Page 79 of Royal Desire

“Damn, Brand. I don’t know what to say. Thank you. Consider me your adopted cousin from now on.”

Brand laughs, but it’s his wife, Aria, who speaks up over the Bluetooth. “Adopted cousin or not, Brand is doing this for Ruby. Tess and I are official fangirls of the love of your life, and that was before we heard her story. Brand and Art will take care of this. They’re doing it for you and Ruby and for us.”

“There you go,” Brand states. “My wife has spoken, and she gets whatever she wants. If you knew the things I’ve done for her, this is nothing. Consider it set in stone.”

Shit. I want to know that even less than I want to know who the Riccis are.

I have no choice but to relent to the new cousin that I never asked for. “I appreciate you and Art. The only thing I ask is to keep me in the loop. I’m moving Ruby and her family into my house today. It’s private and secure, but I can’t lock them up forever. I need to know they’re safe.”

“Capisce. For you, I’ll do that.” There’s a promise in Brand’s tone that should put me on edge, but it doesn’t. I breathe a sigh of relief. He keeps talking. “And just so you know, we don’t operate like the Carusos. My goal is for that family to implode. They can do themselves in, and we can keep our hands clean on this one.”

Again, I don’t want to know how they haven’t kept their hands clean. “Thank you. I’ll send my PI back to Texas. But I’ll sleep better if I can locate Ansel Reid.”

“I’m working on that too. He’ll surface eventually. Every rat does.”

Aria pipes in one last time. “Tell Ruby hi for us. You two should come up to the lake for a weekend.”

Brand doesn’t give me a moment to try to turn the offer down and proves he’ll do anything for his wife. “We’ll get it on the calendar.”

I guess when Brand claims someone as family, he doesn’t half-ass that shit. Ruby and I are about ten percent back together, and we have weekend plans with the Vitales. But I’m not one to argue. “Sounds good.”

No more family declarations or plans for retribution are made. After we say a quick goodbye, I press go on a number that I moved to the top of my Favorites list.

Ruby answers on the second ring with no greeting. “Is everything okay?”

“Relative to the last twenty-four hours, yeah, everything is great.”

“That’s not saying much.” I hear Alice arguing about something in the background, and Blake trying to placate her. “We’re still waiting on the doctor to officially release Grandma. I’m not sure when that will happen. But Grandma’s friends drove all the way to the city and went shopping for her. She’ll at least have something to wear other than her hospital gown.”

I think about how Alice and Blake are a package deal with Ruby, and I’m happy. Call me crazy, but I’m looking forward to having other people in the house. Sadie cooks and tends to my mother, but pretty much leaves me alone. That house has never been alive with anything but tension and vices. The Sinclairs, and all their banter, will be a breath of fresh air to my otherwise stale upbringing.

“I’m at your house. The town has kicked in and are digging through the wreckage to salvage what they can. There’s no reason for any of you to have to go through it too.”

“Thank goodness.” Ruby exhales a relieved sigh. “I don’t want to leave Grandma until she’s released.”

A marked police unit turns down the street heading this way. I squint through my shades, but it’s not until he parks and climbs out that I see who it is.

I lift my chin at Dean, who yanks his WPD ball cap over his head of thick hair.

I turn my attention back to Ruby. “Is there anything else you need before I pick you up from the hospital?”

Ruby’s tone is hesitant. “I could use some couldn’t care less and a case of I don’t give a shit, that would be nice to have in my back pocket before moving in with your mother.”

“If that were possible, I’d own stock in both and be a wealthy man.” Dean comes to a stop next to me and hikes a brow. I shake my head and keep talking. “I’ve got a couple things I need to take care of. Let me know if you need anything.”

I can tell she’s feeling a little bit better, because she throws her sarcasm at me. “I already told you what I need.”

“I know what you need and it’s not that,” I mutter.

Dean lets out a low whistle.

Ruby lets the sarcasm go, which only means she’s thinking of orgasms and things that go with them—namely my cock. She lowers her voice. “Payne...”

I smile and do not whisper. “Rubylicious.”

Dean gags.

Ruby clears her throat. “I’ll see you later. And thank you.”