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“You’re asking me?”
“Well… yeah. Who else am I gonna ask?”
“I don’t know. One of the hitched brothers, maybe. I’m not exactly the best example for blissful relationships.”
“Nah. You’re my best friend. If I can’t ask you, then I can’t ask anyone.”
“Good to know.” I shake my head. “Now, you snapped your fingers at me for a reason. What’d ya want?” Before he can respond, I tack on, “And if it’s to protect your manhood, you can forget it.”
He grabs his chest and stumbles back a few steps. “You wound me, brother.”
“You’ll live.”
“Thank fuck for that.” Soul straightens and grins. “So, when do Apple and Mark land in Vegas?”
“In a few hours.”
He nods at my cell, which is still in my hand. “Get everything sorted out with Hank?”
“Yeah. He’s gonna start next week.”
“Everything went well at the closing this morning?”
“What’s with the third-degree, Soul? Have the brother’s been complaining about the vote?”
“No.” He shakes his head. “Not at all. We’re all happy for you, Mal. Hell, you’ve been nice these past few days. Trust me, no one is complaining.”
“Okay, good.” I shove my phone into my pocket before thrusting a hand through my hair. “Look, I know it seems crazy, but I know I’m doing the right thing. I have to prove to Apple that I support her career. And I need her to know she can have everything she wants right here, with me. And sure, buying a building and renovating it into a top-of-the-line studio for her might blow up in my face, but I have to do something.” I pause, but only for a second. “If I do nothing, she’s gonna think I don’t care. And I do fucking care. I care a l—”
Soul grasps my shoulder. “Mal, brother, breathe.” When I suck in a breath, he huffs out a laugh. “You’ve claimed her, yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you love her?”
His question gives me pause. I haven’t thought about how I feel beyond wanting her around.
Liar! You’ve thought about little else.
“Malice?” Soul prods.
“Huh?”
“Do. You. Love. Her?”
“I don’t know if I even know what love is?” I answer honestly.
“Sure you do,” he insists. “You love me. You love Mark even in the moments you hate him. You love Jez and Grim and the rest of the brothers. You’d die for all of us, kill for all of us. Right?”
“No doubt.”
“Would you die for Apple?”
A growl barrels up my throat at the thought of her even being in a position where someone had to die for her. “Fuck yes.”
“Would you kill for her?”
“In a heartbeat.”
