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I’d ignored his texts because I’d already answered the question he was asking, and he knew that.
“We’ve already talked about it. There’s nothing more to say.”
River sat there eating his sandwich as Rico started to unravel. My brother was charming and sweet, but he had a habit of behaving like a child when he didn’t get his way. I was used to it.
Rico took a long pull from his beer and then flailed his hands around. “We didn’t talk about it. I asked for a goddamn job, and you just shut me down. That’s not talking about it.”
I leaned forward, making no effort to hide my irritation. “You had a job. You chose to no-show to said job multiple times, and you lost it. Oscar said you failed to come to work three times over the last week. You think that makes you appealing to hire? No thanks.”
“You’re being such a bitch,” he hissed, and before I could put him in his place, River moved so fast I startled.
He grabbed Rico by the collar of his shirt and yanked him off his seat so they were both standing. “Watch your fucking mouth when you’re talking to her.”
“What the fuck?” Rico yelped, and River towered over him. “She’s my sister. Why is it any of your fucking business?”
“She’s my fucking business. You got me? Call her a bitch again, and I will beat your ass so bad you won’t walk for days.”
Holy shit. This was equal parts annoying and hot as hell all at the same time.
My inner feminist was shouting at me to stop this madness, but I stood there, watching with my heart pounding like my goddamn knight in shining armor had just rescued me from the big bad wolf.
Apparently, I liked having someone stand up for me.
And I liked that it was River doing it.
fifteen
. . .
River
This motherfucker lether cover his rent, while the other asshole let her pay off his gambling debts, and he thought he could come in here and talk to her like that?
Not on my fucking watch.
Ruby’s voice broke through my anger. “Let him go, River.”
I glared at him for a few more seconds before letting the fabric of his shirt slip through my fingers, and he ran his hands along his chest as if he were trying to iron out the wrinkles on his shirt.
I sat back down, and he did the same.
“Are you going to let him treat me like that?” His voice was so whiny, I wanted to slap him just to knock some fucking sense into him.
“I am. My only complaint is that I didn’t get to do it first.” Ruby rested her elbows on the bar, looking from me to him. “I’m not hiring you because you aren’t reliable, and I’m trying to run a business. This is my father’s livelihood, and you claim to care about Lionel, yet I haven’t seen you stop by to see him once since he’s been in the hospital. He’s been really decent to you, Rico.”
“Panda’s been sick, and I’ve had so much going on with Mom and Jimbo, I just haven’t had a chance to get there. So that’s why you won’t hire me?”
“Come on, Rico. You don’t get to just drink for free and ask for a job because I’m your sister. You need to grow the hell up. You got fired from the Daily Market because you didn’t go to work. Why would I hire you?” she asked.
I had to give it to the guy… he made no attempt to hide how puzzled he was. He scratched his head and looked at her like he genuinely couldn’t figure out for the life of him why she wouldn’t want to hire him.
“Because I’m your brother.”
“Yeah, you are. And I’m your sister. So I could make an argument that it’s not my job to keep saving you. How about you help me out for once and save yourself?”
“And how do I do that when I have no job?”
Jesus. Grow the fuck up, man.
