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Mae stiffened her spine as she handed her credit card across the counter while giving them both a stern look. “No one is kicking anyone’s ass. This is between Merit and me, and you two will stay out of it, got it?”
Both brothers were taller than her by a foot, as well as twice her weight. They exchanged a glance, each of them wearing an identical smirk.
“That tone work on Ian?” Asher asked.
“It does.” She narrowed her gaze and lifted her chin. “And he’s smart enough to know I mean business when I use it. Do not mess with me.”
Loyal took an exaggerated step back with his palms up in silent surrender. Roxanna slid the credit card slip over while turning to eye her seemingly submissive boyfriend. “Wow. Can you teach me that tone?”
Honor snickered. “All you gotta do is threaten to withhold sex, and he’ll do anything you want.”
Loyal snorted in response. “It’s the other way around. She can’t get enough of me.”
Mae half-expected Roxanna to reach back and smack him, but instead she shrugged. “What can I say, it’s true.” As Loyal grinned, she turned back to Mae. “So seriously, can you teach me that tone?”
She laughed with the rest of them as she tucked her card and purchases in her purse. What Loyal said might be true, but they all knew he’d do anything for Rox. She cut her gaze to Honor and Asher, who had the same type of relationship.
Equals. Partners. There for each other in anything and everything.
That’s what she wanted, and when the time came, she’d settle for nothing less.
Although, these days, if the time came seemed to be more likely than when.
Chapter 21
Merit pulled into the site of the in-the-works veterans foundation Loyal and Grayson were setting up. The building was going up slow but sure, built by yet another non-profit organization that employed military veterans, both fully-abled and disabled.
He scanned the lot for Loyal’s vehicle as he braked not far from his half-brother’s rusty, red Ford truck. But it didn’t look like Loyal was around, damn it.
Foot still on the brake, he grabbed his phone from the console and sent him a text to see if he was gone for the day, or just out on an errand. As he waited for a reply, the last few moments of his interview played in his mind.
“I’m gonna be upfront with you, Merit. While we appreciate you coming in, unfortunately, we won’t be able to offer you the position.”
He’d thought the interview had gone well, so the man’s words caught him off guard. Frustration and desperation had loosened his tongue. “Was it something I said?”
“It’s not going to work out, that’s all.”
“So, that’s it?” he’d asked with a frown. “You’re just going with someone else?”
James had shrugged. “That is how it works.”
“Is it my lack of experience? Because I promise, I learn fast. I was in the top five percent of my class in both high school and college.”
“That’s not really the issue.”
“Then what the fuck is?” He’d regretted the aggravated slip the second it left his mouth, but the guy was unfazed.
“I have to consider this from what makes the most sense for our business. You’re high risk, and there are other candidates who not only have the experience needed, but also the drive.”
“I have drive.” They had no fucking clue how much drive he had these days.
“You graduated four years ago and haven’t done anything in the industry since then. You’re already behind your peers, and frankly, given your family name, I’m guessing you don’t need to work, I can see you haven’t worked, and I can’t take a chance on investing time and money into you only to have you decide one day you don’t want to work.”
The guy didn’t know fuck, but he wasn’t about to tell him his daddy cut him off and beg for the job to pay the bills on his multi-million dollar home. Of course, mentioning the baby might get him some sympathy, but he’d still have to reveal he was a Diamond without a penny, and fuck if he was going to do that.
He’d held his temper, forced a smile, and shook the guy’s hand. “Thanks for letting me sharpen my interviewing skills.”
Held his temper, but not his sarcasm. Not the best impression to leave with, but since he had no hope of getting the job, he found he didn’t give a shit.
