Page 12 of Fractured Dreams

Her gaze involuntarily turned toward the VIP section where the band was sitting, noticing Connor had his eyes fixed on Lexie—not exactly a shock. Noah was looking in her direction, a frown on his face, and Eden groaned to herself. He really needed to relax. Anyone would think he was a pearl-clutching prude instead of a rock star with the way he kept checking on her so anxiously.

What surprised Eden, though, was that Tex was also frowning as he stared over at her. Her heartbeat stuttered as their eyes locked for a brief moment, before she realized her brother had probably been filling all of his friends’ ears with his unwarranted concerns. She turned away. Too bad. She was having fun, and she wasn’t planning to stop because Noah and Tex seemed to disapprove.

Her gaze met that of the man who’d been checking her out before. He drifted his eyes slowly down her body, and Eden’s lips curved in a smile. She was there to have a good time, and that’s exactly what she was going to do.

Chapter 6

Another night, another fucking PR event. Tex took a drink of his beer and leaned back in his chair. If someone had asked him a couple of years ago whether being paid to hang out at clubs and drink would ever get old, he’d have laughed. After all, getting paid thousands of dollars just to show up and have a few photos taken wasn’t exactly a hardship. But yeah, lately he’d found himself just going through the motions—sitting in the VIP section, surrounded by security, looking out at the sea of writhing bodies on the dance floor and wondering if he could even be bothered trying to find someone he wanted to fuck.

Tonight was different though—Eden was out with them. She and Lexie were currently on the crowded dance floor, which meant he, Noah and Connor were keeping a close eye on both of them. Connor was eyeing Lexie with a far from innocent expression on his face, while Noah watched Eden with the wary gaze of a concerned big brother. And Tex was looking at Eden too because, well, he didn’t quite know what he was feeling as he watched her dance. Concerned? Protective? Yes, to both of those things.

He turned to Noah, who was sitting next to him, a drink in one hand and the other unconsciously tapping out the rhythm of the music on his thigh. “So, are you okay now with Eden staying on her own while you’re gone?”

Noah shrugged. “There’s not much I can do about it. She doesn’t want to go home, and it’s not as if I’m going to kick her out. But I worry about her, you know?”

“What exactly is it you’re worried about? The chances of anyone actually breaking into your house are pretty slim.”

Noah glanced over at where the two women were dancing. “I don’t want her on her own for so long, maybe getting lonely. I don’t think she’d do something stupid like give the ex-douche a call, but she’s hurting at the moment, and being hurt and lonely can make you do crazy things.”

“That doesn’t sound like something Eden would do, though. She doesn’t come across as the type of person to let someone walk all over her, no matter how hurt and lonely she is.”

“She’s not, normally, but I think what happened affected her more than she’s letting on; she’s been a bit off since she arrived.” Noah sighed. “Although I’ve started to realize exactly how much I don’t know about my little sister now. She was ten the last time we lived together, and I’m not a hundred percent sure how to handle grown up Eden. I realize I need to give her space, but how much?” His mouth tightened, and he nudged Tex, jerking his chin at the dance floor. “See what I mean? She’s not acting like herself.”

Tex frowned over at Eden. She was on her own now, Lexie having been distracted by Connor, who’d stalked over there and dragged her into a dark corner. Eden didn’t seem worried, her eyes closing as she tilted her head backward, her waves of blonde hair tumbling over her shoulders and down her back as she moved her body sinuously to the music. She looked beautiful—really fucking beautiful—and it was clear the men surrounding her like sharks thought so too.

As they watched, one of them decided to take a shot, stepping in close behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. Tex could almost feel Noah’s tension vibrating in the air between them and his own muscles tightened in response. They both waited to see if she’d get rid of the man herself, but instead, she leaned back into him, eyes still closed, the corners of her lush mouth tipping up in a smile.

Anger flared in Tex’s chest as the guy’s hands went to her hips, then started sliding downward toward the hem of her short skirt, and without a word being said, both he and Noah were in motion. A few strides and they were at Eden’s side, Noah grabbing the man’s hand and pulling him away at the same time Tex caught her around the waist and hauled her against him.

Eden gasped; eyes wide as she stared up at him in confusion. “Tex?”

He frowned down at her as Noah dealt with the guy who’d been pawing at her. For a second, it appeared as if the man was going to get belligerent, before recognition lit up his face when he realized who it was that had grabbed him. “Holy shit, you’re Noah Taylor!” His eyes shifted to Tex, widening further. “And you’re Tex McLain!” When his gaze dropped to where Tex had Eden pressed against his chest, he grimaced. “Sorry man, I didn’t know she was yours.”

Eden tensed in his arms, but Tex didn’t correct the guy. If it kept the goddamn sharks away, he was happy enough for them to think whatever the hell they wanted. Eden tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but he clamped his arm around her slender body so she couldn’t.

Noah seemed to have the same idea as Tex. “Yeah, and she’s my fucking sister too, so hands off.” Eden grew even more tense if that were possible.

When the man backed off, Tex finally let her go, returning her glare with a single raised brow. Eden turned and stalked toward the VIP area, trailed by him and Noah. Once she got back to their seats, she whirled to confront them, agitation flushing her cheeks and causing her eyes to flare brilliant blue.

“You had no right to do that, either of you,” she snapped.

“He was touching you,” Noah argued.

“So what? Maybe I wanted him to touch me!”

Tex glowered at her. “You want some random asshole at a club to touch you?” He didn’t know why the idea made him so angry, just that it fucking did. She deserved more than some sleazy guy copping a feel.

Eden’s eyes were defiant. “Why not? You let random women touch you all the time.” She pointed at Noah. “You too. I’m a grown woman, I can decide whether or not I let someone touch me, all on my own.”

Tex wished she’d stop talking about being touched. The last thing he needed was the image of Eden beingtouchedin his head—that would be all kinds of wrong.

Noah scrubbed his hand over his face. “I know you are, Eden, but it’s hard for me. I’m your brother, and I’m not used to seeing you like this. I can’t help but think you’re acting out because you’ve been hurt.”

Eden’s expression softened, but her voice stayed firm. “I love you Noah, I do, but you can’t protect me from life. And even if this is the way I’m choosing to deal with what happened, then that’s my choice. I don’t need safeguarding, from men, or from myself. I know who I am, and what I want, and if what I want is to dance with a hot guy at a nightclub, you’re going to have to deal with it.”

She faced Tex. “That goes for you too. The last thing I need is another overprotective big brother.”

“I’m not your brother,” he growled, surprising both of them apparently with the way her eyebrows winged upward, her lips parting. There was a pause as their gazes clashed, the air between them charged with sudden tension.

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