Page 119 of A Vicious Love

“It’s fine.”

“You look tired.”

Sienna smiled faintly. “I’m always tired.”

The answer sounded too easy. My jaw tightened. Marcel noticed. He noticed everything in rooms containing Emmie, and Emmie noticed everything involving Sienna.

A terrible chain reaction of concern.

Sienna looked toward me once.

“I’ll see everyone this weekend,” she adjusted the shopping bag on her arm. She smiled at Emmie. “Thank you for today.”

“Anytime.”

Sienna leaned down and hugged her carefully around Marcel’s arm. Emmie held her too tightly for a shopping trip goodbye. That should have told Sienna something.

It didn’t. Sienna straightened.

“Harrison.” She nodded politely toward.

“Sunshine.”

Her gaze moved to me. “Good night, Jamison.”

“Night.”

Sienna left. The front doors closed. Quiet for three seconds. Emmie burst into tears. Every man in the room went still.

Emmie face against Marcel’s neck. Her shoulders shook once beneath his arm. His hand moved up her back while the other returned to her collar, fingers sliding over rose gold as if touching it reminded him she was here.

Safe.

His.

Upset.

Marcel looked at us. His expression became unbearable. A man watching his wife hurt and deciding the room needed to answer for it.

“What happened?” he asked.

Emmie shook her head.

“Baby.”

“She’s making plans,” Emmie whispered.

Marcel’s eyes lowered to her face. “Sienna?”

Emmie nodded. “She keeps talking about next month as if her entire life isn’t about to be moved somewhere else.”

I finished my drink.

Emmie pulled back enough to look at me. Her cheeks were wet. I hated that. I cared about Emmie.

More than I liked admitting.

She had married my brother and somehow become ours too. Ours to protect, tolerate terrible films for, and terrify Harlan over if anyone looked at her wrong. Seeing Emmie cry made something hostile move through my chest.