Chapter Thirty-Two
Brant hurried his ass off and was still late for dinner, arriving back at the resort in time for the dessert and champagne to be served.
His eyes searched for Nik, only to see an empty space next to Cole. Panic flared in his chest. Where was she? Was she okay?
“Brant.” Grandfather stood, interrupting Brant’s racing thoughts. “I take it things went well?”
“Yeah.” Brant nodded, hoping his one-word answer would keep the old man from further questions. He had more important things to talk about—like where the hell Nikki was. “Cole,” he barked.
Cole rolled his eyes. “What’s up?”
“Where’s Nik?”
“She called and said she was too tired to join us.” He shrugged.
“So you just let her go back to her shitty apartment and sleep?”
“No.” Cole’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Because I knew you’d get your dick in a twist if she wasn’t waiting in your hotel room as planned. I walked my ass over there like the best friend I am, packed her a bag, made sure she had room service sent to your bedroom, and tucked her in bed.”
Brant clenched his fists while Cole gave him a smug grin. “You tucked her…in bed?”
“He took off her shoes,” Bentley interjected. “Damn, she’s got you wound tight.” He stood and slapped a hundred-dollar bill into Cole’s waiting hand. “Next time just count to five before you react. It may save me some money and I’ll stop lining this schmuck’s pockets. That’s the second bet I’ve lost tonight!”
Brant glared at them. “What was the first?”
Grandfather motioned Brant over. “Sit down, have a drink with us.”
“She packed lingerie.” Cole crossed his arms.
“Brant, come on,” Grandfather said again.
“Loyalty to Grandfather…” Bentley held out one hand and then lifted the other “…or potential sex?”
“Decisions, decisions.” Cole sighed and shook his head. “However will you choose?”
“Son, you’ve been gone all night, so sit down and talk business. You’re here to work, not socialize, right?” Grandfather called again, and this time Nadine patted the seat between them.
“Who bet against me?” Brant asked.
Cole pointed to Bentley.
“Dude.” Bentley looked offended. “Blood is thicker than water, trust me, but I also know every man in this family has a sick, twisted loyalty to that insane grandfather of ours, so I predicted you’d stay and talk shop before heading upstairs. And by the look on your face I’m wrong, so…” He cursed and pulled out another hundred-dollar bill and gave it to Cole.
“Amazing. It’s like I just got a bonus.” Cole shoved both bills into his pocket and grinned. “Well?”
“Jackasses,” Brant mumbled as he turned on his heel and sprinted toward the elevator, hitting the button at least five times before it would light up. The hell!
He stepped in and pressed the penthouse only to have a mom and her child both yell, “Hold the elevator!”
Moral dilemma.
With a curse, he put his hand between the doors just in time for them to step in.
“Thanks, mister.” The boy saluted him like he was a soldier and then proceeded to press every damn button only to say, “Look, Mama, a Christmas tree!”
“I’m so sorry!” The mom’s face reddened. “Elf is his favorite move!”
“Guessed that,” Brant said in a dry tone. The elevator stopped at the next floor, the doors opened and closed, and the process was repeated for each floor thereafter.
Luckily, there were only six floors.
By the third floor, the small boy was dancing in circles despite the mom’s best effort to keep him from colliding with the walls.
A smile played at Brant’s lips when the boy suddenly wondered aloud, “Mama, where do babies come from?”
Brant choked back a laugh.
The mom gave him a panicked look and laughed nervously. “Um, you know, that’s a fantastic question for Grandpa.”
“He said to ask you.”
“Rat bastard,” she murmured under her breath.
“Rats?” The little boy said, “They come from rats?”
One more floor.
“Actually”—Brant knelt down to the boy’s level and pointed up at his mom—“they come from love.”
“Love?” He made a face. “How does love make babies?”
Brant shrugged. “That is for you to find out, once you’re in love, I guess…but here’s a secret: Your mommy and daddy’s love is just so powerful that they made a little boy who has both his daddy and his mommy inside.”