Jasper Vale (The Edens #4)(31)

My heart climbed into my throat as I risked a step into the room. The testosterone was stifling. It was like walking through a dense fog.

“Hey!” I smiled too brightly, hoping it would cover up my nerves.

Nope. My voice was shaky. Damn it. Someday I’d master cool and collected when faced with my angry, scowling brothers.

One hesitant step at a time, I walked straight through the wall of alpha-male energy to stand between them and Jasper.

Still, they ignored me completely. They looked straight over my head to scowl at Jasper.

This was the problem with marrying a man just as big as your brothers. I was ignorable.

“Did you bring one truck or two?” I asked.

No response. Could anyone hear me today?

“Griffin.” I reached out and poked him in the gut. His scowl deepened but he dropped his gaze, finally shifting his focus to me.

I realized my mistake too late. Because his gaze might as well have been a flamethrower.

“Is it hot in here?” I gulped. “Maybe we should all go outside where there’s more air. You can carry this suitcase for me.”

Nothing. Not even a blink.

“Okay, I’ll just wheel this one out myself.”

“You got married.” Knox’s voice was as lethal as Griffin’s glare.

“Right. Um . . . about that.”

Griffin’s nostrils flared.

“I see that Talia called you yesterday,” I muttered, my gaze flicking to Knox.

“It was Lyla,” he said. “Would have been nice to hear from you.”

I winced. “In my defense, I called both Winn and Memphis earlier. Neither of them answered.”

My strategy for breaking this news was to tell the easy people first. Hopefully earn a couple of allies. So I’d called their wives, breathing a huge sigh of relief this morning when neither had answered.

“You called at five o’clock this morning,” Knox said. “Memphis was asleep since she spent most of the night up with the baby.”

“And you called Winn’s personal phone,” Griffin clipped.

I knew that Memphis didn’t sleep with her phone in their bedroom, and Knox had been taking the early morning shift with the boys. And Winn always had her work phone close by in case the police station needed to get ahold of her. But I’d counted on her personal phone being out of battery or lost, like normal.

“I’m sorry.” I clasped my hands in front of me, a silent prayer for forgiveness. “I’m really, really sorry. But given you’re standing in my living room, it’s not like you’ve been in the dark for long. And I was going to tell you today. I swear.”

A muscle in Griffin’s jaw flexed. The scary muscle.

“I’m sorry.”

My apologies weren’t helping. Because we all knew I shouldn’t have waited. I should have talked to everyone yesterday. But the dread had been crippling. So instead of dealing with it last night, I’d escaped reality by sleeping in Jasper’s bed.

No more escaping.

It was time to face the consequences of my actions. And so far, this was playing out exactly as expected. They were mad, rightly so. And worse, they were disappointed.

“Do Mom and Dad know?” My breath lodged in my chest as I waited for Griff’s answer.

Griffin gave me a single nod.

My arms wrapped around my stomach. The regret swallowed me whole. I sucked as a daughter. “How mad are they?”

Knox scoffed. “Guess.”

Mad. Super mad.

“What the actual fuck were you thinking?” Griffin uncrossed his arms, planting his fists on his hips. “You got married. When? Where? Why the hell didn’t you tell your fucking family, Eloise?”

“See? This was why I wanted to talk to Winn first.” I shied away from that furious glare. “Because I knew you were going to yell at me.”

“You married a stranger. In secret. And you hid it from us. I’m going to fucking yell.”

“Griff—”

A strong arm wrapped around my shoulders, stopping another lame apology.

Jasper hauled me backward, flush against his chest. “That’s enough.”

Griffin’s gaze leveled on Jasper. “This is a private conversation.”

“You’re yelling at my wife.”

My jaw dropped.

It took a brave man to stand up to my brothers. That calm and collected I dreamed of? Jasper had it. Maybe he’d teach me.

Knox blinked. Then he dropped his chin, lifting a hand to rub over his mouth. Almost like he was surprised.

I stared up at Griffin, expecting to see that murderous glare he’d inherited from Dad. Except his scowl was gone. He looked . . . shocked. Intrigued? What the hell was happening?

“Sorry,” Griff muttered.

Jasper just kept staring at Griffin, his gaze as hard as I’d ever seen. Goose bumps broke out on my forearms as I stood between them, my head whipping back and forth, waiting for someone to speak or make a move.

But they were locked in this strange staring contest. Was this a good thing? A bad? Why were men so complicated?

We needed to go back to the yelling because then at least I knew what was going on.

Griffin was the first to break. His arms fell relaxed to his sides. He dropped his attention, his blue eyes finding mine. “You need to call Mom.” His voice was so gentle it hurt.