Bennett Mafia(72)

“How are you feeling?”

She was happy to see me.

Tanner wasn’t.

I glanced over. Jonah appeared from a back hallway, his bag in hand. He saw me and motioned for me to go to the table. As I did, he came over, set down that bag, and began to check me over. Once he had his stethoscope inside my shirt and had leaned over me, Kai chose that moment to walk in.

He paused, looking at us, until Brooke’s voice broke the silence.

“Kai!”

She and Tanner had gone back to the counter. She was making drinks for everyone.

No one had asked. She volunteered.

She grabbed something she declared was a pumpkin-tini and brought it over, full of smiles. “Big brother returns.” She pushed the glass into his hand and kissed his cheek. “We’ve missed you.” She patted his cheek and turned back to her drinks.

Tanner picked his up and raised it to his mouth with the same smug and taunting look in his eyes. “When’d you get in?” he asked. “I know your guards showed up at ten this morning.” He waited a beat, his eyes sliding to me and back. “Or did you come much later?”

What Tanner said was disrespectful, a challenge. It wasn’t meant in a teasing manner. Everyone in the room knew Tanner had sent a shot in Kai’s direction.

To say I was mildly curious about how this would go down—yeah, that was an understatement.

Even Jonah stopped assessing me.

He pulled his stethoscope out and stepped back to watch.

Kai wore an Oxford blue Henley shirt, the sleeves pushed up to bunch around his elbows, and jeans that molded over his powerful legs. His hair was tousled, and the whole look made my mouth water.

Tanner had on ripped and trendy jeans with a white fleece hoodie, and his hair was combed back. His eyes were angry, a dangerous note in them, but as he gazed at his brother, that look lessened.

Kai didn’t react. He didn’t blink. He barely moved, and yet real danger began swimming around him. The air in the room grew tense, thick and oppressive, and it was all because of Kai. His dark eyes blackened, and his lips thinned, and he reached over to fiddle with one of his sleeves.

He spoke almost casually. “What’s your problem, brother?” He didn’t look at me, but directly at Tanner. “Is it that I might be sleeping with her? Or is it that you’re only second in charge?” He took a step closer, his nostrils flaring. The casual air evaporated. His lip lifted in a sneer.

He was done messing around.

“Let’s not forget the fact that I’m the one who murdered him.” He paused. “For us.”

Jonah stepped away from me. I heard a quiet, “Shit,” under his breath.

Brooke’s eyes were focused on the floor, her hands laced together in front of her.

No one said a word. This fight was between Tanner and Kai.

I couldn’t speak about the other stuff, but I could talk about myself. I rose and cleared my throat.

Jonah frowned at me. Everyone frowned at me.

I ignored all of them and said to Tanner, “If I am sleeping with your brother, I don’t understand how that’s your business.”

Tanner snorted. “You kidding? How is it not our business?” He flung a hand in Kai’s direction. “You never should’ve been pulled in in the first place.”

“Uh, hello?” Brooke shook her head, blinking. “I pulled her in, not Kai.” She held a hand out. “If you’re going to blame anyone for Riley, that should land on me.”

Tanner turned to her. “You didn’t know what you were doing. Kai—”

“Kai,” Brooke raised her voice, speaking over her brother, “was following a lead. That was it. I pulled her in.” She tapped her chest. “Me. I did that. Not Kai, and of course he’s going to follow up. She works for the 411 Network. Their whole mission is helping people disappear. If he’d showed up and asked all nice, there’s no way she would’ve helped.” She snorted. “Kai had no other choice, and you know it.”

Tanner glared at her. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”

“No.” She held her hands up, palms toward him. “At this point, I’m on Riley’s side. You all love me. For her, I have to make it right. Sorry. Don’t ask for blind support, because you ain’t getting it from me, not in this instance.”

Tanner rotated his head, seeking out Jonah.

“Uh…” Jonah laughed beside me. “Not here, brother. Not with this one.”

Tanner cursed. “You both suck.” He looked at Kai, then me. “You all suck.”

Kai sighed, his shoulders suddenly relaxing. “You’re not angry at me for pulling in Riley. You’re not angry that I’m sleeping with her. You’re not even angry that Brooke ran away.” He went to the kitchen counter, putting down the drink Brooke had given him and pouring himself a glass of bourbon. “You’re mad because you don’t want to be a Bennett, but you are.” His tone went soft. “We all are.”

I held my breath as I gazed around the room.

There were identical expressions of resignation on all of them. The only one who had a flicker of mutiny was Tanner, but after staring down Kai for another beat, that flame went out.

He lowered his head, tightening his hold on his drink, and tossed it back. “Fuck that.”