Free A Just Deception by Adrienne Giordano Page B

this crap about bringing a date to my wedding?” Stephen circled his hand in the air. “You’re screwing up the seating chart.”
    Peter rolled his eyes. “Like you worked on it.”
    “Hell no, but I had to listen to all the complaining. This one can’t sit with that one because she had an affair with that one’s husband, and this one can’t sit with that one because he banged that one’s daughter. Not for nothing, Pete, but can’t these people get laid outside their own social circle? It’s a nightmare.”
    Could his brother actually be bitching about this?
    “Anyway,” Stephen said. “Who is this person screwing up my seating chart and who’d she lay to waste?”
    “Her name is Isabelle DeRosa. She’s a friend of Vic’s. He asked me to help her out with a security system, but she had a problem before we got it installed.”
    Stephen held his hands wide. “Petey, you’ve been here three days. What could you possibly be into already?”
    To ward off the burning in his eyes, Peter jammed his knuckles into them. “Tell me about it. I’m freaking exhausted.”
    “So, what’s up with this woman?”
    “Her cousin is harassing her. The guy broke into her house, and she beat the crap out of him.”
    Stephen’s grin widened. “No way.”
    “Yeah, she’s a Krav expert. I saw the guy after she got done with him. He got his ass handed to him.”
    “Good for her. She hot or what?”
    The long huff Peter let out only threw gas on the fire because his brother gave him a crooked grin. The one that warned he was going to push buttons.
    “Petey, you gonna ball this girl?”
    Bingo. “To think I used to wonder why you and Vic got along. Seeing as you’re both assholes, it shouldn’t be a shock.”
    “Yeah, but Vic’s gone soft since getting hitched. He’s lost his edge.”
    “You’ll lose your edge too.”
    “Nah. I’m training to stay sharp.”
    “Good luck with that,” Peter cracked.
    Stephen stood, stretched his arms and brought his beer bottle to the kitchen. “I gotta run. We’re closing a deal in the morning. A monster one. You’re gonna be a little richer, big brother, and you have me to thank for it.”
    Actually, he had Stephen to thank for a lot of things. Things they didn’t talk about, but both understood. Stephen handled family issues, not to mention fulfilling the obligation of joining the family business, while Peter stormed the world. He stood, shook Stephen’s hand and walked him to the door. “Thank you. For everything. And don’t tell Mom I killed her box. Tell her I didn’t know and broke it down for trash.”
    “Yeah, whatever. Just don’t screw with my seating chart again.”

Chapter Nine
    At three-fifteen Saturday afternoon Isabelle heard a knock on her front door. Damn. Peter was early. She’d just finished slipping into her dress and hadn’t put her shoes or lipstick on. Of course, she’d been late getting home from her hair appointment and spent way too much time worrying about what to wear or she’d have been ready by now.
    She’d opted for the black halter dress with a long braid of silk down the middle of her back connecting the top of the dress to the waist. She spun, faced herself in the mirror and adjusted the neckline, which went clear up to her collarbone. No cleavage tonight. Not for meeting Peter’s blue-blooded mother.
    He knocked again. Harder this time. Mr. Impatient.
    “I’m coming!” She rushed to the door, flung it open and held her arms out to show him the dress.
    Kendrick stood in the doorway.
    No.
    A frigid chill penetrated her limbs and she shoved the door closed, pressing her body against it.
    “Leave, Kendrick. I’m expecting someone.”
    He pushed on the door, and she put her weight into it. She couldn’t hold him off long. The cordless sat on the entry table not six feet away, but she wouldn’t be able to reach it without letting go of the door.
    “Isabelle, please. I’m sorry about the other night.”
    “Just leave. We can