Breathless_ Steel Brothers Saga - HELEN HARDT Page 0,71
mom pointed to her cell. “It’s on my phone.”
“You didn’t take down her number?”
“I…guess I wasn’t thinking. Everything that’s gone on, and I’ve been packing all day.”
“The packers were supposed to take care of all of that.”
“I didn’t trust them with the breakable stuff. They clomp around here like they own the place, trailing dirt and sand onto the carpet.” She shook her head. “I didn’t like it. Didn’t like having strange men in the house.”
My mother had been wary of strange men since my father’s death. She was still dealing with what he’d been, and I understood completely. So what did I do? Instead of heading straight home after Ted Morse had come to her house, I’d fucked Marjorie Steel. What the hell was wrong with me?
“Mom, it’s okay. I’ll call Frankie and take care of everything.”
“She’s his mother, Bryce.”
“Yeah, she is. But have you thought about the big picture here? What if she falls in love with Henry and wants to take him from us?”
My mother gasped, her fingers covering her mouth. “But she already gave up her rights!”
“Do you think that matters? She’s his biological mother. The courts favor mothers over fathers. If she decides to pursue something”—I swallowed, the thought killing me—“we could lose him.”
“No. Just no.” She wrung her hands together.
“Exactly. I will not let that happen. She has no rights, so there’s no reason we need to let her see him.”
“I’m sorry, Bryce. I haven’t been thinking straight lately. I don’t know what’s the matter with me.”
I said nothing, just gave her a quick hug. I knew well what the matter was. My father. My psycho father. We were both still dealing with the truth of what he’d been.
I grabbed her phone and hit last call received.
No way was that wayward bitch coming near my son.
Chapter Forty–Three
Marjorie
My brothers were still in the office, but I’d left after Bryce stormed out so quickly. I had no idea what his problem was, and I tried not to care.
Still, I cared. Maybe I didn’t try very hard. Or maybe, more likely, I cared anyway, despite knowing I’d be better off if I didn’t.
The clock was nearing nine p.m. when the doorbell rang.
My heart leaped. Bryce had returned! Not that he’d be here to see me, but I couldn’t help the way my body responded. My sisters-in-law were still in the family room. I was nearest the door, so I walked through the foyer and opened it without looking in the peephole.
I smiled brightly, and—
Then frowned.
Bryce Simpson did not stand in the doorway.
Colin Morse did.
Colin Morse had come to my home…while all of my brothers were here. Not a good combination.
“Hey, Marj,” he said.
“What are you doing here, Colin?”
“After you canceled on me today, I got worried. Is Jade all right?”
“She’s fine.”
“You didn’t give me much of an explanation.”
“I told you something came up and we couldn’t make it. I didn’t owe you anything else.”
“May I come in?”
“I don’t think that’s a good—”
“Who is it, Sis?”
I turned at Talon’s voice. This was, after all, his home too.
I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could—
“What do you want, Morse?” Talon asked, not overly nicely.
Colin cowered slightly. He tried to hide it, but his discomfort in Talon’s presence was apparent. Talon had pummeled him once, and since then, Colin had been through torture and rape at the hands of Bryce’s father.
“Tal…” I pleaded with my gaze. Talon, of all people, knew what had befallen Colin.
“I just want to make sure Jade is okay,” Colin said, not meeting Talon’s gaze.
“It’s late.”
“I know, but she and I were supposed to talk today. I was worried.”
“She’s fine, as I’m sure my sister told you. She’ll reschedule your meeting.”
“Come in, Colin,” Jade said from behind me. “We can talk now.”
Talon’s facial muscles tensed. “It’s late, blue eyes.”
“I know, but I’m feeling okay for once, and I’d like to get the talk with Colin over with, honestly.”
Colin stepped inside tentatively.
“Fine,” Talon said. “I’ll be joining you.”
“We agreed that Marj and I would talk to him,” Jade said.
“Because I was otherwise engaged,” he said. “I happen to be free as a bird at the moment.”
“Maybe another time,” Colin said, his lips trembling slightly. “You’re right. It’s late.”
“You’ve interrupted us already,” Talon said. “If Jade wants to talk to you, you’ll talk to her.”
“With Marj,” Jade emphasized. “Aren’t you still talking to your brothers?”
“Yeah, we’re working on things.” He touched Jade’s cheek lovingly. “All right. But Sis, don’t leave them alone for a microsecond.”