Stefan (The Marquette Family Book Three) (5 page)

“Haha, funny.” Stefan grinned and stood. “I’m glad you interrupted. Those numbers were beginning to blur.”

“I say we ditch the reports. Our shifts are starting anyway. There have been some interesting visitors of late.”

Stefan raised an eyebrow at his brother. “You’re a married man now. The patrons shouldn’t interest you.”

Damen twisted the ring on his finger. “They don’t, not in that way. Trust me, I love my wife. Heaven is….well, heaven. I’m the luckiest man on earth to have her. Damn, just talking about her makes me want to go find her and trap her in my office for a couple hours.”

Stefan knew exactly what his brother meant, but he didn’t say so. “Since she doesn’t work at Marquette’s that would be quite a trip for a quickie.”

“I said a couple hours, man. No way can I accept a quickie with Heaven. You’ll know what I mean when you find the one.”

Stefan kept silent and scratched the back of his head. He hadn’t learned how not to look guilty when it was hinted around about him getting married or as Damen had said, “finding the one.” So far, his brothers were so distracted with their own love lives, they never noticed.

“I know,” Damen said. “For old times sake, you and I will case the restaurant, and I’ll help you pick out a beauty that should rock your world tonight. I’m pretty good at spotting them.”

“I’m sure you are,” Stefan said, “but no thanks. I can choose my own lovers.”

“Come on, man.” Damen slung an arm about Stefan’s shoulders and propelled him toward the door. “Don’t ruin my fun.”

“Your
fun?”

Damen yanked the office door open, and they stepped into the hall. “Yeah, choosing a woman for you. None of us have ever seen your lovers. I mean you charm the ladies better than anyone I know, but I can’t remember seeing you leave with them.”

“That’s because I don’t advertise a lady’s private affairs.”

Damen snorted. “Always the gentleman. Are you even related to us?”

“Leave him alone, Damen,” Duke boomed from the other end of the hall. “Who knows? He might be gay and just too scared to come out of the closet. Don’t worry, little cousin. I accept you just the way you are.”

At Stefan’s side, Damen stiffened. He and Duke had never gotten along, and Damen respected Duke even less after he found out Creed had been bailing Duke out of trouble for years without telling them.

“I’m not gay,” Stefan assured him.

Duke slapped him on the opposite shoulder, and Damen stepped farther away from the two of them, glaring at their cousin. Duke appeared oblivious to how much Damen disliked him. He always wore a smile, and from the stories that Stefan had heard Duke was more impulsive than he could ever be. The difference lay in the fact that Duke didn’t care if he broke the law or endangered his or anyone else’s lives.

“You’re still in town?” Damen growled. “When are you leaving?”

“I’m here to stay.” Duke set his fists on his hips, and Stefan flashed on the image of a swashbuckling pirate. In a way, Duke resembled one. At least he had trimmed the beard and gotten a haircut. The family resemblance was there. He could be Damen’s twin, which probably pissed Damen off all the more. “I like Marquette’s, and there are too many single women coming through here to leave after a few days.”

“Our restaurant isn’t your dating service,” Damen bit out between gritted teeth. Never mind that he’d just been suggesting to Stefan that he look over the guests for a date. “Why don’t you go find a job?”

“Ah, but I have.”

Suspicion rose in Damen’s gaze, and Stefan knew what was coming.

Duke wiggled his eyebrows. “Tonight, I start as one of the hosts. I told Creed a waiter might be a little much to begin with, and cooking’s not my thing.”

“You mean the less work involved the better,” Damen interrupted.

“Hey, I’m willing to start out at the bottom.”

Damen cursed. “I don’t expect you to last the week. Before five days, you’ll find some reason to quit, or you just won’t show up. That’s your M.O., isn’t it? If you think we’re going to support you just because you’re family you can forget it.”

At last the smile left Duke’s face, and he moved closer to Damen. The two men stood chest to chest, nostrils flared. “You’ve got a big mouth on you, Damen. Don’t forget who used to wipe your nose when you were a kid.”

“Not you,” Damen shot back.

“Yeah, me. Creed wasn’t always around. I cleaned up after you when you were bullied.”

“Guys, cool it,” Stefan tried, but they ignored him.

Damen shoved the other man. “Get out of my face, Duke. You should have never come back from the army. Oh wait, they kicked you out. That’s right. I forgot.”

“Fuck you!”

Damen surprised Stefan when he threw the first swing. His middle brother hated violence, yet Duke pissed him off so much, he couldn’t resist. Stefan watched in shock as Duke deliberately stepped into the swing and let it connect with his jaw. His head snapped back, and he grinned in amusement.

“Wow, you hit like a girl, Damen. Guess your lady wears the pants in your house.”

Stefan gasped. “Duke, stop.”

Damen roared and launched himself at Duke. This time, their cousin sidestepped him and grabbed Damen’s fist, twisted it, and grabbed his brother by the back of the neck. Damen landed on the floor, but he was big enough to unsettle Duke’s stance. Duke thumped a shoulder against the wall. Several shouts of surprise rang through the hall, and Stefan looked up to find the entire kitchen staff and the wait staff gathered to watch the fight.

Stefan reached out and grabbed Duke’s shoulder. “Let him up, and stop fighting, Duke.”

“He thinks he can take me,” Duke shot back. “Come on, Damen. Get up if you can.”

A door banged. Stefan found himself shouldered aside, and Creed appeared. His oldest brother jerked Duke away from Damen and slammed him against the wall. “What the fuck are you doing inside my restaurant, Duke, with our guests about to arrive and the staff watching?”

Duke sagged, wincing at the pain he must feel in his back. “Uh, having a little fun?”

Stefan held out a hand to help Damen to his feet. Damen took it with reluctance, his face red and glasses askew. Stefan figured Duke had humiliated him, and the relationship had gotten that much worse between them.

“Fun?” Creed snapped. He glanced down the hall. “Back to work!”

The employees scrambled to obey. Creed pointed to Damen and Duke.

“In my office now.”

Stefan followed. He was the last inside and shut the door. The space they had originally shared before his and Damen’s offices were constructed was spacious, but with four big men in it, he felt a bit cramped. He took up a spot in the far corner and listened to the proceedings.

“Creed, I don’t understand how you can give this bum a job,” Damen complained. “He’s never going to be serious, and frankly, he doesn’t deserve it.”

Creed parked on the edge of his desk, arms folded over a chest swollen with his suppressed rage. “Whether he deserves it or not, he’s family. We never abandon family.”

“Oh come on. There’s a limit to how much you let him use you.”

“No, there’s a limit to my patience,” Creed growled. “You talk about the restaurant like you care about it, but then I find you fighting in front of the employees.”

“What the hell makes you think I started it?”

“Because Duke’s all mouth unless you come at him. Are you saying you
didn’t?”

Damen swore and pushed his hands into his hair. Stefan marveled at his oldest brother. Creed was pretty good at knowing all three of them. If he didn’t have anger issues, he could probably do everything that Stefan did. Stefan had always admired Creed’s strength and his steel will. Yet, he also knew Creed’s huge heart and his unwavering loyalty to family. Creed loved family like nothing else. Stefan could have told Damen there wasn’t anything Duke could do except maybe hurt Shada that would make Creed abandon Duke.

“He pissed me off,” Damen admitted after a few minutes.

“I liked the way you were before, Damen,” Creed said. “Since you married Heaven, you seem more apt to physical defense. Do you think she’d like that?”

Damen’s eyes widened. “You’re lecturing me?”

“Answer the question.”

“Fine, I get it, but you can’t tell me you trust Duke.”

“Trust him? Hell no.”

“Hey, cuz, that’s cold.” Duke seemed more amused than offended.

“You’re a screw-up, Duke,” Creed said. “We both know it, and I’m going to ride your ass until you get it together. I’ll come to your place and drag you out of bed if you even think of missing a day of work. And if you try that shit again you pulled in the hall, I’ll make you sorry. See if I go down as easily as Damen.”

Duke held up hands in surrender. “Gotcha. I’ll keep my nose clean from here on.”

Both Creed and Damen looked doubtful, and Stefan had to admit he felt the same. He doubted Duke was ready to reform, but like Creed he had a lot of hope that it would come one day. He agreed with Creed that Duke could learn a lot about taking responsibility for his life, but he also liked Duke’s carefree spirit.

Creed’s gaze shifted from their brother and Duke to him, and Stefan straightened. His oldest brother frowned at him. “Stefan, I want to talk to you.”

“Uh, later.” He zipped to the door and grabbed the knob. “Our shift is starting.”

“Fine, tonight after closing.” Creed called after him, but Stefan kept moving. He would use the rest of the night to think about how he would put off Creed’s questions. Under no circumstances would he tell the man Damen called The Bear about his wife.

Chapter Five

Stefan’s fingers raced over the ivories, and his heart beat faster as the scale climbed higher. He leaned forward, shut his eyes, and leaned back again with the rhythm pulsing through his being. The cheers commenced on the last note, along with enthusiastic clapping in one particular corner. He checked and started to find Tyjon grinning back at him.

Stefan scanned Marquette’s, and he came upon Damen’s curious gaze and then Duke’s knowing one. His cousin grinned big and then looked pointedly at Tyjon. The man actually thought he was gay. Stefan didn’t care one way or another. He doubted Damen or Creed would cut him out of their lives if he were gay. The fact that Tyjon was Talicia’s brother did concern him. He had never visited the restaurant before tonight.

Tyjon wore some type of glossy material slacks that clung to his hips and thighs and a long-sleeve shirt with a white panel at the front and golden floral print along the sides and sleeves. As was his style, he stood out in the crowd. Even if he dressed more conservatively, Stefan was sure the man would be seen. His big personality radiated in a room. Tyjon could be a performer, but it seemed he had no interest in doing anything other than finding a boyfriend. Stefan knew Talicia had spoiled her brother from their interactions together when he visited.

When his set ended, Stefan prepared to rise, but Tyjon and a beautiful brunette rushed toward the piano to head him off. He sank down on the stool once more and smiled a greeting. Tyjon beat the woman by a few inches and rolled his eyes at her.

“Uh-uhn, boo boo, he’s mine. Get lost.”

The woman’s cheeks pinked.

“Don’t be rude,” Stefan admonished him. “Hello, I hope you enjoyed the food and the music.”

She held out a hand to him, one already holding a slip of paper carrying her number. Then she eyed Tyjon. “Give me a call when you get the chance, Stefan. I’d love to talk about your music.”

Tyjon made a rude noise, poking his lips out. “His music, yeah, I’m sure that’s what you want you from him.”

“Well, neither do you,” she snapped and stomped away.

Tyjon chuckled. “I have to give it to her. Girlfriend had backbone. Whatever.”

“Ty, what are you doing here?” Stefan cast his voice low but kept a pleasant expression on his face as if Ty was a stranger.

Tyjon glanced around the restaurant, taking in the chandeliers, the landscapes on the walls of an age long gone, and the expanse of white tablecloth-covered tables. “I wanted to see what it was like since I know my sis won’t come. She doesn’t know what she’s missing. This place is bougie, way fancier than the club. Plus people dress up to eat. They crazy.”

“You’re dressed up,” Stefan said, amused.

Tyjon snapped his fingers and spun left and right as if Stefan had asked him to model. “I know, right? I read on your website that there’s a dress code. I refused to wear a tie, and they actually gave me one at the door. Can you believe it? I chose this red one because the others were ugly and clashed with my outfit.”

“Stefan, who’s your friend?” Duke strode up and clapped a heavy hand on Tyjon’s shoulder.

Stefan opened his mouth to speak, but Tyjon cut him off. He dipped a hip in Duke’s direction and raised his chin, lashes fluttering. “I’m Tyjon. I heard about this restaurant and the yummy men that work here. I wasn’t disappointed. So, um, you got a boyfriend?”

Duke smiled bigger. “No, but I’m not looking.”

“Not into guys or just not looking right now?”

“I love women too much to switch sides.” Duke shrugged. “But Stefan might be interested.”

“Stefan isn’t gay.” Tyjon said it with too much assurance and then bit his lip. Stefan suppressed a groan.

Duke eyed Tyjon and then Stefan. “You happen to know?”

Tyjon stuttered. “I mean, my gaydar knows these things. I’m never wrong.”

“But you thought I was a minute ago.” Duke’s color rose, and Stefan laughed, relaxing a little.

“I think you bruised my cousin’s ego, Ty. Let him off the hook.” Stefan could kick himself for using Tyjon’s nickname just now, but Duke in his annoyance didn’t appear to have noticed. He vowed to be more careful and was grateful to Tyjon for not revealing their connection. Tyjon keeping the secret surprised him, especially because Tyjon had admitted he didn’t like Stefan. Perhaps he did so to protect his sister, who was more important than either of them.

“Well, damn, why can’t a guy have a little fun?” Tyjon complained. “I hoped you were in the mood to try something different. What’s your name, big boy? I won’t give up hope just yet.”

Duke laughed. “It’s Duke, and nothing doing. A soft body is all I need. In fact, I see something interesting over there. Later, guys. Have fun.”

Stefan watched his cousin walk away, pretty sure that Duke still thought he was gay. He had no idea how the man clung to the notion. Maybe he just wanted to for his own entertainment. Stefan wouldn’t put it past Duke to come to such a decision. Duke liked to get his enjoyment at other people’s expense. Stefan didn’t believe he was mean-spirited, just self-absorbed when it came to what he desired.

“So.” Tyjon leaned on the piano and played with a few keys. “I really came to spy on you to see if you have a wife back home who doesn’t know about you sneaking off.”

“I assure you I don’t, and I would prefer to keep things separate, if you know what I mean.”

Tyjon frowned. “That’s what I figured. Why don’t you just break up with her? My sister deserves a man who loves her and isn’t ashamed of her.”

Stefan clenched his jaw. “I’m not ashamed.”

“Oh no? So letting that guy who just walked away think you’re gay is better than letting him know you’re slumming with my sister? That’s not shame at all?”

Stefan shut the piano top harder than he meant to. Creed, who had just walked into the dining room, glanced his way. Damn, he’d hoped to leave before Creed found him. He wasn’t scared or intimated by Creed, but he didn’t want to have the discussion about his personal life. All the same, Stefan willed Creed’s gaze to remain on him. Instead, it slipped over to Tyjon. Unlike Duke, Creed didn’t look like he questioned Stefan’s manhood. Yet, one never knew. When he wasn’t angry, Creed knew how to maintain a poker face. He wouldn’t have done so well in business if he couldn’t.

“Ty,” Stefan said in a low tone, “I understand you’re concerned about your sister, but what she and I have is our business. The terms are what we agreed on.”

“She likes you. Of course she would agree. You rich guys always call the shots on how you use us. I had a boyfriend with money once. He wasn’t rich as you, but he owned some vacation real estate and drove fancy cars. I was told not to come by his house. He had an apartment downtown. Come to find out he was married to a woman!”

Tyjon’s mouth hardened.

“I don’t do men on the down low. I believe in being who you are and doing what you want. If you were such a good guy, you wouldn’t hide my sister in a closet.”

“You’re right,” Stefan said.

Tyjon blinked. “What?”

“I’m wrong for how I treat her.”

“Are you pulling some reverse psychology on me, because it won’t work.”

“No, I’m not.” Stefan stood. “I should bring her around here, but right now I’m not going to.”

Tyjon’s eyes widened.

“I’m being honest with you. So you have a choice. You can go over there and tell my brothers the truth, or you can let Talicia decide what she wants to do about me. I’m not prepared to let her go. Not yet. She’s mine as long as she agrees to it.”

“You’re that into her?”

“Yeah,” Stefan admitted, smiling. “I’m that into her.”

Tyjon made a rude noise. “If you were, you’d marry her.”

“I would, wouldn’t I?” Stefan snorted. “So what’s it going to be?”

“I’m not betraying my sister. Don’t think I’d do it for you.” Tyjon groaned. “Why do you have to be so pretty and with that voice? I hate you, but I don’t. Get it?”

“Yes, I get it. I’ll work harder to make you like me.”

Tyjon waved a hand at him, for some reason reminding Stefan of Talicia. The two of them looked so much alike, even more so now that Talicia had cut her hair shorter. Hers was straight and slicked to her head, and her brother’s lay in tight curls. All the same, Stefan saw the differences. Tyjon behaved in a much more feminine way than Talicia, but Stefan had experienced the genuine womanliness that was his wife. Damn, there he went again, thinking about her, which led to craving her. He would need to make that phone call soon and hope she agreed to take a trip with him.

“Well, I’m going,” Tyjon told him. “I’m glad I came though. I always thought of you just playing elevator music here, but it was all right. And you added a little funk to that last song, didn’t you? Learned that at our club.”

Stefan winked. “The guests seemed to like it.”

“Yeah, they did. You can’t beat our music. So anyway, do me a favor, Stefan.”

“What’s that?”

He hesitated. “Don’t tell Talicia I came by, okay? She’d get all mad and tell me to keep my nose out of her business.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really. Don’t give me that look.” Tyjon pouted. “I have to take care of my sister. I’m still the man in our family, and there’s no one else to do it.”

Stefan was tempted to ask about their parents or other family members but changed his mind. If Talicia didn’t share her background with him, he wouldn’t know. He respected her enough to accept it if she never told him the details.

“I won’t say anything,” he promised Tyjon. “You do me a favor too.”

“I know, I know. Call first.” Tyjon blew him kisses and laughed. Then he turned and left the restaurant. He’d done it on purpose, leaving before Stefan could ask him not to come. Yet, even as Stefan thought about it, he doubted he could have formed the words. Forbidding Talicia or her family from coming to him seemed far too wrong to accept, even if it meant revealing their secret.

“Who was that?” Creed asked as he walked up.

“A fan of music.” Stefan didn’t lie.

Creed narrowed his eyes at him. “I know you, Stefan, and I can tell when you’re keeping something from me.”

“Come on, big bro,” Stefan said, doing a good imitation of Damen. “Don’t you trust me?”

“No.” Creed folded his arms, frowning. “Do you know the number of problems you’ve lumped onto my head in the last decade? Scratch that, all your life.”

“Where would the excitement be if I didn’t bring it to you, Creed? You’re a guy who plays it safe and calculates every move.”

His brother grunted in protest, but he didn’t deny Stefan’s claim in words. “I’m not going to get into your business, but just promise me you’re not about to get into another venture.”

Stefan widened his grin and held up three fingers as if he made a solemn Boy Scout promise. Creed’s doubt radiated. “Well, even if you were, let me warn you. Damen isn’t liable to go along with it now that he’s married, and you need two signatures to sign off on anything.”

Just because he could rile his brother, Stefan rocked on his heels. “I’m a persuasive guy. I can convince Damen of anything.”

“Stefan!”

He burst out laughing. “All right, Creed. Just relax. I’m not buying anything. In fact, I was thinking it was getting kind of quiet in my life right now. A vacation might do me some good, take time off for a little while.”

“I thought you liked New Orleans. We’ve hardly been here a year. Are you getting tired of it already? Wait, what am I saying? Of course you are. You never did stay still for long.”

“I said a vacation,” he reiterated. Creed’s assumption had him considering moving away, choosing a new city to live in, a new venture. He found the thought didn’t sit as well as it would have before Marquette’s and before the gig at the club. He would never be a sensation on the stage and have millions of records selling, but he wasn’t sure he wanted that dream anymore. Okay, maybe a little. The bug would never die, which was why he still performed.

Stefan’s assurance settled his brother down some. “I don’t have to give you permission to take a vacation. You’re part owner of the restaurant.”

Stefan patted Creed’s cheek, amused. “I wasn’t asking for permission.”

“What was I thinking? You never do.”

“Anyway, it’s still up in the air.” Stefan brushed a hand over the back of his head. “I have to sort some things out first to be sure.”

“Sounds like you’re wrestling over something. I’ve never seen you think so hard about a decision. Normally, you’re gone, and I get a post card after the fact.”

“Don’t be dramatic, Creed. I don’t send post cards.”

Creed had to laugh. “You know what I mean. I think I feel teary. My brothers are growing up.”

“Now that’s a good joke. I feel like I have to prove you wrong.”

“Don’t try too hard. I’ve got a baby on the way, and I want to concentrate on my wife. Come to think of it, I need to get into the kitchen to make sure she’s not taking over again. I told her not to stand too long on her feet. We hired the extra chef to relieve a lot of her duties.”

“Good luck with making that work. You know Shada better than that.”