Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Be right back,” Imogen said to Nic as she hurried down the hall to where Jury was entering another cabin—alone.
The chopper was en route, Leo was headed up on deck to check on his new tech, and Imogen wasn’t leaving this boat without answers about at least one sister.
“Jury, can I have a second?”
Jury nodded and opened the cabin door. Instantly, Imogen knew it was Leo’s.
Old-money taste radiated off the man, and the cabin was appointed like his library, but with navy damask wallpaper and plush filigree carpet that oddly looked like Nic’s neck tattoos.
An antique four-poster bed sat in the center, and stunning artwork adorned the walls.
A gorgeous settee sat beneath two brass portholes.
“Wow. This guy has some taste, right?”
In the dim light of the cabin, Imogen could still make out her sister’s blush.
“And apparently,” she added, “he also picked you. Jury, I’ve never seen you blush in your life. What in the world is going on?”
Her sister’s gaze cut to the bed for a moment, and Imogen knew she was right. Something had happened.
“Are you going to spill or what?”
Her sister was showing uncharacteristic restraint.
“Hey … is everything okay? Do you need me to smuggle you off this boat?”
That finally got Jury talking. “No!”
“Do you have Stockholm syndrome?”
“No.” Jury laughed. “Wait, that’s where you fall for your kidnapper, right?”
“Because of messed-up psychological issues from captivity and an inversion of—”
“No,” Jury said, cutting her off. “Definitely not. He … well, you know I thought he was hot.”
“Yes, and? What happened? Yesterday, you were all feisty when we came aboard, and by dinner …”
Jury glanced at the door and back. “That man … oh my God, Im. I never thought I would say this, but …”
“He fucked some sense into you,” Imogen blurted out, not waiting for her explanation.
Jury burst out laughing. “Something like that. More like spanked some sass out of this ass.”
Imogen’s mouth dropped open. “What?”
“God, Im. It was so hot. I mean … I’ll call him Daddy for the rest of my life if he just keeps doing the things he’s done to me in the last twenty-four hours.”
Imogen wanted to blush. “I never thought I’d see the day.”
“Me neither, but that man can put me over his knee and do naughty things to me anytime. I’ll be his good girl for life.”
“Okay, enough. Enough. I don’t need to know any more.” Imogen covered her eyes with her hands. “I’m good. Sorry I asked.”
But Jury was still giggling. “He asked me to stay for a while. Can you handle Mom and Dad?”
“Yes, and I promise I won’t tell them any of that. Or at least … not most of it.”
“Tell ’em whatever you want. I’m not ashamed. Good God, Im. It’s like … I can be a totally different person with him. He’s … incredible.”
And involved in shady business too, Imogen thought, but didn’t say it. Apparently, that’s a draw for some Kilgore women.
Her great-grandmother had been married to a bootlegger during Prohibition after all, when the whiskey operation was illegal.
“Well, I’m happy for you.”
“You are?”
“Of course. I love you. I just want you to be happy. If Big Daddy Leo makes you happy, then by all means, stay and enjoy.”
“By the way, Im, the rooms are not soundproof.”
This time, it was Imogen’s turn to blush.
“I wondered,” she said on a strangled note.
Jury grinned. “It sounded to me like Big Daddy Nic knows how to lay it down, if you know what I mean …” She held out a hand. “High fives, sis. ’Cause he is hot.”
Imogen high-fived her because what else was she supposed to do?
“I guess this wasn’t a wild goose chase after all.”
“Thirty-six mil and great sex for each of us with a hot dude? If I knew where Keira was, I’d send her a thank-you note.”
“You’re right … this is all because of her.”
“The worst weeks of our life turned into the best.”
Imogen nodded and looked at her sister. “You’re going to leave it alone?”
“Yeah. I’ve learned my lesson. And what’s important is keeping her safe … not satisfying my curiosity.”
Imogen was amazed at how much her sister had grown in the space of a very short time.
“He really did spank the sass right out of that ass.”
“Not all of it. Because what fun would that be? Besides, I like that kind of correction.”
“Oh God. Okay. I know too much.” She hugged her sister. “I gotta go before I’m stuck wearing Nic’s sweats forever.”
Jury glanced down at her unconventional attire. “They look good on you. Like he finally loosened you up a bit and helped you live a little. You’ve stepped outside of the perfectly planned Imogen box.”
Imogen hugged her again. “You know, Jur, I think that was you. You and those memorial tattoos.”
“About those …”
“You’re on a boat, girl. Talk to me when you reach dry land again.”
“Deal.”
The sound of an aircraft grew louder.
“I bet that’s our chopper.” Imogen shook her head. “I can’t believe I’m even saying that.”
“Life comes at you fast, sis.”
“I love you, Jury. Be safe.”
“I love you, Im.”
“All good?” Nic asked her through the headset. He wrapped his arm around Imogen’s shoulders as her sister waved from the deck of the ship.
“All good,” she replied as she leaned into him and waved back.
He noticed Leo’s hand possessively curved around her sister’s shoulder, and it didn’t take a genius to understand that Little Red and Big Bad Lion Leo had their own thing going on.
“So, what’s next?” he asked her.
Imogen turned from the window to face him as the chopper made a big, sweeping turn to head back to land. “You still want to paint me?”
“Most definitely.”