Page 37 of Desperate Victory
“I’m damn lucky you do,” he said, one corner of his mouth kicking up before he dropped a kiss on my lips.
“Yes you are,” I teased, bumping his hip with mine. “Don’t you forget it.”
“Oh,” he promised in between nibbling kisses. “I won’t.”
Chapter
Twelve
EZRA
Dad was dead. Not playing dead. Actually dead. All the times I’d ever imagined it, I’d relished the idea. Sometimes, I even prayed for it. The fact it was the only thing I prayed for probably wasn’t okay with God, but like whatever.
Wallace Graham, my tormentor, the man who hated me more than he ever loved me, and spent most of my life making me endure pain, was dead.
Good. Fucking. Riddance.
The pleasure I thought I would take in his demise, however, was curiously absent. Relief, sure, that was present, but no real joy. The only thing filling me at the moment was an emptiness that stretched out into the void.
While I might never miss him, I wasn’t entirely sure I’d be able to dismiss him mentally the way I needed.
“Gentlemen,” Leopold said in that firm voice of his after Lainey disappeared upstairs. “There are showers out in the pool house that you can use. Young Mr. Graham there is well aware of the location.” Clearly, we were not invited to follow Lainey up.
Adam didn’t say a word, just pivoted on a heel and strode out. Leopold’s glare followed him. The dislike the old man had for him needed to go.
“Of course,” I said, then nodded to Milo and Bodhi. “You guys can take the first showers. I’ll go last.” Hopefully, Adam was already getting cleaned up. The stench of smoke seemed infused into my skin.
“Go ahead,” Milo said to Bodhi. “I’ll wait for Ezra.”
Wait for…
“I’m good right here,” Bodhi responded before he faced Leopold as well. “You wanted to have a discussion, sir?”
Sir.
Holy shit. Bodhi deferred to almost no one. I said almost because I’d seen him with his step-great-grandmother once. Her, he treated with utter consideration and courtesy. Lainey and Em were the only other two I’d seen him offer the same kind of gentle respect.
Now Leopold Benedict fell into that category.
Funnily enough, the old man just gave Bodhi a firm look. “Don’t try to charm your way out of this one, Phillip. I’m well aware of your interest in my granddaughter as I am of this reprobate—” Oh look, I had a place in the list. “And Reed.” Reprobate actually ranked higher than Reed.
“Leopold,” Milo began, but the old man cut him off with a slice of his hand through the air.
“Milo, my boy, recognizing the competition means identifying their weaknesses, flaws, and points of leverage. I don’t doubt for a second they wouldn’t take her away from you given the first opportunity.”
I frowned.
“I’m telling you all right now, you will not fight over her like some choice cut of prime beef.”
Every single word in that sentence was an insult.
“She’s chosen Milo here and I’ve given my approval. The rest of you boys need to accept that.” Leopold nodded firmly. “That goes for Reed as well. His family has done enough to mine. I will not let him hurt her.”
“Mr. Benedict,” I said, inserting myself into the quiet hanging off that last sentence. “Adam loves Lainey without reservation. He’s not his father. He’s a thousand times better than him.”
Leopold fixed me with a look. One I refused to shrink from.
“As much as I hate to admit it, Bodhi is a damn good man. Odd at times. More than a little intimidating. He’s also handed me my ass more times than I care to confess, but—he would kill for Lainey. If anyone stands a chance of cutting off a threat before it even darkens her doorstep, it would be him.”