Page 109 of Brutal Truths

I offer him my hand. “Nice to meet you, Your Majesty.”

“Please don’t call him that. His head’s big enough as it is.” Isabel nudges her brother’s arm. “Don’t be rude. Shake my boyfriend’s hand.”

“Boyfriend?” The word comes from all three together.

“Did I stutter?” The flush in her cheeks doesn’t slow her down. “Behave, or you won’t be invited over for tea.”

“You live together?” the man next to Antonio asks.

“Not yet.” I meet his gaze. “We’ve been busy dealing with… complications.”

“How will that work?” the one next to me presses. “You’re in medical school. His work is in London, and from what I’ve heard⁠—”

“Lorenzo, shut up.” Isabel folds her arms across her chest. “I’ve probably lost my spot in the program. Lord knows Dr. Grieves has been vying for a reason to get me dismissed. I’m hoping to convince them to let me repeat the year. It’ll suck, but I didn’t work this hard to let it fall apart all because some arsehole used me as a pawn in his game.

She exhales, then continues, more measured. “If that doesn’t work, I’ll return to Hermosa Islas and apply there. It’ll suck more, but at least I’ll be a certified physician, just not as soon as I’d hoped.”

Reaching across the aisle between us, I take her hands in mine and give them a firm squeeze. “After what I saw in there, they’d be fools to let you go. I’m sure the board at Oxford will make an exception.”

Her three brothers nod, all of them suddenly in agreement with me.

“As long as no one interferes.” Isabel’s glare sweeps across us, sharp and unyielding. “I don’t need handouts.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” I lie and almost feel guilty about it.

If the board tries to dismiss her, there’s no way I’ll sit back and let that happen. I’ll make sure Trent is aware and let him use his talents to make them understand.

Lane’s phone rings, pulling all attention his way. He answers quickly, raising a hand to call for silence. “You found her? Where?”

Isabel sits up, and leans forward, her eyes pleading for Lane to put the phone on speaker. He pulls it back and does so without missing a beat.

“She was hiding.” Kimber’s voice comes over the line. “It’s hard to understand what she’s saying. She’s confused.”

Isabel cuts in. “Let me talk to her.”

“That’s why I called. Misty thought hearing a familiar voice might help.”

Misty’s voice comes over the line next. “Hey. Alma’s fine. Shaken. Confused. She’s saying things we can’t quite piece together, but maybe you can.”

“Okay. I’ve done this before. Please put her on, and I’ll see if I can calm her down.”

“Alma, your granddaughter wants to talk with you,” Misty says in a calm, level voice.

“My granddaughter?” Alma’s voice comes through thin and unsteady. “She’s here? Oh no… he’ll hurt her.”

“Grams, it’s me. No one’s going to hurt me. Aiden’s with me. You remember him, right?”

“Oh good. Yes, I remember him.” There’s a faint lift in her voice. “He’s the handsome fellow who dragged you into the closet at the gallery opening.”

A soft laugh follows, knowing—to knowing. “You came back with the perfect amount of color in your cheeks. Only a man who knows what he’s doing can make a woman glow like that.”

Lane’s grin is immediate. Bastard.

The other three men don’t share his amusement about me defiling their sister in a public place.

Tough. They can fuck right off. I’ll do it again when the chance arises. Even if they’re around to catch us.

Isabel closes her eyes, the color in her cheeks blooming again, and I have to shift slightly in my seat to keep my focus where it belongs and not on my swelling cock.