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“Have you ever had a brother? Do we act like brothers? Grab your folder and leave. I still have work to do before I leave.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
Dane whipped the folder off the desk, shoving it into Champ’s chest. “I don’t need to answer any of your damn questions, especially when it comes to us being brothers.”
Champ grabbed the folder before it tumbled to the ground when Dane let go without waiting for him. “I wasn’t talking about that question. Who’s Gabby? Was she talking about my Mia’s friend, Gabby?”
Dane looked back at him, laughing. “YourMia? She hasn’t been anything to you for over a month. She deserves better than the likes of you.”
“So, it is that Gabby? Why would she be calling you? In fact, why haven’t you been working as much as you used to? I came here last week, late at night, and you weren’t here. And you weren’t at home. Shit, you were with this Gabby chick, weren’t you?”
Dane advanced at Champ again, his fists clenched by his sides. “It’s none of your damn business. But to get you to leave my office, we’re dating. End of story.”
“You’re dating her? The woman who ruined it for me with Mia.” Champ took a step closer to Dane.
“She ruined it? Are you kidding me? You ruined that, Champ. You screwed your secretary on your desk with the door wide open. That’s your own fault.”
“The door wasn’t wide open,” Champ ground out. “It was a mistake. One little mistake. Mia won’t even give me the time of day to explain. I blame your girlfriend for that.”
“That’s not a little mistake. That’s just plain stupid. And it’s not Gabriella’s fault. It’s yours for what you did with the door wide open.”
He couldn’t resist needling his brother.
Champ clenched his teeth, the muscle in his cheek ticking like a time bomb. “It wasn’t wide open. Lies. That’s all your girlfriend knows how to do. She’s still feeding you lies.”
“Cracked open, a little bit open, wide open. What’s the damn difference, Champ? You didn’t have the brains to close the damn door. Hell, you didn’t have the brains to respect the woman you were dating. Life isn’t one big joke. You can’t make a mistake and expect it to keep going your way. That’s the real problem, isn’t it? You can’t get Mia back with a flick of your wrist. Not like you can with everything else in your life. As I said, she deserves better than you.”
Champ softened his features, rubbing his chin with a sheepish grin. “You’re right. I screwed up big time with her. I didn’t realize how special she was until I lost her. I miss her, Dane. I truly miss her. You could tell her how sorry I am. I didn’t mean to do it. It was a one-time mistake.”
Dane stared at him, his brows pinched high. “You’re serious right now? Do you really think by sounding sincere and using pretty little words that’s going to persuade me to put in a good word for you with Mia? You’re nuts. I would never do that for you.”
Dane walked back toward his desk before he gave in to the urge to hit his brother. The audacity he had. “I’ve gotten to know Mia since I started dating Gabriella. She’s a very nice, compassionate woman. She deserves respect. Not to be treated like garbage. I saw you look at my secretary, Ms. Wallace. You couldn’t resist glancing at her chest, or her ass as she walked out. You can’t keep it in your pants. And I doubt it was a one-time mistake. Leave Mia alone. And you better leave my secretary alone as well. She’s not someone you can toy with. She’s my secretary.”
Champ lifted a brow as a sly smirk appeared. “Yeah, okay, she’s your secretary. So, you wanna toy with her a little? Do you want to sleep with your secretary, Dane? What about Gabby…or what do you call her…Gabriella? You would never stoop so low, would you?”
“You have two seconds to get the hell out of my office before I do something we’ll both regret. I would never do that to Gabriella. And Ms. Wallace deserves respect as well. Get the hell out!”
Dane pointed to his door, losing his patience with each breath he took. For once in his life, Champ didn’t continue to argue. Shuffling his feet with a quick turn, he left the office without another word.
For added measure, he slammed the door.
Dane sank into his chair, resting his head back. The aching tremor to see Gabriella pulsed like he needed his next breath. He swiped his phone from the desk, almost dreading to read her entire text. Suddenly, he didn’t feel like it would be a good thing.
* * *
“So,how did it go with the boss man? Did he take it as horribly as you thought he would?” Jaxson asked, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, while still keeping a good look at the road.
“Eyes on the road, mister. Full concentration.” Gabby snapped her fingers for him to focus. “Would it kill you once to call him by his name? You know, his real name. Dane. Try it out. It’s a great name.”
“You’re in a snippy mood. Is it that bad you’re stuck with me working a case late into the evening instead of hanging withDane?”
Gabby turned her head, searing a glare his way. “The fact you used his name this time, but with a disgusting tone, does not make it better, Jaxson. What is your problem with him?”
He shrugged, flipping the turn signal to head left at the next intersection. “What’s his problem with me? He doesn’t like me. He hasn’t since the moment he met me. You don’t see it.”
“What I see is my best friend and boyfriend, not trying to get along. You always have an attitude when you’re around him.”
He turned his head, his eyes bulging. “And he doesn’t? You don’t hear his attitude? What are you, blinded by love?”
