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Hudson rolled his eyes, but he resisted the urge to clap back at me. Probably because Kai had grabbed his arm and was dragging him off in the opposite direction to get away from us.
“I enjoyed our little rendezvous, Montgomery,” I called out after them, throwing out one last thing that I knew would annoy Hudson. “May the best man win.”
4
HUDSON
THE END OF the workweek hadn’t come soon enough. I’d finally closed up shop around seven, long after everyone else had gone home to enjoy their Friday night. Even my mom, as CEO of the company, clocked out right at five, something she’d promised my mama years ago.
But seeing as I didn’t have so much as a pet waiting for me, there was no point in rushing home. I took my time, picked up my called-in order from the steakhouse beside my building, and headed up to my floor. But before I could even get my key in the door, I could hear music playing. I knew for a fact I hadn’t left the radio on, and when I tried the knob—yep—the door was unlocked.
There was only one person who showed up unannounced and blared our brother’s radio show loud enough for the neighbors to hear.
I opened the door and kicked it shut behind me, scanning the room for his whereabouts.
“Rome? Where are you?”
The sound of a deep voice singing along to the sad love song was coming from the storage room, so I headed in that direction, dropping off my briefcase and to-go box on the kitchen counter.
“Do you knooow that love can destroy yoooou—”
“That’s a little depressing, isn’t it?” I leaned against the doorframe and crossed my arms as I looked down at my youngest brother. Rome was crouched down in front of the wine cabinet taking out bottle after bottle and checking the labels. “What are you doing?”
“Robbing you blind, obviously. Can I ask you why you have all this shit when you don’t drink?”
“For the times you break in and rob me blind.”
“I mean, look at this.” He held up a bottle that needed a good dusting. “This is a two-hundred-dollar bottle of Cabernet. You do know you could stock up with a thirty-dollar bottle and I wouldn’t taste the difference, right?”
“You’re implying I actually buy those.”
“You don’t?”
“No. They’re all gifts. From clients, other companies, our employees…”
Rome snorted as he got to his feet, the expensive bottle still in his hand. “Do those people even know you? Wait, what am I saying, almost no one really knows you.”
“Says the man who has a key to my place. Don’t think I’m not regretting that right about now.”
“Is that any way to greet your favorite brother after I’ve been gone for three months? I know you missed me.”
I shook my head but pulled him into a hug. “Maybe a little.”
“Or a lot. You sure as hell haven’t been hanging out with Sawyer.” He gave me a tight squeeze before letting go. “Did you hear what he’s playing on a Friday night? Some morose crybaby shit.”
“You were just singing at the top of your lungs to said shit.”
“Well, yeah, it’s catchy, but damn. He’s played, like, ten of those in a row.”
“You do know he and Peter broke up, right?”
Rome’s eyes widened. “What? No.”
“Yep. A whole bucket of drama there, but I’ll let him fill you in on that,” I said as I headed back to the kitchen. “You want a glass, or you plan on drinking from the bottle?”
“I’m a classy bastard. Gimme a glass.”
I grinned and pulled one down from the cabinet, along with a couple of plates. “If I’d known you were coming I would’ve gotten you your own steak. You can split mine.”
