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There was no way to explain that Ruby had come to like Roman’s control. That it had been a kind of relief to let everything go, to leave the details up to him.
“It’s his place,” Ruby said. “His business.”
“That’s not what I hear,” Brooke said.
Her sister was alluding to the turf war, the coup Roman was launching against his father, but she didn’t want to get into that part of Roman’s life.
They stepped into the massive great room encompassing the loft’s living, dining, and kitchen areas and Roman was there, standing next to the island like an impassable mountain.
Ruby took a deep breath. “This is my sister Brooke,” she said. “Brooke, Roman.”
Neither of them made a move to shake hands, they just surveyed each other like generals studying the enemy across a DMZ.
“So you’re the guy holding my sister hostage,” Brooke finally said.
“Oh my god,” Ruby groaned.
“I’m the guy who saved your sister when she was being held hostage,” Roman said.
“Because you’re also the guy who got her kidnapped and held hostage in the first place,” Brooke countered.
Silence descended over the kitchen. Ruby was trying to figure out how to broker a truce when Roman spoke.
“Touché.” He headed for the hall. “I’ll leave you two alone.”
Ruby watched him head for the hall leading to his office. She waited for the door to click shut to turn to Brooke. “Jesus.”
“What?” Brooke asked. “Everything I said was true.”
Ruby sighed. “I just made tea. Want some?”
“No,” Brooke said. “But I could use a drink.”
Ruby gestured toward the bar in the living room. “Help yourself.”
She took her tea to the sofa while Brooke lifted several bottles from the bar. She studied their labels before landing on an expensive vodka.
She poured herself half a glass and sat on the sofa next to Ruby. “I have to admit, this all looks good on you.”
“What isthis?” Ruby asked.
“Shacking up with a mobster,” Brooke said.
“I’m not shacking up with anybody,” Ruby said. “This is just the safest place for me to be until this all blows over.”
Brooke took a healthy drink of her vodka and set her glass down on the coffee table. “You make it sound like a sudden rain shower, or a mild case of food poisoning.”
“Don’t patronize me,” Ruby said. “I know how serious this is.” She thought of the grain terminal: the lack of food, her bucket toilet, the penetrating cold. “Believe me, I know.”
Brooke reached for her hand. “I know you’ve been through a lot. I’m not trying to patronize you, I’m just…”
“What?”
“I’m just worried that you’re getting sucked into something you won’t be able to escape,” Brooke said.
Ruby swallowed. Brooke had put words to Ruby’s own fear, but she wasn’t about to give Brooke the satisfaction of knowing that. Besides, it would only make her sister worry more. “I know what I’m doing.”
Liar.
