Page 7 of Caught from Behind

I scowl.

He sighs, tucks his hands behind his head. “I need to get her hooked up with someone who’ll take care of her, not take advantage.”

Like I could have on Christmas.

Something I don’t say because I like my teeth where they are.

“What about you?” Knox says. “You’re awfully monkish for a single, relatively attractive”—I roll my eyes—“professional athlete.”

“It’s late,” I mutter. “You should go to bed.”

“And risk coming across your dad lurking in the hall?” he asks before glancing at his watch. “We have at least ten minutes to wait before I can slink my ass to my room.”

He’s not wrong.

“So?”

“So what?”

“Why are you”—he waves a hand—“all monk-like?”

I debate whether or not he’ll let this go.

But I know Knox too well.

He’s got the stubborn Adler gene.

I’ve got to give him something.

Give him enough so that he’ll be satisfied.

And then I’ll dream about fucking his sister.

“I’m not like you. I don’t love whipping my dick out and dunking it into whatever pussy I can find.” Sex means something to me. It’s more than mutual pleasure, more than a drunk fuck on the side of the road—no matter how good that would have been.

I had my fair share of road pussy, of puck bunnies, until?—

I shudder.

Until I learned that it doesn’t mean anything unless feelings are involved.

For me, at least.

The rest of the world, including Knox and Ella, can do what they want.

Knox sputters out a laugh. “Gross, man,” he mock grumbles, rolling over to face me. “You know it’s not like that.”

I just lift an eyebrow.

He shoves an elbow under himself, glares at me. “It’s not.”

I shrug, not biting on the argument, and reach for the door handle to encourage him out as I quote, “We Adlers are free and loose with their lovin’.” Something he said the first time Ella left with a guy in front of us—something that had Lake and I out of our chairs, ready to pummel the asshole until he saw reason and left her alone.

Knox talked us down, let her go.

More than once.

I grind my teeth together, ignore the familiar rage that wants to well up inside me.

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