Page 11 of The Broker

He didn’t need any more nightmares.

“I swear that guy keeps winking at me,” Jared noted, nodding toward the demon on Diesel’s chest.

“Who? Bruno? The guy’s just checking out how sexy and beast-like you are—minus the furry chest and nasty back hair.” Diesel scrunched his nose. “Hey, I even heard that he likes to watch you shower and sleep at night,” Diesel said, pumping his eyebrows and giving Jared a creepy-ass grin he was sure Diesel learned from the demon on his chest. “You may want to sleep with boxers on if you want to keep Bruno away.”

Jared leaned back in his chair.

“You know, I find it creepy as fuck when you refer to your ink as a person.”

Diesel chuckled, rubbing his fingers across his neatly trimmed beard.

Jared was glad that Diesel had finally returned toLaMaisonafter having run off from his last rehab clinic. Those few weeks after he had disappeared from the clinic—a very expensive stay paid for by their fearless leader—had been filled with tension and uncomfortable silences here atLa Maison. Matteo had been going out of his mind trying to find Diesel. He had severalprivate investigators scouring Europe, hoping to eventually find the man alive and passed out in some drug den.

Jared had no idea how Matteo would react if they had ended up finding Diesel dead somewhere. That was a thought that was never allowed to take root.

After weeks of searching, the fucker just showed up at the mansion one night and crawled into Jared’s bed. Not that there was anything sexual going on between them.Hell no.The two simply shared a common brotherly bond and understanding. Both men had their issues, yet neither of them judged one another. They accepted each other for their faults and did what they could to help each other get through each day.

“See, this is how brothers should act: supporting one another and not making fun of what someone puts inside their mouth,” Jared explained, turning his attention back to the six-foot-three Scandinavian twins.

They both shrugged their shoulders in unison and continued chowing down on their breakfasts. Apparently, they’d lost interest in the conversation. Probably around the time Jared turned his attention toward Diesel. The twins were good guys; they just had a short attention span.

“Mornin’ ass-face,” Isaac blurted as he pulled out the chair next to Jared and plopped his hurried ass down.

Jared just shook his head and passed Isaac the orange juice.

Isaac’s hair was messy and looked like it hadn’t seen a comb in almost a year. It was part of his boy charm, he guessed. Bedhead hair was in style, and that “I don’t give a shit what I look like” look was sweeping across Europe.

“Did you at least brush your teeth?” Jared murmured under his breath, turning his lips toward Isaac.

Isaac placed a croissant on his plate, then cupped his right hand over his mouth and blew.

Jesus.The man was a pain.

“Smells alright to me,” Isaac noted, tossing his hand in Jared’s general direction.

“You really are a brat.” Jared passed Isaac the butter, then took a bite of his own breakfast.

Next to him, shaggy blue hair flopped around as the boy shrugged his shoulders and dug into his breakfast.

“Good, we’re all here,” Matteo announced from the head of the table.

All eyes fell on the dashing young man seated at the end, watching them all. Even though it was only eight in the morning, Matteo was already dressed in his usual expensive designer suit, form-fitting vest, and perfectly fastened tie.

His dark brown hair was neatly styled, resting gently behind his ear. A look like his could only be achieved using some expensive hairstyling product, probably purchased in one of the specialty boutiques in downtown Paris.

The man exuded power, not that anyone would ever question his wealth or influence. When you were the only surviving heir to this massive estate, everyone knew that you were the one with the biggest dick at the table.

They stared at Matteo, waiting for the man they had all come to see as a father figure to speak. The man deserved their respect and attention, especially after everything he had done for each and every one of them.

La Maison de Memployed a staff of seventy, with twenty-five of those being “companions” orMatteo’s boysas they like to refer to themselves.

Many of the dancers who worked atLa Maisondid so because they had approached Matteo and applied for the position. Others, like Jared and Isaac, had stumbled into this life after being saved in one capacity or another by Matteo himself. Given these extraordinary circumstances, a strong bond beganto form between this young group of men and the man who they had come to view as their mentor or father.

Sharing in adversity and overcoming a traumatic event together creates a bond that few can, or will, ever understand. These men… these misfits all gathered around the table… were bonded. Brothers in arms. Ready to protect one another and even willing to step in front of a bullet to save each other.

That was love. That was loyalty. That… was family.

As a result of that familial bond, this group of fucked up characters shared breakfast together every morning. They talked, they laughed, they even got scolded by Matteo when one of them fucked up or misbehaved.

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