Page 176 of Perfect Satisfaction

He draws in a swift breath. “What?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I only know that you’re her brother and that she loves you. Right now, I think you’re as much of a piece of shit as your father.”

His hands slam down on the expansive desk as he presses himself upward. “How dare you?”

I push myself to my feet and meet him head-on. “No, how dare you? How dare you let her love swing in the wind while you decide whether to believe in it? Her?”

“Isn’t that exactly what you did?” he spits.

“Damn straight. That’s why it takes one to know one.” I don’t try to defend myself against her brother. “Sula loves with her whole heart. When we were working things out, she told me she’d always love me, but she was trying to find forgiveness for doing that. Don’t make her justify loving her own brother—not after everything the three of you had to endure while West Moore sat behind that desk.”

Joshua Basset simply deflates. He falls back into his chair and stares at me as if I’m an aberration. He opens and closes his mouth several times, but nothing comes out. Realizing nothing productive will happen today, I storm for the door. Just as I reach it, he calls out, “Ronan?”

I pause. “Yes?”

“Tell my sister I love her.”

I turn my head until I meet those green eyes again. “Tell her yourself.”

With that, I fling open the wooden panel in front of me and storm out of the office.

CHAPTEREIGHTY-EIGHT

I read a statistic today—one in four adults is estranged from their family.

As we approach the holidays, I hope those people have people they love to be with.

—Moore You Want

Arek finishes telling mewhat happened in JB’s office. He drops down next to me on the couch and takes my hand. “Give it a few days. I’ll give him a call.”

I straddle his hips before I cup his exhausted face. “No, you won’t.”

“Sula,” he begins.

“Arek, no. I loved you with everything I am before you flew over to speak with my brother. He’s pissed because I did the same thing he did? Bloody hypocrite.”

Arek’s lips curve. “I’ve been thinking the same thing.”

“See? Now, let me explain how this family works.”

His hands settle on my hips, and he rocks my core against his hardening length. “This sounds interesting.”

“Be serious,” I admonish him.

“Sula, it’s been two days since I’ve been inside you. Right now, I’m very serious.” We exchange smiles before mine morphs into something else.

“This between you and me is all I’ll ever need for my heart to be full.” Before he can speak, I lay my fingers across his lips. “There’s nothing more you need to do, Arek. It works itself out or it doesn’t. End of.”

I shriek as he flips me to my back. “Have I mentioned how hot it gets me when you let the occasional British phrase slip in? Like ‘End of.’ Does that mean end of someone’s head?”

I giggle. “Not quite.”

“End of the world as we know it?”

I shake my head back and forth.

His voice deepens. “End of our clothing?”