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“Wow. That’s blunt,” I said. “Whether I am or not is private.”
“Come on, be serious. You’re no blushing virgin. Plus, every chance you both get, you blow each other with your eyes.”
Pretty sure I was blushing then.
“He’s sliding you some, isn’t he?”
“Still private.”
Her forehead wrinkled. “Ugh, you’re not one of those prissy, prim girls, are you?” Genny placed her finger over her mouth like a mustache, turning her voice up a few octaves. “Oooh, pray chance, milady, mayhap I offend, does doth adjourn to the bedchamber with my brother?”
I giggled. “Okay, even if we did skip back a few centuries, why would you have a mustache?”
“Nah, this is me being the uptight, woman-hater in pantaloons who convinced you women shouldn’t talk about sex lest someone have to bust out the fainting couches, milady.”
“I don’t have a problem talking about sex, I just don’t usually do it with people I’ve known for less than a day, but if it’ll let us get past this line of questioning, the answer’s no. Sunny doesn’t think I can do this because of my bedroom skills. Actually, it’s my judgment and observational skills that were mentioned by Sunny and Liam.
“Also, I saw the guy who tried to kill Sunny, and he saw me.”
Genny’s smile melted away. “He got that good of a look? From the top of the bridge?”
“I got a good look at him. I can only assume he clocked my face too. I can’t spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder. You can say I’m not up for it and find someone else, Genny, but unless they’re family, I can promise you they won’t be as invested in getting this guy off the street as I am.”
“Hmm,” she said, looking down her nose at me. “Dedication is a point in your favor.”
We talked for most of the trek. The deeper we went, the closer the trees crowded together, raining their leaves on us, leaving the scent of pine on our skin as a gift. It was truly calm, quiet, and remote out here, and Bane must be nuts. What kind of well-adjusted, normal human being cut off contact with most of his family and set up ten miles into the woods with no paths leading the way. That was someone who wanted to be alone with the bodies.
Liam said he had nothing on his sister and other brother. One day I’ll know when he’s teasing me, and when he’s deadly serious.
“Why does your brother live all the way out here?”
Genevieve shrugged. “He can’t do neighbors. They kept calling the cops to report the noise.”
“I’m both curious and scared. Which one should I be?”
“Scared,” she replied with her Merchants’ smirk.
“That’s my fault. I shouldn’t have asked. So, while we’re on the subject of brothers, can you give me the whole family tree?”
“Sure. There’s my mother, Adeline Redgrave, daughter of Oscar Redgrave—you’ve heard of him, of course.” I shook my head. “Ah, you’re looking for the entire family history.”
Genevieve told me about everyone from her grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, and carny cousins. “Our oldest sisters, Rosalie and Vanessa are legit,” she explained. “The gang life wasn’t for them, and Mom always said it was our choice. Both are married with kids, living out in the suburbs.”
“After Vanessa was Liam?” Speaking about him conjured memories of his broad shoulders under my thighs. Was it wrong that I spent most of the time we were painting, imagining what it’d be like if he did something more interesting between my legs?
“Yes, my sainted older brother. He got into more trouble than me, Bane, or Sunny could think of, but nothing calms a man down like a daughter. A daughter is also handy for making him rethink his view that women are a collection of holes waiting to satisfy him. Admit it, you’ve met him. You got sand in your eyes from the Sahara in his pants, and so uncomfortable from his holier-than-thou act, it gave you a wedgie you’re still digging out.”
“That’s not quite the Liam I met. To be honest, I got the feeling the only time he’s completely relaxed is when he’s with Tricky. It’s sweet.”
“Damn.” She goggled at me. “You want to fuck him too. Does Sunny know you also want to ride the Liam train?”
I hadn’t realized I was smiling until she wiped it off my face. “I never said that,” I replied louder than needed, “and it wouldn’t happen anyway. He’s not interested in a woman twelve years younger than him. Besides, you were wrong about the Sahara in his pants. Liam’s not going through a dry spell. Not even close.”
“Whew, the jealousy is strong.” She bobbed her head up, down, and around me, breathing deep. “You reek of the stuff.”
Sighing, I said, “You’re going to be a lot of work, aren’t you, Genny?”
