Chapter 23

"I thinkyou spent most of my absence in Bredon's bed." Talia's gaze was traveling from my head to toe.

"I did not." I dropped onto Bredon's sofa. My cheeks were on fire, and I didn't have time to figure out why I felt like a teenager getting caught with a boy in her room.

I had been on the verge of falling asleep when I'd felt Bredon's body tense. He had slipped from the bed before I registered what was happening.

Suddenly, Talia and Sig were crowding the doorway to the bedroom.

"What's this?" Talia shrieked and then let loose a crazed laugh.

Bredon slammed the door in their faces.

I climbed out of bed and tried to find my clothes. "Christ," I mumbled. He'd undressed me in his sitting room. I rushed to his closet and grabbed the first shirt I found, then put it on.

The door opened again, and I saw Bredon's back pass through.

I quickly buttoned the shirt and followed.

"Talia, that is unfair," Bredon corrected her.

"You both smell of sex," she said, her lips lifted in disgust.

"We are adults," I fired back. That's when I noticed that Sig was leaning against the back of the loveseat, and he looked to be fighting a grin. "This isn't funny," I told him.

One side of his mouth lifted. "It is from over here." He then let out a laugh.

I didn't know the man well, but I knew he rarely laughed. He was of wary temperament, although his stare was intimidating.

"I only have one thing to say," Talia said, lifting her chin.

"Talia," Bredon's voice rumbled, "I beg you to think before speaking."

She gave him a superior look. Then, she focused on me.

I tried to sit a little taller as I prepared to be fired.

She narrowed her eyes before speaking. "It's about time."

My heart was pounding so loud that I thought I had misheard. "What?"

She began to laugh, and Sig joined her.

I looked from her to Bredon. I didn't know what to think.

"I wondered if you were ever going to make your move," she told Bredon, then sat on Sig's loveseat.

I couldn't tell what her true mood was. "Are…are you mad?" I asked.

"Only that it took you two so long." She pointed at Sig. "This one claimed that Bredon would move slowly. I thought you'd force him to up his game." She crossed her long legs. "You can only walk around the courtyard so many times."

It felt like I was deflating as I leaned against the back of the sofa.

Bredon brought me a blanket. "Cover your legs; you'll get cold." He then sat beside me. "I don't understand why you needed to intrude."

"She wouldn't listen to reason," Sig said, arching a brow.

"You weren't trying to stop me," Talia snarled at Sig.

I wanted to change topics. "How did things go with the gallery?" I hadn't heard a word from her. She rarely used her cell phone. Or maybe she felt it was best not to call here.

"Justin has deemed you a genius. They loved the prints." She rolled her eyes as if she were uncomfortable sharing the story.

"Talia, that's great news." I knew she still hadn't grasped what this would mean to her career.

"I'm just glad you'll be staying here so others won't try to steal you away." She grinned.

I opened my mouth to ask her what she meant when Bredon took over. "Besides work, did you do anything else?"

"Shopping," Talia said, looking bored.

"She said it would only be one afternoon," Sig shared grumpily.

"There were so many gowns to choose from." She curled her hair around her finger and glanced at me. "I can't wait for you to see what I found for you."

"I told you, no ball." I didn't hide my frustration with her.

"I know you said that before…" She looked between Bredon and me. "Things have changed, and your attendance will be expected now."

"I don't go to balls," I told her tersely.

Once again, Sig was grinning.

"Breed?" I looked at him, feeling like I was missing something in the conversation.

"We will discuss this later." He shot Talia and Sig an unhappy look. "When we are alone."

"I doubt much talk is going on when the two of you are alone." Talia pushed to her feet. "I'll see you tomorrow," she told me, exiting with Sig on her heels.

I let out a frustrated sigh. "What the hell was that?"

"It appears Talia is happy that we are together."

I threw my hands up.

"Sig is powerless to muzzle her." He relaxed against the corner of the sofa.

"I don't think anybody can." I began to chew on my bottom lip.

"She wasn't wrong," he began slowly, "regarding the ball."

"Breed, I'm not that type of person." I shook my head as if to emphasize my point.

"It will be expected that you attend on my arm."

"I don't know what to say." I gave him a helpless look. It felt like our sleeping together carried great weight.

He grasped my hand. "Come back to bed. Perhaps I can help you find the right words?"

I giggled as he pulled me to my feet, then shook my head. "Don't start. I need to be at work early."

"Talia will sleep in."

"She is my employer. I don't want her to think I've neglected my duties."

He unbuttoned his jeans and shoved them down his legs. "She will be too busy trying to figure out a way to ensure you keep working for her. Now, Justin and the people at that gallery know your worth. You will be in high demand, Sage."

I didn't take off the shirt. It was so soft. "Gallery owners and agents fall in and out of love with curators' work all the time. I only believe a job is real when the money is deposited in my account." I scooted down and pulled the covers up.

Bredon's arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me into his warm body. "If she gives you problems, I will talk to her."

I didn't argue that he needn't fight my battles for me. I closed my eyes and quickly fell asleep.