“Standing here? In my own foyer? Because I can.”
She took a step toward him. “Why are you doing this for Monica?”
“Bailing out teenage delinquents is a new passion of mine. Although she’s quite a little bitch.”
“You don’t get to talk about my sister that way, and you can’t buy forgiveness, Trevor.”
He pushed off the glass case and slowly moved toward her. “Doesn’t hurt to try.” He cupped her cheek, his thumb stroking along her bottom lip.
It felt good, his touch. And it shouldn’t, because he wasn’t right for her. He was callous and uncaring and selfish. Most of the time. And they made a deal, one that didn’t leave room for the emotions churning inside of her.
He leaned closer, his mouth a whisper from hers. She wanted his kiss, his touch, even though her feelings were still bruised from his hurtful words.
He kept his eyes open, locked on hers, as his lips softly brushed her own.
“Oh look, Nigel, they’ve made up.”
Trevor closed his eyes. “Fuck,” he said.
She snapped her head back. This interruption was a good thing. She had been weakening toward him, and she needed to stay strong. It was just a bargain. She needed to remember that and not let her feelings get tangled up.
“I’ll go see if Brynn’s still awake,” she said. “I’m sure she’ll want to see Monica.” Allie nodded at Mags and Nigel as she ran up the stairs.
Trevor straightened. “When are the two of you leaving?”
“I don’t know what you and Allie fought about, Son, but you’ve been like a bloody thundercloud for the last few days,” Nigel said.
“Where did everyone go?” Monica asked, stepping into the foyer.
“Oh, this one’s new. Are you starting a harem, dearest?” Mags asked.
Trevor stared at the ceiling and sighed. Then he roused himself. “This one’s off-limits too,” he said to Nigel.
“Son, how many times do I have to tell you? I’m with your mother.”
Mags swished forward in a bright green caftan, her arm extended. “I’m Mags, Trevor’s mother. I tried to teach him some manners, I really did.”
Trevor scoffed. “Was that in between your second and third marriage, or your third and fourth? Because I can’t remember.”
Nigel walked forward and smacked Trevor on the back of the head. “Behave.” Then he turned to Monica. “I’m Nigel.”
“Monica, these are my parents, such as they are.” He nodded toward the two nightmares who’d created him. “This is Monica, Allie’s middle sister. We just bailed her out of jail.”
“Ooooo, what were you in jail for, darling?” Mags threw her arm around Monica’s shoulder and walked her out of the foyer.
Trevor turned to Nigel. “I’m quite serious you know, about leaving these girls alone. If you so much as look at one of them sideways, I’ll kill you.”
“I keep telling you, Trev, I love your mother.”
“Right.” He glanced toward the stairs where Allie and Brynn stood. “Brynn, we busted your sister out of jail, and we brought you a burger to celebrate.”
Brynn gave him a tired smile. She’d obviously been asleep. Her dark hair was flat on one side and she wore a pillow wrinkle on her cheek.
“Thanks. For the burger and for breaking Monica out.”
“Go to the drawing room and get something to eat before Mags beats you to it.” He nodded his head toward the hallway. Brynn walked by and tucked a strand of hair behind one ear.
Trevor draped his arm around Allie’s shoulder and led her away. She shrugged it off, but he yanked on the hood of her sweatshirt, forcing her to keep pace with him.
“Guess she hasn’t forgiven you after all, Son,” Nigel said, before jogging back up the stairs.
No, she hadn’t. But she would. It would help things along considerably if he could get Mags and Nigel to leave. They popped up at the most inopportune times.
In the drawing room, Monica perched on the love seat next to Mags. Brynn sat cross-legged on the floor, throwing tater tots in the air and catching them in her mouth.
“Oh, darlings, Monica has been telling us about her new friend, the prostitute. Tell them.” Mags rubbed her hands together. “This is dreadful.”
Monica gave Mags a confused, sideways glance. “There was a hooker in the cell with me who got cheated out of her money. So she hit the guy in the head with her shoe and the heel got stuck in his skull. She was covered in blood.”
Trevor sank onto the sofa and pulled Allie down next to him. “What a charming story. One I’m sure you hope to tell your children.” He said to Brynn, “Pass me a bag of fries, would you? And give Allie a burger.”
Brynn dug into the grease-coated white sack and pulled out a burger and a bag of fries, handing it to him. “Here, Trevor, catch.” She threw a tot. It hit him on the forehead and landed on his trousers. He simply picked it up and tossed it in his mouth.
Then he peeled back half the wrapper and handed it to Allie. “Eat this.” He held out a fry. She gave him a look but let him feed it to her. “You hardly ate a bite at dinner, love.”
“I wonder why.”
When he gazed up, Monica, Brynn, and his mother stared at him with wide eyes. “What?” he asked with a frown.
“So are you two, like, dating? I thought she was your assistant,” Monica said. “What is she assisting you with?”
Trevor glanced over at Allie and found her cheeks had turned bright red. Almost as red as the bra and knickers she wore earlier. “I suggest you tone down the snotty attitude and show your sister a little respect.”
Monica tried to hold his gaze but eventually dropped her eyes. He didn’t imagine this subdued change in behavior would last long. Didn’t seem her style to back down from a fight. Being in jail must have really shaken her.
“And she is my assistant,” Trevor said before eating another fry. “Anyone who says otherwise can go back to their own home.” He gave each one of them a hard look.
“Dude, you just posted bail for me. It’s none of my business.”
He nodded. “Good. And on that note, I’m going to bed.”
He stood, dropped his fries on top of the coffee table, and walked out the door.
Chapter 16
As soon as he was out of earshot, Monica threw Allie a smug look. “The two of you are totally doing it.”
“Shut up, Mon,” Brynn said. “At least she doesn’t have a criminal record.”
“Now, now, girls. Let’s not fuss.” Mags clapped her hands. “Monica, Frances prepared you a room across from Brynn’s. She can show you the way.” When Monica and Brynn just stared at her, Mags gestured in a shooing motion. “Well, go on. Get to bed.”
Allie had never seen Mags in such a commanding mood before. She seemed almost maternal.
Once they were gone, Mags began gathering wrappers, packages of ketchup, and the rest of Brynn’s tots, tossing them into a sack. “Your sisters are charming, Allison.”
“Thank you. I’m not sure how charming Monica is these days. We did just bring her home from jail, after all.”
Mags placed a hand on Allie’s arm. “You know why Trevor is doing all this—bailing out your sister, allowing Brynn to stay here?”
Allie didn’t want to discuss Trevor. Besides, talking about him to Mags felt like a betrayal somehow. “You know Trevor, he’s unpredictable. He can be nice when it suits him.” She wadded up the napkins and tossed those in the sack along with her uneaten burger.
“Nice?” Mags actually threw her head back and laughed. When she sobered, she tilted her head, her eyes sparkling. “Trevor’s never been nice. Not even as a child. No, my darling Allie, he’s in love with you.”
***
The next morning at the breakfast table, Trevor glanced up from his phone. “Why are you staring at me?”
“No reason.” Allie lowered her gaze to her plate, but her eyes had other ideas and, against her will, kept returning to his face.
“Do stop, Allison. It’s annoying. Unless this is your subtle way of telling me you’ve forgiven me and want to fuck?”