Free Because of His Future (For His Pleasure, Book 26) by Kelly Favor

hope this isn’t the
way you two plan on behaving, because if it is—we’re going to have a
problem.”
    “No, no…we’re just…it won’t happen
again,” Grace shouted.
    “Yeah, it won’t happen again!” Liam
yelled, and then he started giggling like a teenager as the angry footsteps
pounded down the hallway and faded out.
    “Shit,” Grace said.   She was laughing, but kind of
humiliated.
    “Perfect ending to the day we’ve had,”
Liam laughed.   “Just perfect.”
    She had to agree.

 
    ***

 
    Less than a week later, and Grace was
standing outside a small chapel, waiting for her brother to emerge from a
meeting about his business.
    As she waited for Scott to emerge, she
thought back on the night with Liam in her bed, with Eliane yelling at them for
loud sex, and it seemed like a lifetime ago.
    It had been funny and hot and sexy and
sweet.
    But nothing since then had been sweet at
all.
    Scott exited the chapel and came down the
steps with a look of stony acceptance on his face.  
    “How’d it go?” she asked, already knowing
the answer.
    “About what you’d expect,” Scott said.   He was holding some papers rolled up in
his hands, and he squeezed them tightly.   “Nobody has the balls…nobody can stand up to those bastards.”
    “I’m so sorry,” she said.
    He began walking down the street and she
followed at his side.  
    “Want to grab a drink?” Scott asked.
    “Not really,” she said.
    He glanced at her.   “Coffee?”
    She shook her head again.   “Don’t have much appetite lately.”
    He sighed as they walked next to each
other.   “You and me both,” her
brother admitted.   “And what about
Liam?   How’s he holding up?”
    Grace shrugged.   “I don’t know.   Not that well, I don’t think.”
    Scott stopped walking and looked at
her.   His forehead was gleaming with
beads of sweat.   “My business is
ruined, Grace.   You know that,
right?   I just lost my tenth client
in half that many days.   And I know
it’s just a matter of time before the rest go away.”
    Grace nodded miserably.   “Yeah, I know.”  
    Just like Vera had warned, Scott’s
clientele were all getting cold feet for one reason or another.   Some of them admitted to being contacted
by another, much more sophisticated and popular wedding planner—who’d
just so happened to choose to work with them for a low, low price.  
    And that same planner had even insisted
on paying off any lingering contractual deposits that might be owed to Scott.
    As the old clients backed out or left,
new ones were impossible to find.
    Everything had dried up for him almost
overnight, just as had been threatened.
    But surprisingly, Scott hadn’t freaked
out and blamed Grace for everything.   Instead, he’d grown angry and stubborn and told Grace to keep fighting
back.
    “You know that I said I wouldn’t back
down to these people anymore,” Scott continued.   “I’m tired of being bullied by the
Houston clan.”
    “I know.   And I can’t thank you enough,
Scott.   You’ve been so
brave—an absolute hero.”   She
trembled as she thought about what her normally cranky, petulant and cynical
brother had done for her.
    He’d sacrificed his life’s work.
    “The thing is, Grace,” Scott said, his
eyes steadily trained on her—“I don’t want this to have been for
nothing.”
    She wilted a little under that
penetrating gaze.   Scott knew her
too well for Grace to try and fool him.   “It’s not for nothing,” she said unconvincingly.
    “If Liam isn’t fighting for the two of
you, then why should I?”
    Grace swallowed.   “His mother just died and he feels
responsible.   He’s struggling with
everything.   And the reporters won’t
leave him alone.   Won’t leave either
of us alone.”
    Scott smirked.   “Come on,” he said.   “You know that he could fight back, but he’s choosing not to.   He’s wallowing.”
    “No, no.   He’s just…he needs time.”   But she