Page 68 of Merging Wright

I want Jane.

“Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Maybe we could discover more about each other. I know we said only on our wedding night, but we are married, and it isn’t uncommon for—”

“Oh.” The sharp intake of a masculine voice turns my head. Myles stands just inside the kitchen. “I didn’t realize you were both still up.”

“Who did you expect to find here?” While my brother lives in the Small House, he’s well aware Jane and I are staying in Ma’s place. Ma isn’t a night owl.

“I was hoping to speak with Jane.” Myles hitches his body to lean more prominently on his cane.

I fall back in my seat and wave toward my wife. My wife. “Well, speak.”

“It can wait.” Myles lowers his head like he’s been caught doing something he shouldn’t. Wanting what he can’t have. I have no doubt he’s attracted to Jane. She’s dynamic and powerful, organized and creative, and fucking beautiful. And he can’t have her. Not this time. Not this one.

“Whatever you have to say to Jane, you can say in front of me,” I challenge my brother.

“Mach,” Jane mutters. Her wineglass is back on the table, and her fingers pinch the stem. She looks ready to pick up the glass and toss her remaining wine at me.

“Tomorrow,” Myles groans.

“Tonight.” Whatever couldn’t originally wait until daylight can be said tonight to my wife with me present. Old insecurities return hard and fast, and my attention turns back to Jane, pointing between her and my twin. “Unless there is something I’m not supposed to know about happening here.”

Jane’s eyes narrow, the glare piercing. “Don’t do this.”

I narrow my eyes back at her. “Don’t do what?” My body hums. Heart hammers. Is she attracted to him?

“Don’t project onto me something that happened in the past.” Jane’s attention shifts to Myles before coming back to me.

“Why are you looking at him?” I lean forward again and glare at her, searching her face as if her attraction is written in the fine lines.

“Jesus, not this again,” Myles mutters.

“Exactly,” I yell, twisting as I stand and knock over the kitchen chair. “This will not happen again.” I point from Myles to Jane. “She’s my wife, Myles. Mine.”

“Cut the Neanderthal act. Jane doesn’t belong to you any more than Tracy did. And even at that, the whole town knows this marriage is a sham. She’s a means to an end.”

Jane’s breath hitches.

I level a hard stare at my brother, itching to grab his cane and beat him over the head with it. He has some serious fucking balls to speak about Jane like she doesn’t belong to me, like she doesn’t matter to me.

“Fuck you, Myles. Don’t you dare speak like that about Jane.” The hum inside me turns to an uncontrollable vibration. I’d never punched my brother after what happened. I didn’t speak to him again, deliberately cutting him out of my life. But right now, in this moment, I’m ready to let him feel my wrath.

Myles looks past me at Jane. “I didn’t mean it like that. You’re helping us all. I understand that.” Myles peers back at me. “Do you? Do you appreciate what she’s doing for you? For us? For this town?”

“Of course, I do,” I bark.

Jane’s given up a lot to stay here, working under a guise with Impact that we have a special client who needs personal attention for an undetermined amount of time. But the project isn’t indefinite. By Christmas. Only a few more months.

I’ll only have Jane as mine for a few more months.

I look back at Jane. Time is slipping away from me.

“Myles, why don’t we meet tomorrow?” Jane offers. “On The Curve? Say seven a.m.?”

Her words strike another chord. How often do they meet? Is she falling for my brother? Is she having sex with him? My thoughts spiral out of control.

I can’t take my eyes off my wife, but the light tap of Myles’s cane signals his retreat. I hold my breath until he’s gone, then I snap, “You will not meet with him.”

“You will not tell me what to do.” Jane’s eyes narrow again. The bright blue rivals the first flame on a gas stove. She burns me with every blink of her lids, and slowly, she stands, facing off with me from across the table.