Page 2 of Fragile

“Part of it is. It’s only half-finished. A work in progress.”

As she continued to survey her surroundings, the light from the chandelier highlighted her face.

Bottom line; Leonie Smith was sinfully attractive. The beauty of her smile would illuminate any darkness and I wanted to taste it. To run my tongue across the seam of those plump ‘begging to be kissed’ lips.

Allegedly, Leonie was my brother Asher’s new girlfriend which was rich, considering I suspected he was gay.

‘Good things come in small packages’ Ash had bragged. As I stared across at said package, I wasn’t so sure. Yes, she was small—tiny in fact, but her presence in my brother’s life was anything but good. Especially considering my dicks reaction to her physical appearance. The girl had ‘trouble’ written all over her.

Leonie’s phone suddenly started ringing and she apologised, becoming flustered as she searched the pockets of the raincoat she wore. I watched her, feeling slightly amused as she turned away with an apologetic smile, and parted her coat. She eventually retrieved her phone from the pocket of her jeans.

“It’s Asher,” Leonie husked in a breathy voice waving her phone in the air. I noted the battered case and fuck me, what model was that?

“Do you mind if I take this?” she asked, not wanting to appear rude.

“Be my guest,” I replied, motioning towards the brick-like device she clutched. Leonie turned around and held it to her ear, her voice becoming higher like she was excited.

I felt another surge of irritation that Asher had met her first.

My brother had explained that the dance school where she was studying shared the same building as his college.

Leonie began to chat on her phone, her voice a whisper. The distraction allowed me to observe her, and catalogue everything I saw.

She was like a little doll—one you weren’t allowed to play with. The aura surrounding her was look, but do not touch. Once again, the predator within continued to prowl. Leonie was delicately put together and the fact that I would dwarf her, in and out of bed, turned me the fuck on. The need I felt for her made me furious as well as hard.

You so need to get laid.

My brother said she was training to be a professional dancer, but didn’t dancers have to be tall with long legs and a good rack? I had initially questioned what type of dancer, but as my eyes roamed over her slight frame, I seriously doubted she would have been that type. My thoughts darted back to that tight top she wore; her tits weren’t big enough for a start; a handful sure, but nothing that would sell tickets.

As Leonie paced up and down the lobby, whilst talking to my brother, her baby blues were now confused, and I dropped my gaze to her mouth again. I knew she was wary of me but with an internal savage growl, I realised that I didn’t care. I wondered fleetingly what Asher had said about me but as my eyes rested on those lips, I started to imagine all the things she could do with them.

Leonie caught me looking and blushed. She could feel the heat between us, although she tried to hide that fact. Interesting.

I was no stranger to beautiful women. I’d spent my life since puberty with them crawling all over me, but this one was different. Special, with a vulnerability I had never seen before and that darker side of me wanted to mess with that. What? I was a bastard, that’s what we do. Lovey-dovey wasn’t in my DNA.

I knew she wasn’t for me, not really. Leonie was the type of female who would need to be handled gently and let’s face it, I was anything but gentle.

I fisted my hands by my sides to stop myself from reaching out and touching her. The temptation I felt was off the fucking chart, and she belonged to my brother. Or did she?

Ash had never shown much interest in the female sex before and whenever we threw a party, his guests were always male. I thought back to that call to the house the other week; one from Mark somebody; explaining how Ash had left his watch at his apartment. A definite sign of Asher flying the flag of pride in my opinion.

Was Ash attempting to use this little piece of trouble to hide his true sexuality from our father? It wouldn’t surprise me. If Garrett found out my brother was gay, the shit would hit the fan big time. I’m talking binned from our family, cut off; the works.

Leonie ended the call and pushed her phone into the pocket of her raincoat, before giving me her full attention. Shoving off the door, I took a step towards her and she trembled, that sweet mouth parting and I felt a misguided desire to comfort her. What the hell was that about? Giving a shit made you weak.

Run sweetheart, I’m one of the bad guys. My inner demon chanted.

In my world, she would be a weakness I couldn’t afford. As I said, trouble.

At that point, there was no doubt in my mind. I had just come face to face with the girl who had the power to become the biggest mistake of my life…

Leonie

After I ended the call with Asher, I hurriedly put my phone away, my hands still shaking as I turned back to meet his brother’s intense stare.

I knew as soon as he opened the door who he was. He was the type of guy that made girls speechless; as I was at that very moment.

Asher’s brother, Gabriel aka Gabe Knight was ridiculously handsome with a tall, broad frame and an intensity that snarled I’m in charge. He had probably been breaking hearts from his cot. His jaw was now clenched and I couldn’t help but admire his superb bone structure.

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