Chapter 74

Tarquin took a drag of his cigarette, his impatience evident as he said, “Just a woman. playing games, nothing to get worked up about.”

“What, she’s trying to get into your bed?”

Tarquin shot him a glare and took another drag.

Keaton chuckled, “Man, her wanting to hop into your sheets is a good thing. She’s a looker; you wouldn’t be losing out. You should’ve seen the guys in the VIP lounge; their eyes were practically popping out of their heads. Even Upton, Mr. Prim and Proper, was drooling all over himself. If she’s wrapping herself around you, consider it a blessing; don’t be ungrateful.”

“Shut up!”

“Hey, don’t get mad, I’m serious. If she wasn’t easy on the eyes, I’d tell you to steer clear, but she’s a knockout. She’s got the curves, the face, the whole package. If I hadn’t caught that unique perfume on her, you wouldn’t stand a chance. I’d have made my move.”

Tarquin scoffed. “Weren’t you just swooning over some new girl yesterday? And now you’re ready to jump ship?”

Keaton shrugged with a grin. “Well, that was yesterday, wasn’t it?”

Tarquin pursed his lips in disdain and took another puff.

Keaton went on, “Look, you’re not getting any younger, spending every night alone in that big house of yours. Doesn’t it get lonely?”

“Nope.”

When he was alone, his thoughts always turned to Elijah’s mother. Day in, day out, how could he feel lonely?

Before Keaton could respond, Tarquin added, “She’s got backup. Her cozying up to me might not be all about getting between the sheets.”

Keaton’s expression turned serious, his eyes narrowing as he asked, “What do you mean? Someone’s trying to pull a fast one with a femme fatale?”

“Yeah.”

“Who? The Bradford family?”

Tarquin furrowed his brows. “Not sure, but she’s had private meetings with Gideon.”

Keaton took a contemplative puff on his cigarette, curiosity piqued, “If you know she’s got ulterior motives, why not send her packing? Why let her get close?”

09:45 Tarquin’s expression darkened. “She’s good with child psychology and can help Elijah get better. When Corbin had his episode, she sorted him out.”

“What?” Now, Keaton was genuinely concerned. He was shocked. “The ‘pretty lady‘ Corbin mentioned, that’s her?”

“Yeah.”

Keaton muttered, “Oh my god! Lucky I didn’t hit on her because of you today. Otherwise, my sis would’ve gone medieval on me!”

Mrs. Denton, Keaton’s sister and Corbin’s mother, was a force to be reckoned with.

They say if you’re going to beat your brother, do it while he’s young; wait too long, and you’ll lose your chance.

Mrs. Denton never went easy on Keaton when they were kids, which is why, even now, he would get nervous around her.

Just the other day, he’d gone to see his nephew, and Mrs. Denton, in tears, told him that after three years, Corbin had finally called her ‘mommy! She went on about how beautiful, gentle, accomplished, and perfect Ms. Thorne was.

In passing, he’d joked, “If she’s that perfect, set me up, why don’t you?”

The response was a swift slap that left his ears ringing. Mrs. Denton, pointing and wailing. “If you dare make a move on Ms. Thorne, I’ll thrash you! Keep your hands off the good women!”

Elysia had become the Denton family’s savior, and everyone from top to bottom was grateful to her.