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“Meli thinks we’re stifling her,” he mocks. “She’s going to give adulthood a go.”
“She’s already an adult,” Mum replies, clearly confused.
“Really? She lounges around the club doing fuck all, living off the food we all buy, not contributing to any of the bills. So, other than her age, tell me what she does that’s adulting,” he demands.
Mum looks my way, and I can see her mind working fast to think of something. I stand, ready to fight my own corner. “I look after all the kids,” I tell him. “Who do you call for when you need an afternoon fuck with Rylee?” I ask, arching a brow.
“Jesus,” mumbles Rylee, covering her face with her hands.
“And who takes care of Oakley when Hadley is at work?”
“Everyone, Meli. Everyone takes care of the kids. No specific adult oversees that because there are always adults around. You just happen to be the one on their level because you’ve never actually grown the fuck up.”
“Come on, guys, that’s enough,” says Hadley gently.
“Shut up, Hadley,” we both say together. She’s always been the reasonable one out of the three of us.
Arthur watches from the bar with an amused expression on his face, and my embarrassment dials up a notch. “Maverick, you don’t see me as an adult, but that’s not my problem, it’s yours. I do plenty of adult shit, just ask your brothers.”
Maverick’s eyes bug out of his head and anger rolls off him. “Grim was the only stupid fucker to break that rule, Meli, and he paid the price. None of my brothers would dare fuck up like that again,” he snaps. Hadley stands, and I want to reach out for her and apologise for Mav’s insensitive remark, but I also don’t want to bring more attention to it, so I let her walk away.
“Well done, big brother, now you’ve upset Hadley.”
“You did that the day you had sex with her old man,” he mutters.
“They were not together,” I hiss through gritted teeth.
“You both need to stop,” Mum warns.
“From now on, Meli pays her way,” Mav announces. “No more handouts, no more free lodgings.”
“She doesn’t have a job,” Mum argues.
“Then she’d better act like an adult and get one,” he says, smirking. “We’ll take a cut from her wage like we do everyone’s. And Mum, I mean it when I say no more handouts. She doesn’t get a penny from you, okay?”
Mum bites her lip, giving me a guilty shrug. “It’s fine, Mum, I’ll get a job. Maybe I’ll get a new place to live too, then I don’t have to answer to Dad’s mini-me.” I march off to the bar, reaching behind to grab a bottle of beer.
Mav’s right behind me to take it back. “That shit isn’t free anymore, Meli. You get that when you start paying your way.”
I growl in frustration and head for the exit, in need of air.
A few minutes pass and Arthur steps out. His hands are in his pockets, and the casual vibe he’s got going on is hot. “Do you always fight like that with him?” He still has a smirk on his face.
“I don’t like being bossed around.”
He sniggers. “I have three brothers to boss around and none of them would dare speak to me like you just spoke to Maverick.”
“Sisters are a different species.”
“I’m grateful I don’t have any.” He stands beside me, and we both stare out at nothing in particular, as the car park is pretty much empty and the road outside is quiet. “I can help on the job front. I’ve cleared it with Maverick.”
“Thanks, but no. I can do this on my own.” The fact he’s already spoken to Mav about it pisses me off. If my brother wants me to be independent, he needs to stop okaying everything that involves me.
“It’s just some paperwork, filing, organising my office. Rylee said you’re good at it.”
“I can find my own job.” I turn to go back inside, but Arthur’s hand catches my wrist, and my skin tingles under his touch. He still stares ahead as he speaks to me, and I’m reminded of exactly why I can’t work for him. I want him too much, and this smouldering charm he’s got is off the scale.
“You need a job, and I need an employee. Don’t miss an opportunity because you’re mad at your brother. I’ll send a driver to collect you at ten tomorrow.” His eyes slowly run down my body. “Office attire.” And I swear, before he releases me, I see heat in his eyes.
