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“Jesus Christ.” Leo presses a knuckle to the corner of his eyes and lays down a card. “Who knew getting you drunk would be so enlightening?”
Emerson peers at him. “Are you crying?”
“It was a moving speech. Fuck off.”
“This is why I never get drunk. It brings people to tears.” I’ve lost track of how much Emerson’s had tonight, but anybody else would’ve fallen out of their seat by now. Drunk Emerson doesn’t lose his balance. He gives his opinions on art instead. It’s rare for his guard to be this far down. He usually keeps himself so removed that he might as well be in a different solar system.
It’s my turn. I play my card.
Sin looks at the cards in his hand. “Show him what else, Em.”
“No.” Emerson plays his next card.
“Do it for me.” My vision is a little blurry, but not so blurry that I’ll miss this.
Emerson arches an eyebrow at me. “Isn’t itmybirthday?”
“Yeah,” I agree. Leo’s sister did not pour light. I normally don’t order sweet, sparkly bullshit, but this is good. I take another sip. “We gave you presents. You love us. Do it.”
“Do what?” Leo’s amused. We met him for the first time after an incident with Emerson and our dad that involved Emerson driving his SUV into a van full of men who had taken Daphne. Leo was the one who called us from the scene using Emerson’s phone.This is Leo Morelli. Don’t hang up. First thing you need to know is that your brother is alive.I expected the Beast of Bishop’s Landing, which is what everyone calls him in the papers and on the Internet. Guy’s an asshole, but he’s not an animal. He’s a hell of a lot more civilized than me.
Emerson’s proof of that. I’ve only seen him this calm in his own house. That doesn’t happen unless a person makes an effort. And his brother-in-law—my brother-in-law? I don’t know—has clearly made an effort. He knows all the little things.
For instance, when we walked in the door with Emerson and Daphne, Leo greeted him by casually rattling off a list of everyone who was already in the house, though it was only Eva and Haley. Then he moved on to which servers would be handling dinner. Andthenhe directed Gerard, his head of security, to make sure Emerson’s driver, Logan, was comfortable. From the way Emerson’s shoulders let down, this is what always happens at Leo’s house. No surprises, which Emerson also hates.
My brother almost never mentions these preferences to other people. I’m glad for him. And jealous, if I’m honest. I couldn’t change that much if I tried.
“Do him,” I tell Emerson, lifting my chin at Leo.
Sin coughs, hiding a grin.
“You motherfuckers,” Leo says genially. “It’s rude to keep a person in suspense after they’ve asked a question.”
“Christ, darling. Is that your idea ofasking nicely?” Emerson says.
If Leo had been watching, he’d have seen what Emerson was doing. It didn’t look like anything when he started. All the subtle shifts in his body added up to Leo’s exact straight-backed posture. Emerson looks up from his cards and narrows his eyes, and it’s Leo’s expression, too. From the way Leo stares, the words are dead on.
“Oh my fucking God.” Leo’s both shocked and delighted, but Emerson doesn’t break character.
Sin laughs at Leo. “I thought you knew this guy. Aren’t you close friends?”
Emerson scoffs. It’s a Leo scoff. He’s never scoffed like that in his life. “Please. It was a knife fight, not a friendship bracelet.”
“You come to this house for dinner every week, Emerson. When were you going to let me in on this?”
“When you proved you weren’t a fool.”
Leo laughs, the cards in his hands shaking. “No way. I don’t believe it. Do Daphne.”
Emerson’s expression softens. He bites at his lip, the rigid posture disappearing. It’s an eerily accurate impression of Daphne when she’s painting.
Leo purses his lips. “Tiernan.”
It’s in the shoulders for Tiernan, and the scowl. That prick walks around with afight-meattitude, which Emerson of course nails.
“Eva,” says Leo. She’s the sister he’s closest to, I think.
“At dinner or when she’s with you?”
