coloring. His loafers were slick as hell, his French cuffs were anchored with heavy gold links, and he was sporting a diamond pinkie ring.
The brother was total GQ material. And Bella and he would look really good together, she thought.
"Tell me, Phury, have you met Bella yet?"
The guy fiddled with the handkerchief in his breast pocket, even though the thing wasn't out of place. "Yeah, I met her. The night you and the boy came to the center."
"She's coming this evening."
"I, ah, I know."
"And she's not seeing anyone right now."
Boy, that blush really did it, she thought. Phury was adorable.
"He's not interested," Rhage said while cupping a handgun to the small of his back.
Mary shot her man a dirty look, which he missed as he pulled on his jacket.
"But you're single, too," she said to Phury. "Aren't you?"
"Oh, he's single, all right."
"Rhage, how about you let him answer? So Phury, if both of you are free, why don't you ask her to have dinner sometime?"
Phury smoothed his lapels, blushing even more. "Yeah, I don't know about that."
"She's really fabulous - "
Rhage shook his head and ushered her out into the hall. "Leave it alone, Mary. Come on."
Halfway down the stairs, she pulled Rhage to a stop. As Phury got ahead of them, she whispered, "Give it a break, will you? Bella and he might enjoy each other."
"The only thing Bella would get out of Phury is conversation."
"What the - "
"He doesn't do females."
"He's gay?"
"No, but don't push Bella on him, okay? It isn't fair to either one of them."
Mary's eyes shot to Phury, who'd just stepped onto the foyer's mosaic floor. Even with his slight limp, he had the swagger of a man who had all of his parts in working order. But maybe that was just an illusion. Maybe he'd been injured while fighting.
"Is he, you know, impotent?"
"Not as far as I know. He's celibate."
God, what a waste, she thought, eyeing the way the man moved.
"So he's in some kind of religious order?"
"No."
"Then why?"
"With Phury, all roads lead back to his twin, Zsadist. And yes, I know they don't look alike." Rhage gave her a little nudge and she started down the stairs again.
"Why does Phury limp?"
"He has a prosthesis. He lost half his left leg."
"Good lord, how?"
"He shot it off."
Mary stopped. "What? Did it happen by mistake?"
"Nope, on purpose. Mary, come on, we can finish this later." He took her hand and pulled her forward.
Bella stepped through the mansion's vestibule with the doggen who'd driven her to the compound. As she looked around, she was stunned. Her family owned a grand house, but it was nothing like this. This was... royal living. Which she supposed made sense, because the Blind King and his queen made their residence here.
"Welcome, Bella," a deep male voice said.
She turned and saw the brother with the multicolored hair, the one who had interrupted her and Zsadist that night at the training center.
"I'm Phury. We met before. At the gym."
"Warrior," she said, bowing fully. It was hard not to be in awe of the brothers, especially one like this. So big. So... Was that hair for real?
"We're glad you could come." He smiled at her, his yellow eyes warm. "Here, let me help you with your coat."
When it was off, she looped the thing over her arm. "I can't believe I'm here, to tell you the truth. Mary! Hi!"
The two of them embraced and then they talked with Phury. Before long Bella was completely comfortable around the warrior. There was just something so calm and trustworthy about him, and those eyes were a knockout. They were honest-to-God yellow.
Attractive as he was, though, she was looking for the scarred brother. While keeping up with the conversation, she discreetly scanned the vast, colorful foyer. Zsadist was nowhere around. Maybe he was skipping the party. He didn't seem like the social type; that was for sure.
As Mary left to be with Rhage, Bella was determined not to feel let down. For God's sake, she had no business chasing after the likes of Zsadist, anyway.
"So, Phury," she said. "May I... I know this is rude, but I just have to touch your hair." She reached up before he could say no and captured some of the blond and red waves, rubbing the thick lengths in her hand. "How gorgeous. The colors are amazing. And... oh, it smells so good. What kind of shampoo do you use?"
She looked into his eyes, expecting him to make some kind of light