bruise, or any kind of problem. Her mother would panic and fall apart. Once, when Harlow was eleven, she had broken her arm falling out of a tree. She’d waited an hour until their housekeeper had arrived and told her. Harlow had learned to deal with things herself. And when Scarlett had arrived, after her mother suffering several bad miscarriages, Harlow had helped take care of her baby sister and her mom.
Now, she needed to fix this mess.
She needed to get back to Easton’s and call her dad’s friends and track him down.
Finally, Easton pulled into his garage and Harlow sprang out of the car.
“I need to start calling—”
He grabbed her ponytail. “First, I’m going to make you brunch.”
She had to admit that any time she thought of this sexy man cooking for her, she felt a little tingle right between her legs. “Isn’t it too early for brunch?”
“It won’t be once I’m finished making it.”
She was hungry. “We’d better take the stairs so I can earn it.”
He palmed her ass. “As long as you don’t do anything to lose these curves.”
She smiled at him.
“I’m going to work out while you make your calls,” he said.
“Then I really need the stairs.”
They walked up the grand staircase and she looked up at the huge, spherical, black-metal light fixture in the center. So grand, but with a modern edge.
“So, what’s for brunch?” she asked.
“I’m going to make you croissants.”
She stopped and looked back at him. “From scratch?”
He took the last step so they were at eye level. “Yes.”
Oh, God, could the man get any more perfect?
Easton smiled. “You should see the look on your face. Any other woman would be delirious about getting diamonds, but for you it’s croissants.”
“Homemade croissants.” She pressed into him and kissed the underside of his jaw. “You’ve clearly been hanging out with the wrong women.”
He caught her chin, his handsome face serious. “Clearly.”
Her belly did a slow tumble.
“Come on.” He tugged her up the stairs.
“Our women are smashed,” Saxon said.
Easton glanced over to where his sister, Haven, and Harlow sat on stools in his bar room. The three of them all clutched martini glasses and were howling with laughter.
Harlow snort-laughed and almost fell off her stool.
Easton smiled. Damn if she didn’t look beautiful and cute as hell half drunk. She wore a pretty, flirty, aquamarine dress. Gia and Haven were dressed up, as well.
“You’re a goner,” Rhys said.
Easton looked back at his brother. Along with Saxon and Vander, they were all on the large sectional, nursing beers.
“Takes one to know one,” Vander said.
Rhys looked at Haven and grinned. “Hell, yeah. And I’m happy as hell.” He nodded at Easton. “And here’s our big bro, watching a gorgeous drunk blonde snorting, which admittedly is cute, like she’s a flawless diamond.”
“Goner,” Saxon agreed.
Vander snorted. “You took forever to admit that you were in love with our sister. At least Easton’s moving faster than you.”
“And you were ready to knock my teeth out when you found out about me and Gia.”
Vander shrugged. “It’s a brother’s job to intimidate anyone who touches his sister.”
Easton listened to Harlow laugh again. “I’m just glad to see her happy and relaxed. Even if it is alcohol-induced.” She’d been stressed and sad all day. “She called around to all her dad’s friends. No one’s seen him, or if they have, they aren’t talking. She thinks one guy was lying.”
“Name?” Vander demanded. “I’ll get Ace or Rome to look into it.”
“Gregor Howard.”
Vander tapped out a message on his phone.
“I just want her safe,” Easton said.
“I’ve talked with Antoine and Rhoda,” Vander said. “Both are pissed, and on the hunt for Carlson. But they also know Harlow’s off-limits. Ace has some leads on the dagger.”
After they’d sated themselves on breakfast, Easton had worked out in his gym, with her perched on a nearby weight bench, calling all her father’s friends. He’d watched as with each call, her shoulders had slumped farther.
He’d then seduced her in the shower, before convincing her to watch a movie. They’d watched the latest Wonder Woman adventure and had a late lunch. She’d made more calls, and spoken with her mother again, without telling Mrs. Carlson what was going on.
Then Gia and Haven had arrived. Easton had made them cocktails, and then Gia had taken over.
That led them to now, with three tipsy women.
“So, Vander needs a woman, now,” Saxon said with a grin.
Vander skewered his best friend with a dark look. “Why?”
“Love, companionship—”
“Hot sex.” Rhys winked.
Vander grunted. “I can get hot sex