Miles barely got the door closed before Jack said, “I thought we had an understanding.”
Miles turned from the doors and walked to them, stopping well away. The bruising and cuts on his face that Jack had given him hadn’t entirely healed but they were far less noticeable. He carried a magazine rolled in his hand.
Jack couldn’t read his expression.
Miles’s gaze went to their mother.
“Mum,” he said.
“Miles,” she whispered.
Then his eyes moved to Belle and Jack watched them change.
He did not like the way they changed, not in the slightest.
“Belle,” Miles said softly.
Belle pressed closer into Jack’s side and breathed, “Miles.”
“Miles –” Jack began but Miles looked at him and started speaking.
“I’d like a word.”
“You’ve had your words. Too many of them as I recall and none of them good,” Jack returned.
Miles looked from Jack, to Rachel, to Lila.
“You’re Belle’s family,” he said, a polite smile forming on his lips.
Rachel and Lila were cautiously silent for once and Jack spoke again.
“Miles, we had our conversation. I thought I made my feelings clear.”
“A word, Jack. Five minutes of your time,” Miles requested.
“Jack,” Joy urged softly, he knew his mother wanted him to concede and Jack’s mouth went tight.
“In the study,” Jack clipped.
Miles nodded and moved toward the study.
Jack let go of Belle but Belle didn’t let go of Jack so he looked down at her.
“Are you going to be okay?” she whispered her sweet question and the even sweeter way she uttered it cut through him sharply but pleasantly.
He nodded.
Then he bent his head to brush his lips against hers, gently disentangled himself from her arms and followed his brother to the study.
Once there, he closed the door behind him and walked into the room.
Miles was at the window staring out to sea.
Jack moved to the side of his desk, stopped and crossed his arms on his chest.
“Miles, say what you have to say and then I want you gone,” Jack demanded and his brother turned to him.
Then he unrolled the magazine, opened it and held it out to Jack.