I glared at him, but Miles shook his head. “Don’t be mad at your brother for what we got going on.”
“He hit you, and I want to knowwhy.” I shook my head. This was bullshit. “Did you forget we’re married? We’re a team. Wehave obligations. I can’t have my husband walking around beat up!”
“Yes,” he said quietly. “But this isn’t about you.”
“Should I just shut my mouth like a good little wife?”
Miles stared at me with a small hint of a smile. “You? A good little wife?”
I forced him to take the ice pack and proceeded to stand again.
“Whoa, wrong joke. It wasn’t funny, I’m sorry. Just sit.”
I shook my head. “And Erik is not the type to justsnap. Which means this wasn’t random. Which means you did something or he did something orbothof you did something that I’m in the dark about.”
All we knew was Erik and Miles fell out, soon after, the whistleblower came out about his father and the two never spoke until now.
“You’re not going anywhere,” he said, his voice low and commanding, his face so close I could see the flecks of gold in his brown eyes.
The shock of his assertiveness froze me, but it was the heat—the undeniable pull between us—that had me forgetting how to breathe. My heart pounded as I stared up at him, his jaw tight, his lips inches from mine.
“Let’s celebrate.”
I lifted a brow. “Celebrate what?”
“I got a deal on supplies for the renovation. You said the finances are in order. We’re gonna fix the company and get the protestors off the front lawn.”
I sucked my teeth, looking back at the bruise on his face.
“Miles,” I started, softer now. “He’s my brother.”
“I know,” he said. “And he’s doing what he thinks is right. That’s who Erik is.”
His hand slid to my hip, grounding me. “He thinks I’m going to ruin you. Because of what happened with my family.”
My breath caught.
“Your brother’s just being protective.”
I made a face. “Erik has never reallycaredabout me. I know he cares about Laurene and Gigi, but he’s never shown me love like them.”
This time Miles’s expression twisted. “That’s not true.”
“Believe me, it is.”
“No,” he said. “Erik loves you. Whether you see it or not, I know some of the shit he’s gone through with your mother. He’s protected all of y’all from a lot of bullshit.”
I was surprised to see anger on his face.
“It may look like he has it together, but he don’t. Trust me. He may be a horrible fucking friend, but he loves you all.”
“But you’re my family now. Can’t I protect you?”
What are you doing, Serena? Shut up.
“Serena,” he murmured, his voice softer now, but no less firm. “Promise me you’ll stay out of this.”
“He beat you up and now you’re defending him? What sense does that make?” I asked.
