“Maeve,” I call her name quietly, but my brother chimes in with a stern look on his face. He looks so righteous, it’s fucking sickening. I know about the orgies he participates in, and he’d be the last person to judge me. “Maeve,” I repeat louder. “Can we talk?”
She’s staring at the window without giving me the slightest indication that she’s heard me. Feeling Noah’s stare on the side of my face, I turn to him with a silent question. He subtly shakes his head and nods at Maeve.
I want to rage. To grab him by his shirt and throw him out of the car for daring to tell me how to speak with her. But common sense prevails for a moment, and I decide to actually think about what he’s suggesting. Giving her time.Can I do that? I don’t have it. I need to talk to her before she goes into that hotel where the whole family—including myfiancé—are expecting our triumphant arrival.
I can give her until then.
The rest of the drive is miserable. Maeve’s shoulders slightly shake from time to time, and I can almost imagine her big, blue eyes shedding tears. I know she’s trying to cry silently and be strong because sheisstrong. She doesn’t want me to see that, I’m positive of it. I bet if I was out of the car, and my brother was the only person here, she’d jump on his lap to cry on his shoulder. She needs to be held right now, and the fucker has always had this ability to make any woman pliable. Not me. Never. It’s hard for me to connect to anyone, that’s one of the reasons I love control. If I rule the process of sex, it’s predictable. The connection can’t happen because I don’t let it.
With Maeve, it was different. The connection came whether I wanted it or not. Before I even buried myself deep inside her. She just blew through all my defenses leaving no prisoners. I bet when I’m back in the hotel and dealing with the aftermath of my decision, he’ll swoop in like a damn knight in shining armor.
I’ve never been jealous of my brother, but I guess there’s a first time for everything. He needs to know she’s off limits. Especially now when she’s so vulnerable.
When the car pulls up to the hotel, I get a little surprise. It’s not exactly the kind of hotel I’m used to. The greeting building is a large, one-story bungalow that doesn’t look like the grand place I know I’m paying a shit ton of money for. But again, I’ve never vacationed, so maybe this is what people like.
When the bellman opens the door of the car, Noah jumps out first and stretches his arm toward Maeve to help her when I intercept and jump out before her. His face ismarked with irritation, and I wait for his eyes to meet mine. When they do, I talk in a low voice so only he can hear.
“She is off limits, Noah.”
He rears back as if I just punched him in the face. “You’re so fucking stupid, I don’t even know how you survive around people. Hitting on her is the last thing on my mind. Trust me.”
With that, he shoves me away and waits for Maeve to climb out. “Do you want to meet your parents now, or I can sneak you into your room?”
She swallows and glances at him like he hangs the moon. “My room, please.”
My brother nods and takes her hand. “We’ll go this way.” He points toward the row of bungalows. “Your parents booked you a room that way.”
Right before they’re about to leave, a female voice cries out. “Maeve!”
We all turn toward it and find a petite blonde woman in a pink dress running toward us.
“Bea?” Maeve asks weakly, and my heart sinks. I know who she is. I’ve seen her in the pictures of their occasional family outings. This is my future wife, or at least, as it was initially planned. “Bea.” Her voice drops to a guilty whisper.
The blonde runs to Maeve and envelops her in a hug. Her body is shaking. “You’re alive, Mae. You’re alive,” she says through tears, moving her hands along her sister’s back like she can’t believe Maeve is real.
“Yes, I am,” she replies unenthusiastically and hugs her sister back. “I’m sorry.”
“What for?” Bea pulls away and starts looking at her. “It’s not your fault your boat sank, silly.”
“Yeah.” Maeve averts her gaze from her sister to quickly glance at me.
Bea wraps her arm around Maeve’s shoulders. “Let’s go. Mom and Dad can’t wait to see you.”
“Where are they?”
Bea looks to the side, replying. “They’re playing tennis. They were very stressed, you know.”Like playing tennis can reduce the stress while you thought your daughter was dying.
“I know,” Maeve sighs, accepting this answer.
“What the fuck is wrong with them if they don’t want to meet their daughter after they thought she was dead?” I’m well aware I’m not containing my anger very well, neither am I trying if I’m honest.
Bea shifts her attention to me. With a slowly raised brow, she says, “And you must be the groom.”
I notice the exact millisecond when Maeve flinches and pulls away from her sister, visibly withdrawing into her shell she’s created since Noah opened his big mouth. My jaw clenches, seeing her hurt.
“I see your father has made a decision without me.”
“Would you be here if you didn’t agree with it?” Bea looks like a China doll at first, but now her nostrils flare like she’s a wild animal sniffing for blood. Probably mine.
