Page 182 of Perfect Satisfaction

JB groans. “I swear, she’s going to leave me for your grandfather.”

I offer helpfully, “She’s been threatening it since our senior prom.”

“Great. Just great,” JB grinds out.

I admit I’m impressed as he guns the engine with ease. “Where does a British-born CEO who jet sets around the world learn how to drive a V8 extended cab?”

With a self-deprecating smile that’s a replica of Sula’s—again, I curse myself for not figuring this mystery out after she introduced me to Brendan—JB checks that the gates close behind us in the rearview mirror before answering. “From the only person who ever truly parented me and Sula. It’s too bad we’re only his by half blood.”

“Brendan?”

“Yes.” His hands clutch the wheel until they’re white from the pressure. He darts a glance down at Liza, who blesses him with a reassuring smile. “She’s told you about her life with our father.”

“Was yours the same?” I feel a spark of empathy for a man I spent too long resenting.

“Very much. Sula saved me when she came to live with us—and I mean that literally.”

“She didn’t mention that when she’s told me stories about how she grew up.” I frown.

JB’s lips curve faintly. “Of course, she wouldn’t. As she reiterated, despite wanting to let you in on the knowledge of us, this was my story to share.” JB shifts before continuing, “Sula will never acknowledge the level of courage it took for her at fifteen to stand up to our father’s verbal abuse, nor at seventeen when she found me drunk, waving a pistol around. Calm as you please, she stormed in and yanked the gun out of my hand so I didn’t blow my brains out from his verbal abuse over being a worthless sod. Words my father had just used to describe me when he saw my grades from boarding school. Not for the first time, mind you.”

I draw in a breath imagining this dynamic man driven to that level of agony by a parent. As well as my wife’s depth of love for her brother. And her sheer courage at the time.

Liza bites her lip, tears welling.

I cut my eyes to her. “You knew?”

“Not until after... after everything that happened between you and your wife, Arek. I swear. Joshua was explaining the closeness between him and his sister.” Tears fall from Liza’s eyes. “I owe her a debt I can never repay.”

JB’s jaw clenches. “She’s the most loyal person in the world. She places everyone and everything before herself. And I’m the arse who almost turned into our father over what? Running an empire? Let the board have it.”

I don’t say anything because what can I do but agree.

“Sula walked out on her marriage because she stood up for what was right even though she never recovered completely from loving you. She fought every day for Angela to recover even though what happened wasn’t her fault. She stands at the abyss and waits to fall. What I need to know is who will be there to catch her?”

“Me. That’s my job,” I proclaim resolutely.

Nothing else is spoken until we pull up to the main house. After shoving the truck into Park, JB reaches inside his pocket and pulls out a diamond ring that sparkles so brightly Martians might be able to see it to target Earth. “Then I ask, as I entrust my sister’s heart to you, for you to do the same with yours.”

Liza’s wheezing. I casually whack her on the back before I reach over and shake JB’s hand. Our eyes meet, and apologies we could spend a lifetime verbalizing are said without words.

At that, I slide out of the truck to give them their moment. Approaching the front door, it opens without warning. Sula has a wonky smile on her face. She demands, “Do I have a new sister-in-law to be yet?”

Instead of answering, I scoot her backward and let the screen slam behind me. “Let them have their moment, sweetheart.”

She glares, but I just lean down and nuzzle her nose ring before brushing a kiss on her lips. I’m about to suggest we take this to our room when her phone rings.

Sula stumbles out of my arms, face paling. “Arek, that’s my father’s ringtone.”

“What? How is that possible?” My voice must carry because Brendan comes out of the family room with a look of horror on his face. “That’s...”

She nods and stares at her phone like it’s a cobra ready to strike.

“No!” The door opens behind me, admitting a glowering JB dragging his glowing new fiancée. “Sula, answer it, damn it.”

She presses the button with a visibly trembling hand to activate the call. “How can I help you?”

She listens for a moment before she says, “Hold on.” Her eyes connect with each of her siblings before they land on mine. “My father’s lawyers would like to speak with us.”