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“Sometimes that happens.”
I drop my bag on my desk and peel my outside coat off. Then I look to Aubree and grin. Because my heart is kinda happy, knowing she got to live out her dreams last night. “If you marry Tim, we’ll be sisters-in-law.”
“Oh, for god’s sake!” She spins away and heads back to her desk. “Grow up, Doctor Mayet.”
“What’s the issue?” I call out before the door closes. “It would usually be you spewing this crap, and me telling you to grow up and shut up. Does it suck being on the receiving end of annoying people and their annoying tendency to not stop talking?”
“Yes!” She plops down and powers up her computer. Picking up her desk phone, she presses a button until mine rings, then my brows pinch tight at the odd intrusion.
Picking up the receiver and dropping into my chair so the frame groans under my weight, I bring the phone to my ear. “Hello?”
“I didn’t sleep with Tim,” she whimpers. Through the glass, her shoulders bow and her head droops low. “I swear we didn’t.”
“So you just…” I circle and look out my windows to the city. “Played chess all night?”
“We talked,” she whispers. “We got real for the first time maybe ever. He told me about who he really is. About his family. His brothers. There are really five of them.” She says it in an awed tone. “FiveMalone brothers. I’ve encountered three.”
“Same,” I murmur. “That leaves two I possibly wouldn’t recognize if I saw them in the street.”
“Cato and Micah,” she murmurs. “Tim told me their names, and the order they were born in. He said he’s the oldest, then Felix. Then Micah.” Her breath hitches on the name Archer already told me.
Unlike Tim, Archer prefers to give me as much information as possible. Where Tim withheld to keep Aubree safe, Archer overshares, so if I ever find myself in danger, there’s less chance of me being blindsided.
“After Micah comes Archer,” she continues. “Then Cato is the youngest.”
“He told you lots.” I drag my bottom lip between my teeth and consider. “He went from saying nothing to telling you everything. So why do I feel like you’re about to drop a bomb on me?”
“Because he said he’s going back to New York.”
Stunned, I shoot a look across my office and meet her sparkling eyes through the glass wall.
“He said if he has to go back, he will. He said if they don’t leave him and Archer alone, he’ll go to New York and take care of it all.”
“He can’t go. He escaped that shit, Aubs!” My heart thunders faster in my chest. “He walked away when Archer did, and I’m not letting him go back now just because Felix is being a pest. I mean…”
Angry, I slam the phone down and shove up from my desk to cross the office. Yanking my door open, I glower at my second. “Felix isn’t hurting anyone. He even tried to protect Archer down at the bay that day.” I keep my voice down, lest any of our colleagues come close enough to hear. “That’s not a dangerous Malone out to hurt his brothers,” I grit out. “That’s an annoying gnat who wants attention from the guys who left him.”
“Felix wants Tim and Archer to go back to New York and reunite the family.”
“Felix doesn’t get to decide what this family does!” I growl. “He doesn’t get to lead Archeranywhere, and if Tim thinks he’s going, then I have news for him too.”
My phone trills on my desk—not Aubree this time, but someone else.
Work.
“If Tim goes,” I lean closer to Aubree, “Archer will follow, because he won’t leave his brother exposed. He’s already told me that. But since I had the stupid sense to get married in the first damn place, I kinda feel like I get an opinion on it all.” Straightening my spine and spinning on my feet, I head back to my desk.
“I’m not letting this happen,” I shout across my office before the door closes. “I refuse.”
Then picking up the phone, I soften my tone. “Chief Mayet speaking.”
“Chief Mayet.” Seraphina’s voice is happy. Professionally kind. “I have Mayor Lawrence on line three for you. He says it’s important,” she adds quickly, anticipating that I’ll tell her to take a message. “He insisted this be the call you take.”
“Fine.” I drop my face to my hand and set the Malones aside for just a moment. “Line three?”
“Yes, Chief.”
“Okay.” Reaching out, I kill our call, then I select the flashing three and accept the mayor’s. “Chief Medical Examiner Minka Mayet.”
