“What are you talking about?” She didn’t give him a chance to come around and open her door. She wanted to know who was in her house. She knew Rene wouldn’t have gotten angry and brought a woman back with him, but she couldn’t think of who would be there.
Then she could because the door came open and her wayward brother was walking out. “Hey, that didn’t take long. I thought you were going to your place after you handled . . .” Andre stopped in the middle of the porch, his eyes going wide. Then her brother’s expression changed to the one he always wore when he got caught. “Now, Sylvie, I have a good explanation.”
“He got shot while he was on assignment and he doesn’t want your momma to know,” Rene explained.
Sylvie gasped, truly shocked. Andre had hidden at her house and dragged her husband into something their momma was definitely going to figure out. Nope. It was payback time for him telling on her when she was fifteen and snuck out of the church lockdown. She pulled her cell phone out of her purse and hit the speed dial.
Dre shook his head and held his hands out like she was holding a gun on him and he was begging her not to pull the trigger. “Sylvie, don’t. Sis, come on.”
“Momma, Dre is hiding at my house on the square and he got shot. You should come and pick up your baby boy. He needs to be nursed back to health.”
She hung up before her mother could reply.
Dre’s head dropped. “Cold, Sylvie.” His cell immediately buzzed and he sighed. He shook his head Rene’s way. “How could you?”
Rene went right back to the move that worked on her every time. He leaned over and picked her up. “We are going to break this house in. You do not need to hear what is about to happen. Go home, Dre. Let Marcelle take care of you while I take care of my wife.”
“See, I told you Sylvie would take care of things,” Dre said. “Just so you know, I was pulling for you. Don’t let Momma sage me.”
Ooh, there was such a sageing in Dre’s future, but she was still happy that he’d been here for Rene. “Did you take care of him last night?”
Dre followed them inside as his cell continued to ring. “We had pizza and Scotch and killed each other about a thousand times. I expect you to fix this, Sylvie. I did not become friends with Rene at the age of four so he can be poor now. I’m an artist. I need wealthy relatives.” He put the phone to his ear. “Hey, Momma. It’s good to hear from you. Yeah, it was noth— Sylvie’s exag— Yes, I’ll be home in ten minutes, ma’am.” He slid it into his pocket. “Cold, you two. So cold.”
“Lock up when you leave.” Rene stopped and turned toward her brother. “And thank you, Dre. I need you to know how much I love your sister. I will take care of her always.”
Dre smiled. “You do that. And someone come save me tomorrow.”
Sylvie waved at her brother as Rene started up the stairs toward the master bedroom. The house was a bit rickety. If she was going to live here with Rene, they would need to upgrade the place.
“I’ll do whatever I can to help Dre.” Rene made it to the bedroom and walked her over the threshold.
Her feet hit the ground and she looked up to him. “You are not responsible for my brother. I thought we fixed this.”
“We fixed me being responsible for people I don’t truly care about. You can’t make me not worry about the ones I love,” he said.
He would always be this man, the stalwart protector, and the truth was she didn’t want him any other way. This was the man she’d fallen for, the one she would love forever. “He will take you as you are, too. He’ll love you like a brother no matter what you can do for him. But he’ll also tease you mercilessly forever.”
Rene’s lips curved up in a grin. “He would do that anyway.” He pulled her close. “Sylvie, I love you.”
She could never hear those words enough. She’d thought she might have to give up on hearing them. Not because Rene didn’t love her, but because he didn’t understand what the words meant. They’d been warped by his family, but he could reclaim them. Those words meant something between the two of them. “I love you, too. I’m glad I get you more to myself. Are you sure you want to move in here with me? We could find somewhere else.”
“I don’t care where we live as long as we live together. Turn around. I love how you look in this dress, but I want to touch you.”
She turned for him, allowing him access to the zipper. “Be careful. The tag is still on. I thought I could return it if I was careful.”
“Oh, you are keeping this dress.” He slowly dragged the zipper down, his fingertips brushing her spine. He leaned over and kissed the nape of her neck, sending a delicious shiver across her skin. “We might have to send some of the rest of it back, though.”
She could send it all back. “You’ll find I’m a thrifty label lover. I’ll introduce you to some great websites.”
He pushed the sides of the dress over her arms and down to her waist. “Did I properly apologize for yesterday?”
The words were said with a hint of tease, and she picked up on it. He could definitely “apologize” to her. “Oh, no. I’m going to need you to show me how sorry you are.”
He had her bra off with an easy twist and she was naked from the waist up. His hands circled her waist and dragged her back against his body so he could cup her breasts. “I’m so sorry I left you alone. I should have stayed right there at your side and fought it out.”
She had to force herself to breathe as he nipped at her ear. “You should have realized there wasn’t a fight at all.”
She let her head fall back against his chest as his hands stroked her in a way that got her heart pumping, her skin hot.
“I’ll remember that for next time.” He turned her around and the dress pooled at her ankles. His eyes roamed her body, and his stare warmed her. “You’re the most beautiful woman in the world. Did you know that?”
“You make me feel that way.” She reached up to brush back the lock of his hair that had fallen forward.
“I want you to feel that way always. I want you to feel adored and wanted.” He dropped his forehead to hers. “The way you make me feel. I want you to feel safe with me.”
She was safe with him. He learned fast. He always had. She genuinely believed him when he said he wouldn’t walk away. They might fight again, but they would do it together.
He held her hand and helped her step out of the dress, left her wearing nothing but the gorgeous heels she wouldn’t be sending back and the silky thong that covered very little of her. He picked up her dress and folded it over the chair of her vanity. It would be interesting to share this place with Rene.