I Belong to You (Inside Out #5)(74)

“Then I’m a baby.”

She wraps her arm around me. “Exactly,” she says, proving how much she feeds the overbearing macho male attitudes in this house. “That’s why they all want to take care of you.”

In the kitchen I find Daniel and Scottie leaning on the island that’s the centerpiece of the gray and white tiled room. They’d done exactly the same thing when I’d cooked for them years before.

“My two Twinkies,” I tease, noting they’re both wearing navy blue, Daniel in a sweater and Scottie in a button-down.

They straighten to their freakishly tall heights to greet me, both with wavy brown hair and green eyes. “We might look alike,” Daniel comments, “but I got all the brains.”

Scottie grimaces. “People who have to claim their own brilliance rarely possess it, and after what you put on her cake, I’d say ‘stupid’ fits. She’s going to make you pay.” He points to the giant chocolate cake sitting in the center of the island.

Anna holds her hand up and shakes her head. “I’ve already yelled.” She heads toward the oven. “Loudly,” she calls over her shoulder.

“Now I’m afraid to look.” I move to the island and grimace as I read, “Soon to be an Old Maid.”

I give my brothers a scathing look. “And you both wonder why I won’t work for you? I’d be taunted half the time, and bossed around the rest.”

“Hey now,” Scottie objects, holding up his hands. “I had nothing to do with this.”

“Oh, please. Daniel just thought of it first. And for both of your information, not every woman needs a man to take care of her. I hope you both end up with a strong woman who teaches you a lesson or ten.”

“I think I’m at about ten.”

The sound of Mark’s voice makes me turn. While his comment is a compliment, there’s an edge of possessiveness to his tone and the way his hand settles on my lower back. Like he doesn’t like something in the exchange. And of course he doesn’t. He’s as protective as they are.

“And apparently,” my father adds, “we won’t be convincing Crystal to come to work for us anytime soon. I’ve just been told that Riptide profits are up substantially under her management.”

“Little sis is kicking some ass,” Scottie says, always the positive one of the group, though still dominant. He just comes at people with a coaxing hand, while Daniel and my father give them a shove.

Daniel focuses a hard stare on Mark. “You must be the notorious media magnet.”

Mark takes the punch on the chin. “Not by choice. I prefer privacy for me and those around me, but it’s not been easy to manage these past few weeks.”

“Sex scandals tend to create problems, I imagine,” Daniel replies dryly, and it’s all I can do not to shake him.

If the flex of Mark’s fingers on my back is any indication, he feels the same. “Under the circumstances,” he says, his tone low and tight, “I really don’t give a damn about sex scandals. I care about the murdering bitch who created them and is now on the loose.”

The room is stunned into silence by the bold rebuttal, but bold and honest is everything my father has always preached. Scottie grins. “Mark Compton, I’m Scottie Smith. The younger, more forward-thinking brother. I hope that they catch the bitch in question—and as for the press, I hear ya, man. They’re like a one-night stand that just won’t go away.”

“Scottie!” Anna exclaims from behind him. “That’s inappropriate.”

Scottie grins and my father chuckles. “Well, he is right, Anna.” My father lifts his chin at Mark. “I’m sure Mark here agrees.”

“I plead the Fifth.” He glances at my father. “You’re going to get me in trouble, Hank.”

“Smart man you’ve got there, Crystal,” Anna says, glaring at my father before she turns to open the refrigerator.

I’m having a happy few moments, absorbing Mark being on a first-name basis with my father in record-breaking time, when Daniel pushes off the island and grumpily announces, “I think I’ll go have a drink.” He cuts behind us and disappears.

Scottie sighs. “He had a bad day in the stock market. I’ll go toss that drink down his throat.” He takes off after Daniel, and my father glances at Mark. “Welcome to my home, in all its colorful glory.”

Mark gives him an understanding look. “You don’t know colorful until you spend a few hours with my mother.”

Anna joins us. “Crystal has told us so much about Dana. How are her cancer treatments going?”

“Better, now that Mark is here.” I wrap my arm around him. “He’s totally turned her spirits around.”

Mark drapes an arm around my shoulder. “I want you both to know that Crystal has quite possibly kept my mother alive. Your daughter is special, and so is what she’s done for my family.”

My father’s eyes meet mine. “I know it is—and I know she is. Many years ago, she kept me alive.”

My heart squeezes and I go around the counter to hug my father. He buries his face in my hair and whispers, “I’m so damn proud of you.”

“Thank you, Daddy.”

He leans back, his expression going from soft to hard as he releases me and focuses on Mark. “Hurt her, Compton, and I’ll hurt you.”