“That.” Lucian scooted up so his back was against the headboard of the bed. He grinned from where she stared up at him.
She looked away. “You guys don’t have to hang out. I’m okay. You can go home—”
“Go home?” Gabe chuckled. “We are home. All of us live here.”
Her brows lifted.
“Gabe has rooms at the other end of the hall. Dev is in the other wing of the house,” Lucian told her. “And I’m right across the hall from you.”
She closed her eyes, seeming to breathe through her nose. “Of course.”
Lucian grinned.
“I don’t know why I didn’t think you guys lived here,” she said, letting herself rest back in the pillows.
“Probably because most adults wouldn’t want to live in the house they grew up in, but this place is so big it’s like being in your own place,” Gabe answered. “I don’t have to see Lucian if I don’t want to.”
“But you want to,” Lucian cut in.
“How big is this place?” Julia asked. “I haven’t seen much of it.”
“Hell? Around twenty-some thousand square feet.” Gabe laughed when she let out a soft curse. “It’s ridiculous. I know.”
“That’s just . . . wow.”
“Yep.” Gabe’s gaze flickered over to Lucian. “When you feel better, I’ll give you a tour.”
Lucian tilted his head to the side, eyeing his brother. He knew exactly what Gabe was up to, the bastard.
“So,” Gabe went on, refocusing on Julia. “Is this your first time in Louisiana?”
“Yes. I’ve never been this far south before,” she said, smoothing her hands along the bedspread. “It’s always been a place I’ve wanted to visit. . . .” She rambled on, telling Gabe about how she’d love to see the French Quarter at some point and that she had a whole list of foods she wanted to try.
Both of them were staring at her as she talked, and he noticed right off she appeared to be more comfortable talking to Gabe than him. Well, she hadn’t had a problem when they met in the bar, but things had changed between them.
“I’m sorry,” she said when she stopped and neither of them responded. “You guys probably don’t want to hear about my consuming need to try a fried pastry doused in powdered sugar.”
Gabe gave a curt shake of his head. “Beignets? You’ll love them. And I’d be more than glad to give you an escort of the best places in the city.” He shot Lucian another look that had Lucian’s jaw working overtime. “I actually have an office of sorts not too far from the Quarter.”
Okay. That was enough. “If Ms. Hughes wants a tour of New Orleans, I’ll be escorting her.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Pretty sure I have a say in that.”
“You don’t.”
“I do,” she repeated, staring straight ahead.
“Glad to see a possible concussion hasn’t diminished your stubbornness,” Lucian remarked.
She folded her arms over the blanket. “I’m ignoring you.”
He laughed. “You realize that there is no way we’re going to allow you to work tomorrow, right?”
Julia exhaled heavily. “I appreciate the concern, but I cannot miss work my first full day here.”
“You can and will.” Lucian crossed his legs at the ankles. “It’s not a big deal. We’ve been taking care of Maddie before you got here.”
Julia’s forehead wrinkled. “But—”
“It’ll be fine.” Gabe leaned forward again, resting his elbows on his knees. “We can take care of it. Dev won’t have a problem with it.”
“What about Mr. de Vincent?” she asked. “Lawrence? I haven’t met him yet, but I figure he’s the one who hired me.”
It occurred to Lucian that Julia didn’t know, and this might get awkward. “He’s not going to have a problem.”
“Definitely not,” Gabe added, sitting back.
She sighed again. “I’m glad you guys can be so sure about this, but I can’t.”
“Well, we’re sure about this, because our father is dead,” Lucian told her.
“What?” Her head jerked toward him so fast she winced in pain. She raised a hand. “Ouch.”
Lucian immediately leaned forward, catching the hand she was about to plant against the side of her head. “Careful,” he reminded her.
Her wide brown eyes fixed on his. “Your father is . . . is dead?”
“Yeah. He passed away a few days ago,” he explained, and he slid his hand down her arm, his fingers slipping under the fluffy sleeve of her robe. “We’ve kept it out the press, but the news just broke tonight.”
Gabe rubbed a finger along his brow. “You’ll probably hear about it eventually. He killed himself.”
“Oh my God.” Julia pressed her other hand to her chest. “I’m so, so sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Lucian let go of her arm before she realized he was still touching her.
She glanced from him to Gabe. “I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t need to say anything, really. It’s not a big deal,” Gabe said.
Her eyes widened. “Not a big deal? Your father—”
“Was a giant, flaming asshole,” Lucian cut in, tipping his head back against the headboard as she looked up at him. “If you had the misfortune of knowing him, you’d feel the same. Sympathy is not needed.”
Julia looked like she wanted to say more but after a moment all she said was, “I’m still sorry.”
He wasn’t sure how to reply to that. Luckily Gabe jumped in, smoothing out the awkwardness, giving him ample time to watch Julia while she was distracted. His thoughts drifted back to what happened. He was almost a hundred percent sure that no one could’ve been in the bathroom. Gabe wasn’t a fucking perv, and even Lucian had his limits. She’d obviously seen a shadow and mistaken it for a person, which was understandable. After all, she was in a new place, but what happened still unnerved him, leaving him uneasy.
Some time passed before Gabe rose from the chair. “I’m going to head out.” He crossed the short distance and then bent down, touching her hand and then the side of her cheek. “If he gets annoying, yell and I’ll come kick his ass for you.”
Lucian snorted.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she replied.
Gabe’s gaze lifted to his, and then that bastard picked up her hand and kissed the top of it. He straightened. “Let her get some rest.”
Julia was frozen beside him.
“Good night, Gabe,” he said, voice harder than necessary.
Gabe grinned. “Good night.”
She murmured something in return and then fell silent until Gabe was out of the bedroom, door closed behind him. She sucked in a deep breath. “You guys are . . .”
“What?” Lucian asked when she didn’t continue.
“You guys are really touchy and really friendly.”
He chuckled. “That means we like you.”
“Is that so?”
“Yep.” Lucian nodded. “Because friendly is usually the last word people would use to describe us.”
She seemed to sink farther down in her pillows. “You can leave, you know?”
“I know, but I’m keeping an eye on you just like the doctor ordered.”
“I don’t think that’s what Dr. Flores meant.” She yawned, and then her brows pinched together. “I can’t believe I fell and knocked myself out.”
“It happens.”
“In the shower while naked,” she added.
“Well, most people are naked while in the shower.” He grinned, somehow knowing she rolled her eyes even though he couldn’t see. “By the way, I brought over the addendum to your contract,” he said. “It’s in the file, beside the food you haven’t eaten.”
Her lips twitched and then a miracle happened. She smiled just a little. “I feel like I’m going to end up owing you guys money before this assignment is over.”