Page 110 of Miss Trust

It was as though we’d choreographed things. My turn. “So much about you. But now it’s about her. And we’re going to ensure you don’t ever come near her again.”

“You can’t keep me away from her. She’s mine.”

A humorless chuckle left my lips as I crowded his space. This time I had Kelsey’s permission to act on her behalf. There’d be no regrets or apologies to give afterward.

He backed up against the wall, his eyes darting between the two of us brothers. Finally, he realized he was in trouble. Big trouble, if we wished to exact an ounce of the pain I could envision inflicting.

“Kelsey is not property, you narcissistic piece of shit,” I spat. “She’s a young woman who has realized she wasted the last ten years catering to you when she could’ve done better. So I’ll repeat myself. You will stay away from her. And if you don’t, you’ll regret it.”

“How? You gonna beat me up? I’ll go to the police.”

A menacing smile curved my lips. “Nope, but I will make sure your employers know about your gambling habit and affinity for prostitutes and drugs.”

He sputtered. “I don’t do those things.”

“No? Are you sure? You hold a powerful position in a prominent investment firm. For a man in your situation, all it would take would be a whisper, a doubt. They’d close ranks and shut you out. My guess is you’re a prick enough on the job there’d be plenty who’d welcome a scandal to boot you out.”

He swallowed hard. “You’re threatening me?”

There’d be nothing more damaging to a man like Joel than to have his carefully constructed reputation destroyed, to have others perceive him as damaged goods. “Damn right I am. But it’s simple, Joel. You leave my sister alone, and I don’t burn your fucking life down, piece by piece until you only wish I’d beaten you up instead. Try me and see what happens.” My forearm on his windpipe applied just enough pressure to get my point across.

The fear in his eyes told me he understood. The urine spotting the front of his trousers was confirmation.

“Oh, dear,” Reid said with a tsk. “Hope you packed a change of clothes for the long flight back.”

“Fuck the both of you,” he said once I let him go. He practically ran out the front door to the echo of our chuckles.

Reid slapped me on the back. “Damn, brother, that was fun to watch.”

“It was rather fun.”

His expression suddenly sobered. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For always looking out for us. You’ve been the big brother who had our backs growing up, and you’ve still got us.”

I had to clear my throat. “Yeah, well, it hasn’t always been with the best judgment, but I do love you.”

He grinned. “I love you too. Now let’s make a promise only to say it every decade or so, because this is weirding me out.”

“Me too. God, I wish I’d set up a camera to film the look on Joel’s face when he returns to his apartment and sees all of her things gone—and some of his furniture.”

Reid’s laughter matched mine. “I’d pay money to see it.”

“Come on, let’s head north to the Malibu house.”

“Yeah, you have a girl to win back.”

“Here’s hoping it’s possible.” I didn’t have a clue yet how to do it, but then again, had I ever in my life backed down from a challenge?