Twice the Malone by Laylah Roberts

14

Beau picked a shirt out of his suitcase and then opened the bathroom door. “Snow, I’ve got a spare shirt for you to wear. I sent your clothes to be laundered.” He walked in then snuck a look over at her.

Bubbles. Damn it. A man’s worst enemy. Well, maybe not his worst enemy, but they were on his shit list for sure. First, they were hiding his girl’s naked body from him. Second, they got to touch his girl’s naked body.

Was he seriously jealous of bath bubbles? What had happened to him? He didn’t even know who he was anymore.

She had her hair up in a bun, and he itched to let it down but figured he’d be in trouble. Women didn’t like when you got their hair wet when they didn’t want their hair wet.

See? He could learn things.

“Beau, that will cost a fortune.”

He shrugged. “It was that or pay someone to go out and get you some new clothes. Actually, maybe I should do that instead of taking you shopping tomorrow.”

“No, you won’t.”

“Hmm, maybe you’re right. Going clothes shopping with you could be fun. Especially when I can go into the changing room to help you.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her. “All sorts of things happen in changing rooms.”

She gaped at him. “Beau Malone, we will not be having sex in the changing rooms.”

“Why not?”

“Why not? Because anyone could walk in on us! And most of them only have curtains.”

“So, we’ll only have sex in the ones with doors.”

She pointed a finger at him. “No. Now out.”

“Sure you don’t need help washing yourself?” This wasn’t the first time he’d offered, but he was ever hopeful.

“Been doing it all my life. Pretty sure I’ve got it under control. Now, out.”

“Fine, I’m going to order some room service, I’ll let you know when it’s here.”

“Oh, thanks. Don’t order me much. I’m not hungry.”

He frowned at that but didn’t argue. After everything she’d been through today, he could understand why she wouldn’t feel like eating, but he was worried about the weight she’d lost.

One thing at a time. He wouldn’t push for too much too fast. He had plenty of time. After ordering room service, he picked up his phone.

First, he made arrangements with the landlord to have her place cleaned up and the locks changed. Then he made the phone call he’d been putting off because he knew the asshole wasn’t going to take what he had to tell him well.

“What’s going on? Why the hell haven’t you been answering your phone?”

“Maddy, how many times have we had this conversation. The correct way to answer the phone is to say hello. Hel-lo. Try it, it’s not that hard.”

“Beau, I’m seriously not in the mood. What’s happened?”

“What’s happened is that I’m in a really nice hotel with room service and a king-sized bed. Oh, and my girl is currently naked, taking a bath. And tonight, she’s going to be sleeping where she belongs, in my arms.”

Maybe it was a bit mean of him . . . nah, his brother needed a shake-up. He had to realize what he was missing out on. The most gorgeous woman in the world.

“What the fuck did you do? Did you kidnap her? Damn it, Beau.”

“Actually, I didn’t have to kidnap her. She came with me willingly.”

There was silence on the other end. He waited him out. See? He could be patient. Sure, it didn’t come easily. But he’d waited days to enact Operation Steal-Snow. And then he hadn’t even needed to steal her.

“You’ve decided just to forgive her for what she did? What if this is another play—”

“Stop,” Beau said in a low voice.

He could practically feel his brother’s surprise coming through the phone. Knew he’d be pacing, that vein in his forehead would be throbbing. Okay, maybe there wasn’t a vein. But it was fun to tease him that there was.

“I’m not going to stand by while you say bad things about Scarlett.” Okay, he even surprised himself with how commanding he sounded. “I’m not going to have you take your issues out on Scar. She’s not the villain, Maddox. She had no idea who you were. It was all some fucking coincidence. And before you say it, no she didn’t know how Richard was forcing Darren and his friends to sell.”

“Of course, she’d say she didn’t have anything to do with it, Beau. But what proof do you have that she’s not lying?”

“What proof do you have to say she is?”

He was silent.

“You see the worst in people, Maddox.”

“And you see the best,” he snapped back.

“Two halves of a whole, huh?” His voice was slightly bitter. “And yet, who is the one sitting at home alone tonight, and who has the most beautiful girl in the world in his bathroom?”

Maddox sighed. “I’m just trying to protect you.”

“In case it escaped your notice, I’m a big boy, Maddy. You can’t protect me all the time. I get to make my own decisions and my own mistakes.”

“And if she’s a mistake?”

“Then I’ll own it. But I know she isn’t. I just need you to have some faith. If not in her, then in me. She’s the one, Maddox.”

“It’s ridiculous to feel like that when you don’t know her.”

“You’re telling me you don’t feel it? That the reason you’re so mad at her isn’t because you want her? I know you feel betrayed because you felt something for her. But what if we’re the ones that betrayed her? By not believing in her?”

“I just can’t blindly trust.”

“This is because of Megan, isn’t it?” That bitch had never cared for Beau. Called him immature and stupid. Never in front of Maddox, of course. And well, Beau was a big boy, sticks and stones and all that shit.

“I thought she was real, turns out she was still getting it on with her ex-boyfriend. I was a means to an end, that end being a rich husband who would pay for everything while she kept fucking her ex-boyfriend on the side.”

“Because she was a bitch. But Maddox, that’s not Snow.”

Maddox blew out a breath. “How’d you convince her to talk to you? Thought for sure she’d greet us both with a knee to the balls.”

“Yeah, well, she might have if I didn’t rescue her from a mugger today.”

“What?” Maddox snapped.

Yeah, he figured that would get his attention.

He explained everything that had happened from getting mugged, throwing up, and then finding her apartment trashed.

“What the fuck?” Maddox snapped. “So, whoever mugged her knew where she lived and used her keys to get into her apartment?”

“Seems like it. Unless it’s a weird coincidence, but there was no sign of forced entry at her place.”

“What the fuck is going on? Why would someone break into her place? Has she had problems with anyone?”

“She told the cops she hadn’t.”

“But you think she lied?” Maddox easily picked up on what he didn’t say.

“Yeah, Snow can’t lie for shit. Which you would realize if you didn’t have your head in your ass.”

“Beau, don’t start with me,” Maddox growled.

Beau found himself grinning. He was beginning to come around.

“So, you think she knows who could be behind this?”

“I think she’s holding back, for sure. She hasn’t been to work the past few days.”

“Do you think it’s something to do with Stanson?”

“I don’t know. I’ll have to coax her into talking to me.”

“Coax her? You don’t coax her,” Maddox snapped. “You demand that she tells you.”

“Well, brother. You have your way, I have mine.”

There. Suck on that.

“Got to go, my girl needs help getting out of the bath.”

“Wait, Beau, you need to—”

Beau ended the call with a feeling of satisfaction. He didn’t have to do anything that bossy bastard said. And if he wanted to ask their girl something . . .

Well, he could just come out here and ask her himself.

* * *

Scarlett lay in the bath.

For the first time in months, she actually felt relaxed. And she knew why. Because Beau was here. She knew there was a lot they had to talk about. But tonight, she just wanted to get some rest. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept properly, and it was wearing on her.

The only thing that would make it better was if Maddox were here.

Then again, maybe it was better he wasn’t here. She didn’t think she was up to dealing with him. If he was mean to her again, she might just punch him in the nose.

Or cry. Likely she’d cry.

God, her life was a mess.

Who attacked her today and trashed my apartment? Did it have anything to do with Richard? Did he find out what she did? Thank God, she’d transferred everything to that flash drive rather than leave it on her laptop.

The flash drive!

She’d had it in her pants, and Beau had sent them out to be laundered.

No, no, no.

She quickly stood, getting her foot over the edge of the bath and reaching for a towel. Suddenly, the world around her started to spin.

“Snow, I think we might have— Shit, Snow!”

Strong arms picked her up.

Then there was nothing.