Home > Moonlight Scandals (de Vincent #3)(17)

Moonlight Scandals (de Vincent #3)(17)
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

“He claims he doesn’t.”

“Do you believe him?” Lucian asked as they passed the pantry.

“Not for one second,” Dev answered. “It doesn’t matter, though. I have someone looking for her.”

Lucian nodded, and a moment ticked by as he met Dev’s stare. “Hate everything that Sabrina has had a part of, and you know my intense dislike of that woman has and always will be unmatched, but I’m glad you’re finally free of her.”

He tilted his head to the side. “I’d chosen to be with her.” That was partly true. The idea of their engagement had been introduced by Lawrence and there had been no greater supporter of merging the de Vincent and Harrington empires than Lawrence, but Dev’d gone along with it. Not for those reasons, though. “Wasn’t like it was against my will.”

“Yeah, you did, and yeah, I’ve heard you had your reasons—ones that I’ll never fucking understand—but at the end of the day, she’s not going to be your wife, so hallelujah, my brother, that is reason to celebrate.” He lifted the bottle of wine. “Now you can find someone who isn’t a grade A bitch.”

Dev stared at his brother blandly. “I’m not currently in the market to find someone.”

“And isn’t that when you usually do?” Lucian turned before he could see Dev’s frown and pushed open the kitchen door. “Look who I found loitering in the mudroom, thinking about deep de Vincent stuff.”

Letting out an audible sigh, Dev caught the door before it swung back and smacked him in his face. He really should’ve just kept walking earlier.

The kitchen was the combination of what used to be two rooms, and it had been renovated over the years. His mother would’ve enjoyed this current reincarnation, with the white cabinets and spacious gray marble countertops. In the center was an island large enough to seat half a football team. She would’ve loved that.

Sitting on the stools were Julia and Nikki. Both women turned toward him. Julia smiled in his direction. Nikki didn’t turn fully since her movements were still stiff and she looked like smiling would’ve hurt, so she wiggled her fingers. Neither woman truly liked him nor were they probably thrilled that he was in the kitchen with them. Dev knew that and really couldn’t blame them. Truthfully, he wasn’t sure if he cared about that or not. He knew he should—after all, his brothers cared for them deeply—but he was rather . . . ambivalent.

For the most part.

On the other side of the island stood Gabe in front of some sort of stainless-steel pot thing and an array of chopped vegetables.

“Lucian is cooking dinner,” Gabe announced as the younger de Vincent joined him, placing the bottle of wine on the island. “Or attempting to.”

“Hey. I know what I’m doing.” Lucian reached across the island and tugged on the end of Julia’s ponytail. “Don’t I?”

“I’m hoping you do, because we’re starving,” she replied.

“You don’t have faith in my culinary skills?” Lucian’s eyes widened as he straightened. “What about you, Nikki?”

“Strangely I’m relieved I can only eat liquids right now,” she replied.

Dev smirked as Gabe laughed under his breath.

“That’s rude.” Lucian picked up a package of beef. “Y’all are going to be eating your words figuratively and literally.”

A frown tugged at Julia’s brows. “I don’t think you can eat your words literally.”

“Oh you can.”

Julia opened her mouth, but closed it and then shook her head. There was a fond look to her eyes, though, as she watched Lucian. The woman was in love with Lucian, that much was clear. One would have to be to put up with the youngest de Vincent.

“Why don’t you join us?” Gabe offered as he walked to where Nikki sat. He didn’t touch her as he leaned against the island, but it was apparent to Dev that he wanted to. “I can’t promise that this Instant Pot thing is going to work—”

“It’s going to work.” Lucian turned to Gabe. “It’s really not that complicated. You put the beef in the pot and you push a few buttons.”

“What’s an Instant Pot?” Dev asked, his gaze moving to the contraption on the counter.

“It cooks food.” Lucian paused dramatically. “Instantly.”

Something didn’t sound right about that.

“It’s kind of like a Crock-Pot, but it’s more of a pressure cooker,” Nikki explained, speaking slowly. Her words were also a little mushed, due to the busted lip and bruised jaw. “Supposedly you can roast beef in about thirty minutes.”

That really did not sound right.

“I bought it today,” Lucian said proudly. “At a store.”

“Really?” Dev replied dryly. “All by yourself?”

“I was with him,” Julia chimed in.

Lucian nodded. “That is true.”

“Have dinner with us,” Gabe chimed in again. “It would only be fair if all of us were poisoned at once.”

“Well, while that offer is enticing, I’ll have to pass. I have dinner plans.” Plans that included a medium-rare fillet and none of this . . . family stuff. It was time to go. “Have a nice evening and enjoy your . . . Instant Pot.”

Lucian’s eyes narrowed, but Dev turned and left before either of his brothers said a word. He made it to the mudroom and to the outside door when he heard his name called out again. So close, he thought. He even had his car keys in his hand. He turned back around.

Nikki was in the mudroom, her small frame nearly swallowed by what he assumed was one of Gabe’s old Harvard hoodies. “I won’t keep you, because I know you’re busy.”

Dev waited, having no idea why Nikki wanted to talk to him since she usually went out of her way to avoid him.

She shuffled forward and then stopped. “I just wanted to say thank you for making sure my father isn’t overworking right now, covering both the day and evening shifts.”

He had no idea what to say, so he just stared at her.

“I know it’s an inconvenience. I mean, you have Lucian in there trying to cook dinner with an Instant Pot.” The side of her mouth that didn’t look bruised to all hell tipped up in a small smile. “So, yeah, I just wanted to say thank you.”

Why in the hell was Nikki thanking him? If he had Sabrina under control, like he’d thought he did, she wouldn’t be standing there looking like she went toe to toe in a cage fight and lost. He really had no words.

Nikki’s gaze lifted to his, and then she lurched toward him. Dev froze as she wrapped her arms around him. It wasn’t a tight hug. Would’ve hurt her too much to do that, but it was a hug, and Dev couldn’t remember the last time he’d been hugged. Possibly by her mother, Livie, after the death of his mother? That was over a decade ago.

Nikki pulled back and mumbled, “Thank you.”

Still as a damn statue, he stood there and watched Nikki shuffle back toward the kitchen. A second later, he saw Gabe standing in the doorway. The son of a bitch smiled.

Dev needed to get the hell out of this house, and he did without a second more hesitation.

Smelling like she bathed in brown sugar and vanilla extract, Rosie stared at the space in the hallway, the area where carpet had once been, now covered with tacked-down blue tarp.

She shuddered as if someone had walked over her grave. Biting down on her lip, she looked over at the man standing beside her. He was also staring at the spot, and she imagined he was just as affected, if not more, by it.

That was where Parker Harrington had died.

It could’ve been where Nikki had died.

“Thank you,” Gabe said, his voice rough as his head turned in her direction. “For coming over and doing this. Nic needs some clothes, but I don’t want to pick out the wrong stuff.”

“It’s okay. Glad I can help out.” Rosie turned back to the hallway. Gabe had come by Pradine’s Pralines this morning and asked if she could help him get some clothes for Nikki, so of course, she had agreed. She only had to stop at the seamstress who’d been working on her costume for the Masquerade and pick up her dress first, which she had done and it was now stretched out on the back seat of her car protected in a garment bag. “Am I allowed to walk on the tarp?”

   
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