Ari almost snapped back at her, but before she could a male back blocked her path. Rafe had inserted himself between her and his mother.

“Enough. You have a problem with Ariella and Marc, you come to me. They aren’t your concern, Mother.”

“Of course they are. He is my son. I have a right to be concerned with his future.”

“He’s nearly thirty-seven years old. Well old enough to guide his own life. You will not cause problems for either of them. Especially her. She’s never done a damned thing to you.” Rafe blocked her every time she tried to move.

Rafe ran his mother off with just a few cold words. Eve Deane huffed, then excused herself.

Ari just watched, knowing that what the two said to each other went well beyond what had happened today. Rafe and his mother would have to deal with each other in their own ways.

Hopefully, Eve wouldn’t make life too difficult for Jillian or Lacy.

Or her.

Eve was right, though. She couldn’t stay here indefinitely. It wouldn’t do Marc’s career any good to have her living with him without a commitment. A lasting one.

She wasn’t sure all of the chaos surrounding her family was a good place for that commitment to be made.

“I’m sorry she’s targeted you.” Rafe wrapped strong fingers around her elbow and turned her to face him.

She was getting a bit tired of the men in her life doing that. Ari wasn’t a puppet. Why did they touch her so much more than they did Jillian or Lacy? Did she look that helpless or something? “I’m not sure what she thinks I’m going to do to her.”

“I think it’s what you might do to hinder whatever plans she has in place for Marc.” Rafe’s glower darkened. “She’s scheming up something, I don’t doubt it. I think she’s found a woman she wants him to get involved with.”

“And it’s definitely not me. I think...” Ari sighed. It was far better to be honest at this point in her life. “I think she feels threatened by me. By who I represent.”

“Why is that?”

“I’m a reminder of things she probably just wants to forget. What she did wasn’t exactly moral. And now here I am, practically living with Marc. She has to be wondering what I’m saying or doing.”

Insecurity. Their mother was insecure and maybe even hurting. Ari’s presence—as well as the rest of the Daviess’ offshoots—in her sons’ lives, taking over, might very well frighten her.

Ari understood fears you just couldn’t name.

It had her softening toward Marc’s mother. A bit.

She had still purchased Rafe, after all. And that was a sin that was pretty hard to forgive.

“Probably. The thing with Evelyn Deane is that she has never seen her sons as anything less than chess pieces on her own particular gameboard. I’m less than that. A pawn, barely worth noticing. Travis isn’t much more important. It’s Marc and his position that really brings her what she wants. Recognition.”

“But you and Travis aren’t exactly easily ignored. Nor are you unsuccessful. Far from it. What more does she want? You’re also both happy now. Shouldn’t that matter more than anything? Shouldn’t she want Marc happy, with whoever he chooses?”

A warm hand landed on her shoulder and Ari started. She looked behind her, right into deep green eyes. “Marc!”

“Hi, baby. I saw my mother leaving. I take it she’s been Evelyn-ing you?”

She nodded. Her heart had leapt ridiculously the moment she’d looked at him. Like it probably always would. Wasn’t it time to just accept it, admit it? Figure out what she wanted next? “She’s unhappy I’m here. And that you and I have been in the news.”

“I see.” He looked at Rafe. “I take it you interrupted her?”

“Before she could get some steam behind her.” A look passed between the two brothers that Ari couldn’t interpret. But Rafe dropped his hand from her elbow, and Marc’s replaced it.

She almost felt like they’d just passed her between them. As if they were communicating in a way she didn’t quite understand. She half-felt like a football. But then she looked into Marc’s eyes and saw the emotion there. The gratitude that his brother—their brother—wasn’t fighting them. The love he felt for her.

It was all there. Her stomach churned, but not from fear this time.

But from emotion. Love. Because she loved him. Deeply. Unwaveringly. Forever.

“I’m going to go. I just told Jillian I’d check on the both of you on my way home. She’s planning dinner this evening, by the way. You’re both expected.” Rafe looked at her specifically. “Wanted there. Both of you.”

She just nodded. It was going to take her a while to figure out this brother, she had no doubt of that. They would probably never be like she and Luc, but there was no reason they couldn’t find a peace between them—for the two people they both loved.

She could think of worse ways to start.