Page 37 of Tainted Blood

“She will, soon.”

“Good. Now that that’s settled, I have messaged you the time and location of the event. It’s formal, and you can bring your family if you wish,” he informs me.

“Thank you, I will.”

He ends the call, and then I finish getting dressed for the wedding.

When I exit my bedroom, the house smells incredible, like a bakery in full swing. I know that Claudia is running all of her baking out of the house, so it normally smells fantastic, but today is a little extra. My movements are so much better after weeks of physical therapy that I no longer need my cane. I head downstairs, and the smell grows. I knock on the kitchen door, not wanting to collide with anyone, and Connor opens the door. “Good morning. Damn, who knew you cleaned up well?”

“Fuck off. So that is what smells delicious.” I stare at the three-tiered cake that Claudia is delicately adding roses to the bottom layer of.

“I can’t wait for a taste.”

“At least there is someone here who appreciates my work.”

“I appreciate it, trouble. Hell, save one of those bags of frosting for later, and I’ll lick it off your body.” He slides up behind her.

“Get away before I spray you with this frosting.” Connor wisely backs up. “If this cake is ruined, it’s on you.”

“I’m not getting on Nora’s bad side.”

“Amen to that. Then we have to deal with Jack.”

“Who has to deal with me?” he says, coming into the kitchen as well.

“Boys, it’s getting a little crowded.”

“Well, I’m hungry,” I grumble at the same time that my stomach does.

“Ugh. Sarah is picking up breakfast and will be back in five minutes. You can grab some coffee, though.” Each of us goes to the fully brewed pot and grabs some.

“So what are you doing here, Jack?”

“Trying to avoid sneaking in on my wife this morning.”

“She’s not your wife yet,” I tease.

“Don’t be jealous because you still have to wait.”

“Why you got to be an asshole like that for? Hurting my feelings and shit,” I say, pressing my hand to my chest. My brothers crack up, laughing at my misery.

“So what time are you guys leaving tomorrow?” Jack asks.

“Well, if you can have the private jet ready by ten, that would be great.”

He nods and says, “Sounds good to me. I’ll let them know. Is it just the three of you?”

“No. We’ll take two guards with us, and we have three already there.”

“So it’s going to be a full flight home?”

“I wouldn’t say full. The plane fits up to thirty people.”

“That’s fair enough, but how much shit is she bringing with her?”

“Probably not much more than she took with her to begin with. Her apartment’s here.”

“Yeah, and she’s been there for over a month. Your guys told you that she goes shopping a lot with her mother.”

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