34. Chapter 34
"Your house is a bachelor pad," I blurted out.
"Can't afford crockery?" Beck sneered as he snooped through the kitchen cabinets.
Ray rolled his eyes. "First, what the fuck is crockery, and second, I'm rich enough not to cook for myself."
I didn't recognize the man who offered himself to Adelaide at his father's orders. He was a boy desperate for love, and the way he kept looking at me burned. I didn't want to tarnish Ray, but it seemed inevitable. I was a train hurtling toward a brick wall and Ray's heart was mortared in between.
The collision of my lies and the truth could tear him apart.
There were no family pictures, no knickknacks, or anything that made this house a home. An interior designer, whose prompt was "one percenter," regurgitated everything in the modern house.
Jonah swiveled his head. But I knew he wasn't taking in the rich, dark tones of Ray's open-plan lounge and kitchen.
He was searching for threats, never switching off from his duties.
It was part of what drew me to him. Jonah was loyal to a fault.
There were so many deep and wonderful layers to him.
As if he had heard my thoughts, Jonah dropped onto the couch next to me.
"Are you okay?"
Why did he have to be so sweet?
"Don't worry about me. I can handle myself, remember?" I nudged his shoulder.
"I always worry about you," he muttered under his breath.
At my sharp inhale, he continued.
"I always crave you. I know I'm not the most charming or the smartest. But I want to take care of you, if you'll let me."
His fingers curled in the air before they dropped, as if he lost confidence midair.
"Jonah," I whispered.
"I know. You don't have to say it." His jaw clenched.
There was a world of hurt in his hooded gaze.
"Say what?"
"I'm being too pushy. Just tell me to shut up." His scowl deepened.
Anyone else would have taken one look at his thunderous expression and dropped it, but Jonah didn't intimidate me.
Every time he growled, snapped or frowned, it made me want to dig under his hard shell even more.
I'd never been very good at avoiding danger.
Beck could attest to that. But despite Jonah's bluster and his shields, I'd tasted how sweet he was underneath.
I moved closer until my arm pressed against him.
I ignored how his head whipped up in surprise.
"Growing up, it was just my mom and me. I was a tough baby, that's why my dad left, apparently. Mom told me any chance she got when she was drunk."
"Great parenting." Jonah's muscular arm dropped around my shoulders.
"She actually was wonderful when she was sober." I turned my head to the window, looking at the overgrown hedgerows.
"Alcohol made her smile hurt. It opened up old wounds, and she got high when the alcohol stopped working.
I did everything to get her to choose me.
Quiet, loud. Sweet, mean. Eventually, I forgot who I even was.
And when she died, all I was left with were my masks.
" I took a shuddering breath, surprised at how the truth came pouring out of me.
"All I mean is, don't change yourself for someone else. "
Beck would have made an acerbic quip. Ray would have made a joke. But Jonah wasn't like them. He was a solitary island in an ocean storm. He pressed a kiss to the top of my head and squeezed his arm around my waist. His frown softened, my words sinking under his skin.
"How did she die?" Jonah tilted his head.
"Too young." I flattened my lips, unwilling to reveal more.
One wall of the lounge was covered in shelves, and the items didn't match the refined vibe, including a pale yellow tea set with roses.
"This is cute. Are we going to have a tea party?" Beck picked up one of the delicate cups.
"That belonged to my grandpapa, Rocco. Apparently, Adelaide's grandmother, Anita Orazio, sent it to him when they were fighting over territory lines. He hated the thing but refused to get rid of it. He'd just sit and seethe at it for hours." A satisfied smirk twisted his lips.
"She had a cruel streak." Jonah sank onto a brown leather couch with a sigh.
"She fucking hated me. Can't blame her. The gift made my tyrant grandpapa absolutely miserable. God rest the rotten bastard. I wanted to send her a thank-you note."
Ray pulled out a bottle of wine and filled four glasses. He pushed them into our hands.
"It's the afternoon, Ray." I protested, putting mine to the side. "Shouldn't you be out looking for your intruder?"
"Four teams are scouring the city." He arched an eyebrow. "Besides, I'm looking after the most precious thing in Greenich Bay, even if she doesn't want me." He poured half of his drink down his throat.
A stabbing ache spread to my stomach. Beck tracked my reaction, which I was proud to say, was nonexistent.
"I never expected what happened between us." I didn't know how to say what I wanted to say. "Dating three guys won't work."
"I spent most of my twenties either drunk or fucking.
Looking for something in all the wrong places.
Hindsight's a beautiful bitch. I didn't realize how fucked up I was until I met this girl, and for the first time, I wanted to take her on a date.
Gift roses, heart-shaped balloons, and teddy bears. "
He tilted his head, and a lock of inky dark hair fell from behind his ear. My fingers itched to tuck it back.
"She sounds like quite a woman." My breath squeezed past the knot in my throat.
"You are, Lara. Even if it means sharing your time with one other guy."
"Two other guys," I reminded him gently.
"Beck doesn't count. I get veto power, right? Veto on Beck."
His brown eyes were warm as our soft breaths mingled. Beck let out a disgusted grunt.
"Try it."
I managed a wan grin at their banter. Secrets choked me. I knew I was on borrowed time, and nothing would be the same. But I would miss Ray's irreverence. My life had been so goddamn serious, and it felt good to laugh occasionally.
"I need to call Adelaide." Jonah stabbed his finger on his phone. "Let me do the talking."
Ray rocked back, hand splayed over his chest in mock hurt.
"Jonah, update?" Adelaide's crisp voice blistered through the speaker.
"Boss, you're on speaker here with Ray, Lara, and Beck."
"Beck?" Adelaide's disapproval radiated across the ocean.
"Adelaide." Beck inclined his head, and respect glinted in his dark gaze.
"We've got a minor problem. Someone broke into the warehouse at the dock. One guard was killed. You should consider cutting your honeymoon short." Jonah clenched his jaw.
"Ray, could it be your family trying to stage a coup?"
Ray let out a laugh. "They're not that smart or ambitious, trust me. I overheard my papa once after we were shot at. He was talking to someone about getting the city back . I guess he was talking to his actual heir, but I don't know who was helping them."
I squirmed, all the answers heavy on my chest.
"I'll book a private plane. And a reminder, I don't have problems. I have inconvenient roadblocks I squash under my heel. Remember that, Beck." Jonah's phone went dark when Adelaide hung up.
Beck leaned backward with a smirk.
"What a woman." He shook his head. He wasn't wrong. Even with only her voice, Adelaide could change the energy of a room. When she found out my secrets, she was going to kill me.
"So." Ray kicked his heels in the air like a giddy kid. "What are we going to do while we wait for Adelaide to get back?"
"I'm going to make a call." Beck announced and got to his feet.
"Sit." Jonah yanked on his arm as he tried to pass, and Beck made a surprised noise. "You're not going anywhere, Chief."
Beck's gaze fell to my ragged nails, and he let out a beleaguered sigh. "I guess I'm staying then. You've been taking notes from your boss."
Ray hopped off the counter, taking a swig straight from the wine bottle before pushing it aside.
"Looks like I'm entertaining for the next few hours. Shall I give you a tour?"
He didn't wait for our confirmation, turning on his heel and strolling out of the kitchen. I followed, my thighs spasming with nervous energy.
"Dangerous game, Little Liar." Beck chastised from the side of his mouth as we both followed Ray. I jerked a quick look at Ray, but he whistled softly, unhearing.
"Tell me something I don't know," I snapped.
Anxiety ate away at my insides like acid.
Beck's hand grazed my lower back, and I skittered forward. This situation was my worst nightmare. Throw in Ellington's ultimatum about Adelaide, and I was toast.
"The bedrooms are in here." Ray waved a hand down a dark corridor, and it lit up. "If you decide to sneak into my room, the sensor is a floodlight, and everyone will know what a horny little sneak you are." He winked at me.
"I don't think that'll be a problem." I snorted.
Although I couldn't deny the part of me that craved being bent over and all my problems railed out of me. I wanted to go to the floaty, space sex took me to sometimes. Where nothing could touch me, and everything felt covered in powdered sugar.
Ray smirked and pointed at another door.
"Bathroom is here. You have my permission to sauna naked." His smirk widened.
"What's down here?" Beck wandered over to a door with a fingerprint scanner. Ray lit up, jamming his thumb until the door slid open, revealing a set of stairs lit by LED lights.
"This is my pride and joy, where I spend most of my time." Excitement threaded through his voice, and I was curious about what would make Ray sound so giddy.
"Now this is what I'm talking about." Beck whistled, peeling away and inspecting the room.
A gigantic underground basement garage. Luxury cars lined the walls.
Ray walked over to the car shell in the middle of the room and patted the glossy bumper with a wide smile. "This is Betty, my current baby. I'm building her from scratch."
Beck inspected the inside. I trailed around the room, sucking in deep gulps of oil and metal. The door was open, but without a window, my skin felt uncomfortably tight.