Page 41 of Hale Damage
“What’s our cuz up to?” I ask, eating a bite of savory pork.
My brother widens his eyes. “You’re never going to believe this shit. You remember that girl he dated in high school, Brooke Fincher?”
“The one with the hoity-toity parents that didn’t like Dutton because he wasjust a cowboy?” I ask in disgust. They are the only people I’ve ever known who didn’t like Dutton Hale. The man is like a big golden retriever, sweet and loyal.
“Yep. That’s the one.” Phoenix expertly uses his chopsticks to scoop up some sticky rice. “Those people were clueless. They obviously had no idea how much the Hale ranch is worth.”
Helix grunts around a mouthful of food before swallowing. “Dutton’s daddy could have bought and sold the entire Fincher family ten times over. And now Dutton owns everything… all the acreage, buildings, and livestock. If they wanted their daughter to ‘marry up,’ as they put it, they couldn’t have done better than him.”
Phoenix nods his agreement. “Anyway, Brooke showed up at Dutton’s house last night. With a black eye and bruises on her neck.” One of his eyebrows arches upward as my jaw tightens in anger. “Apparently thevery properhusband her parents insisted she marry did it.”
I set my chopsticks down before I snap them in half with my bare fingers. “That’s bullshit,” I hiss. “Those assholes moved her away to Dallas to keep her from Dutton, and then they hook her up with some abusive prick?”
“Apparently so. Dutton took her in, of course, and they’re going into town today. He’s taking her to the doctor to get her checked out and then to apply for a restraining order and start divorce proceedings.”
Helix shakes his head in disgust. “How could a man put his hands on a woman like that? Brooke was always so sweet.”
“I bet you’re a pussycat in bed, aren’t you?” I tease. “Do you leave your slutty man glasses on when you fuck?”
My brother circles his tongue inside his cheek. “Sometimes. If that’s what turns them on.”
“What about the suspenders?” Phoenix asks.
Helix rolls his eyes at our intrusive questions but answers anyway. “If it’s a quickie, I leave them on. Otherwise, they come off with the rest of my clothes.” A smirk touches his lips, and he lowers his voice. “But my fantasy is to one day tie a woman to my bed with my suspenders.”
Phoenix and I gape at him. “Wowwww,” his twin draws out. “Who knew you were a closet freak?”
He shrugs. “Don’t let the clothes fool you.”
“Speaking of clothing choices,” Phoenix says, eyeing me up and down. Dammit, I knew this was coming. “What the fuck are you wearing, Remi?”
Helix squints through his glasses, black-framed ones today. “I was wondering the same thing. Are those rhinestones on your collar?”
I stroke a hand down the neon purple dress shirt that’s a bit too shiny for my taste. “They’re not rhinestones. Just a bit of sparkly fabric.” They’re totally rhinestones, but I’m not going to admit that to these two. “Serena picked it out for me. I told you she’s started a personal shopping business, and I was her first client.”
“And her last, I hope,” Helix says critically.
“Brutal, man,” I complain. “You should hire her. Maybe she could boost your style a little.”
He pops his ever-present suspenders. “My style is just fine, thank you very much. I think that shirt is too bright for even Phoenix to wear.”
My other brother grunts his agreement around a mouthful of char siu.
Well damn. If it’s too flashy for Phoenix, it’s definitely too much for me. I knew that when Serena presented it to me, but I was trying to be supportive.
“Enough criticism of my clothing,” I grit out. “I wanted to talk to you two about what Dad asked me today.”
Phoenix’s brow furrows. “What? Is everything okay.”
I push out a breath and let the words spill like a waterfall. “The CEO of the European division is retiring, and Dad wants me to take over.”
There’s a beat of silence. “But that’s in London,” Helix announces, like we don’t already know that.
“I’d have to move there.”
My brothers look at each other, doing that twin telepathy thing they do, and Helix gives a brief nod. Phoenix swivels his face back toward me and forces a smile.
“It would be a good move career-wise.”
