Page 254 of Dirty Discipline, Vol. 1

“Not important? You have a woman living here and you don’t think it’s important? You’ve never had a woman live here before.”

Reggie felt her heart lift with that statement.

“And she has a bedtime, huh? How . . . um . . . youthful.”

She heard Alex sigh.

“Don't be an ass, Matthias.”

“Do you want me to get rid of her for you? Looks like a bit of a rabbit to me, scared little thing.”

“And since when do I need you to do my dirty work, Matt?”

Reggie felt her heart freeze. Why wasn't he protesting, telling his brother how much he loved her?

“I know you. You’re an old-fashioned guy. So when are the two of you getting married?” Matthias asked.

“I haven’t asked her.”

“Huh, interesting. You’re not going to ask her, are you? Are you just stringing her along?”

“You know what? You're right.” Reggie held her breath as she backed away from the doorway.

She’d heard enough.

Chapter Ten

“You’re right about the fact that I’m old-fashioned. I am going to marry her. I’m just waiting for the right moment. The last thing I want is to scare her and make her run.” He held up a hand as Matthias went to speak. “And she is not a scared little rabbit. She’s much tougher than she looks. Now, will you quit trying to wind me up?”

“But it’s so much fun.” Alex watched Matthias smile sourly and wondered how he’d failed this brother. As a child, Matt had always been easygoing, the quickest to laugh and forgive. But he’d changed into someone darker, nastier. But no matter what, he was still Alex’s brother, and he loved him.

“Don’t disrespect my girl, Matt. I won’t be forgiving.”

“I’ll be nice. I just wanted to make sure you were going to do the right thing by her.”

Alex let out a sigh of frustration, well aware he was being teased.

“When have I ever not done the right thing? I love her. I even have the ring. Reagan just needs some time to trust me before I propose, okay? Happy now?”

“Ecstatic, I—” Matthias replied sarcastically, before a cheerful ringtone interrupted him. Both men looked over at the buzzing metallic red cell phone vibrating on the coffee table.

“Want me to run and get Reggie?” Matthias offered, but Alex shook his head absently before pressing a button and holding the phone to his ear. He listened for a moment before speaking.

“Who is this? No. Is this Lance? She doesn’t want to speak to you. Do not call her again, you understand me?” He pulled the phone away and looked at it with a frown. “Bastard hung up on me.”

“Who was it?” Matt asked.

“Unknown number, but it was her ex.”

“He been hassling her?”

“Not that I know of,” Alex murmured absently as he stared down at her phone. “From the look of her call register, she’s been getting a few unknown calls. They could have been him. Damn it.”

“Did you hear a car start?” Matthias asked, standing. Both men rushed outside, just in time to see the tail lights of Reggie’s car disappear around the bend.

“Oh, that girl is in so much trouble,” Matthias drawled while a speechless Alex just nodded in agreement. She certainly was.

Alex frowned. “I was so sure she would be here.” He paced Kelly and Colin’s living room floor. “Where would she go?”

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