls her in for a kiss. “We’re an outspoken group who speak the truth.”

---