Chapter 25
Twenty-Five
Kate and Rory had slept late and then spent another hour in bed. They were soaking in a tub of warm water full of bath salts when Rory’s phone blew up.
“For fuck’s sake,” he grumbled, hauling himself out of the tub and tracking water across the floor. She heard him sigh.
“What’s wrong?”
“You were right, kitten, when you said we should be hermits.”
She laughed. “Your family?”
“They’re going to have lunch in the restaurant downstairs. We should come if we’re up. If not, they’ll hang out in the bar after until we’re ready to meet up with them.”
“You could text them that we drove back to Connecticut.”
“No, Stash wants a chance to apologize. If I don’t let her, it’ll turn into a thing.”
“I can’t believe she tried to slap you.”
“She thinks she’s still the baby sister who can get away with anything. Part of that comes from me. I taught her to be strong, so she could stand up for herself when I wasn’t around to protect her.”
“But to actually—what are you doing?” she asked.
“Put your legs up on the ledges,” he said stroking himself as he stepped back into the tub.
“With them waiting?”
“Yeah, I didn’t invite them over. Let them wait.”
She smiled. “Would we be having sex in the tub if they weren’t waiting?”
“Legs up. I want you open.”
“That salt water stings,” she murmured, but leaned back against the sloped end of the tub and put each foot on a ledge. He slid between her legs and entered her. She was swollen from earlier and felt uncomfortably stretched by his thick cock.
She bit down on her lip.
“Put your hands over your head,” he said.
She did so, and it lifted her breasts above the water. He never seemed to tire of looking at the marks he made on her. She liked to see them too when she passed a mirror, but not with the same sort of satisfaction and excitement that he took from it.
She arched her back and sank her fingernails into him.
“Sore, kitten?”
“A little,” she said with a wince.
He pulled his cock out.
“No, I didn’t mean for you to stop!” she said, trying to pull him back.
He resisted, kneeling between her legs and stroking himself. “Slide up that ramp,” he said, reaching back and draining some of the water.
She did as he asked, and he studied her as he stroked himself. It didn’t take him long to finish himself off, painting her with his seed.
“You’re so gorgeous.”
“Back at you,” he said, rising from the tub. “Stay here in the room. I’ll go down and get rid of them.”
She watched him go to the shower to wash off. She didn’t move, other than to add a little more hot water to the tub. When he crossed the bathroom and saw that she hadn’t washed him away, he smirked. He bent down and kissed her, sucking on her tongue.
Finally he pulled back, shaking his head. “You’re gonna lie there tempting me? What are you trying to do? Get me to leave them down there till they’re drunk?”
“Or till they take a hint and wander off.”
He smiled. “You’re pretty mad at them.”
“No, not exactly. But it’s a tug of war, and I want to win.”
“You won. Believe me.”
Stacia, Cindy, Laurel, Mark, and Liam were having a pitcher of sangria with their shrimp cocktail.
“Garrett passed? Or passed out?” Rory asked when he reached the table.
“He’s watching the kids,” Stacia said.
“And he didn’t think we should come,” Cindy added.
“Where’s Kate?” Liam asked.
“Soaking in the tub, waiting for me to get back.”
A hush fell over the table.
“God, Rory,” Stacia said, clucking her tongue.
Rory stood with his arms folded across his chest, staring them down.
A little yelling while drunk wouldn’t normally have been a big thing to him.
If Kate hadn’t been there, he’d probably have laughed it off.
But she had been there, and it had upset her.
They needed to understand that where Kate was concerned, they’d better control themselves.
“Garrett was right. Bad idea to crash the hotel,” his brother-in-law Mark said with a small smile.
“That it?” Rory asked, glancing at his watch.
“No, that’s not it. I thought we should clear the air,” Stacia said.
“Go ahead,” Rory said.
“I was a little drunk. So were you,” she accused.
“Agreed.”
“Well, why did you bring her if you didn’t want us to spend time with her?” his sister Laurel asked.
“She was in the house seven hours yesterday.”
“But we didn’t really get to talk to her,” Laurel said. “We thought we were going to see her today. We’re usually together all weekend when you’re in town.”
“Is she upset?” Stacia blurted.
“No, she’s fine.”
“So why wouldn’t she come down?” Stacia asked.
“She’s busy.”
“Busy soaking in a tub?” Stacia said tightly.
“You’re going to have lunch anyway. Why not ask her to come down?” Cindy asked lightly. “Garrett says we were like a drunken gang and overwhelmed her. We wanted to apologize.”
“And to make sure she’s all right,” Stacia said, then pursed her lips.
The corner of Rory’s mouth curved up. “Yeah, you’re just the cure when someone’s upset.”
Stacia glared at him.
“C’mon, man. Don’t wind her up,” Liam said.
“You guys have about thirty seconds left on the clock,” Rory said evenly.
“Mom thinks you’re coming to dinner tonight,” Laurel said. “What should we tell her?”
“Tell her we’re going to eat on the road on the drive back.”
“Are you driving back tonight?” Cindy asked.
“See you guys later,” Rory said, turning and striding back to the bank of elevators.
“Rory,” Stacia called, hurrying over. “I’m sorry about almost slapping you. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“It’s all right.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“What would you have done if I’d connected?”
“You wouldn’t have. I’d have stopped you in time.”
“What if I’d tried to give her a shake?”
“Who? Kate? Why would you?”
She shrugged. “She seems like she could use something to help wake her up from that trance. She tiptoes around, talking so softly it’s practically whispering.
Seriously, it’s weird. She’s like a deer in headlights who needs to be rescued from the road.
And she certainly got us all wound up. I heard you nearly punched Garrett just for trying to talk to her. What’s up with that?”
“What the hell’s going on with you, Stacia?
” Rory asked, fury suddenly spiking in his blood.
He and his siblings sometimes got loud with each other.
They fought with each other. None of them were hurt by it.
But to act like Kate was the one with a problem when they’d acted like a pack of wild dogs scrambling toward her?
What the fuck? And the thought of anyone hurting Kate’s feelings or putting a hand on her to give her a shake made his blood boil, especially since she’d been so sweet and polite to all of them.
“What do you mean?” Stacia said defensively.
“Have I been a good older brother?”
“I mean, you’ve paid for things. You can afford it. You’ve hit the lottery with some of your investments. Any of us would’ve done the same for you and each other.”
“That it? The money’s the only thing I’ve done?”
Color rose in her cheeks. “No, you’re great, Rory. You protected us and took care of us when we were little. Even now when we need you, you come home. No one’s disputing that. You helped raise all of us. You’re a good brother.”
“So then what the hell’s up? I brought the girl I’m crazy about to meet you, and instead of taking her under your wing in that mad house, you criticize her? Are you fucking kidding with this?” He pressed the elevator call button.
“I shouldn’t have said those things, but you know there have been rumors for long time about what you were into growing up.
So forgive us if we wonder what’s going on when you bring a girl who’s like a decade younger than you to a family party and she barely talks to anyone over the age of twelve.
I want to believe you’re a good guy and that she’s a normal girl, but you guys don’t make it easy.
And she tells Garrett some bullshit about the only thing she likes in the world is you.
She doesn’t sound normal-person happy. She sounds brainwashed. What would you think, Rory?”
He stepped onto the elevator. She followed him.
She was so spoiled and so exactly like him when it came to being suspicious.
He wanted to shove her off the elevator and also to tell her she was right to suspect him of corrupting Kate.
He was corrupting her. She was just one of the ones who wanted that.
“We love you, Rory. All of us. I love you to goddamned pieces, but I’m also really scared of what you might be doing with this girl. I wish I could be sure you are who I think you are.”
There were tears in her eyes by the time the doors opened again.
“For fuck’s sake,” he muttered. He hugged her and pulled her out of the elevator with him. “Stay,” he said, outside the hotel room door.
He used his key card and stepped inside. Kate was sitting on the bed wearing one of his t-shirts and painting her toenails.
“I decided I did need a pedicure,” she said with a smile. When she looked up she froze. “What’s wrong?”
“My pushy little sister is in the hall crying. I can either bring her in or go back out and take her somewhere else to talk to her.”
“You should bring her in.”
Rory opened the door. “Come in, Stacia.”
Stacia dried her eyes and pulled herself together so fast that Rory almost wondered if the tears had been a ploy to get into the room.
“Does she like tea? We could order some from room service.”
“I’m right here, Kate. You don’t have to ask Rory what I like.”
Kate arched a brow. “I know you’re right there. Rory said you were upset. I thought you might need a minute.”
“I don’t like tea,” Stacia added, then looked at the bottle of nail polish at Kate’s feet. One foot had crimson polish, the other was bare. “I thought you didn’t care about painting your nails.”
Kate glanced at him with a questioning look.
“Tell her anything you want or nothing at all,” he said.
“Why does she have to check with you?” Stacia snapped.
“Raise your voice again like that, and I’ll put you out,” Rory said.
Kate was like a duchess, sitting up straight, her hands folded in her lap. “I said I didn’t like pedicures because I didn’t know what else to say to get you to leave us alone.”
“Why do you need to be alone?”
Kate tucked her hair behind her ear. “Why does anyone?”
“So it’s just a normal relationship? He didn’t like… buy you online?”
Kate laughed. “Yes, exactly. He bought me online. It’s a new fundraising campaign Yale has. Everyone has to do her part.”
“Where is Yale again?”
“New Haven.”
“Which college are you in?”
Kate’s smile widened. “Wow. You really think your brother resorted to human trafficking to get a girl? And then brought her to his nephew’s birthday party? He’s pretty fearless, but I believe even he’d think twice before doing that.”
Kate rose from the bed, walked to the bedside table and unlocked her phone. She handed it to Stacia. “Plenty of pictures of the campus.”
“Why weren’t you like this yesterday?”
“Yesterday I was afraid of you.”
Stacia looked up. “What? Why?”
“You matter to him, and there were so many of you. I wanted to make a good impression, but I always freeze up in situations like that. It’s a low level social anxiety,” she said, stealing a glance at him.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked.
“Because you were going to be there, and I figured if things didn’t go well, I’d just find you.”
“Find him so he could do what? Hold your hand? Keep you right next to him?”
“Sure, whatever he decided to do. With your brother, I’ve found that the plan just really needs to be the one step. Find Rory.”
Rory smiled at her.
“You guys are kind of nauseating. And bizarre.”
“So it wasn't just the alcohol. Even sober you’re judgmental and aggressive.”
Rory’s brows rose. He’d never seen his kitten clap back at anyone. Under the circumstances, it was the exact right thing to do.
“We were trying to help you,” Stacia said, pursing her lips.
“I don't remember asking for help.”
Stacia gritted her teeth, then said, “Answer one thing. Has he ever done anything to make you afraid of him?”
“No. The opposite.”
Rory walked over to the door and opened it.
“I just needed to know. Now I do,” Stacia said, walking to the door. “You should really come to dinner so people know you guys aren’t mad. At least for Mom, Rory.”
“Not this time, but soon. I’ll call Mom to make sure she knows everything’s all right. How about you and me, Stash, we good?”
“Yes.”
Rory hugged her, then gave her a little shove to get her out the door. “I’ll call you in a couple days.” He let it swing shut and then climbed on the bed and collapsed face down.
Kate rubbed his back. “I’m sorry. People are exhausting.”
“Especially my people.”
“No comment.”
He smiled and then turned his head to study her. “Low level social anxiety, true or false?”
“True.”
“I never would’ve known it. You were perfect.”
“Of course you think so. Every time I couldn’t decide whether or not to do something, I asked you. That’s your bread and butter. You like to be in control of what I do,” she said, bending to press a kiss onto his arm.
“I do, but you don’t always need me. You talked Garrett and I down from a fight. You made Stacia backtrack on her assumptions. That was impressive. You might think you’re not good with new people, kitten, but you are.”
“It was easy because I was doing it for you. And you’re right here, so what is there to worry about? You’d never let anything bad happen to me.”
“Glad you know it. Turn off the lights and our phones. I’m tired. Think I need a couple more hours of sleep.”
She slipped from the bed and did as he asked. When she crawled back to him, he wrapped his arms around her from behind, spooning her.
“Tell me you love me.”
“I do,” she said. “I love you.”
“Okay, don’t talk, kitten. I’m trying to sleep.”
She smirked at his teasing and said nothing more. And he did fall asleep.