Page 138 of Closer

“Give me a moment.” She grips my arm, eyes pleading. “I need to handle this.”

“Yeah, fuck off, Barron.”

My eyes snap to him.

Handlethis? Jason forced himself on her, putting his filthy hands where they didn’t belong. On my girl. The urge to pummel him into the ground consumes me.

She cups my face, her touch firm, guiding my eyes to hers. Those amber eyes, usually so warm, now shimmer with desperation. And then, her lips are on mine—soft yet urgent, a silent plea. I inhale sharply, the scent of chocolate surrounding me, wiping everything else away, grounding me.

“Trust me,” she whispers against my lips.

“I can’t lose you again, princess.” The lump in my throat nearly chokes me. “ I can’t.”

Something flashes in her eyes, but before she can respond, Levi’s voice cuts through the air. “I suggest you back the fuck off before I make you.” He has Jason by the collar, holding him back from lunging at me. The prick’s face is mottled red, his eyes wild.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” Landon strolls up, hands in his pockets, the picture of calm. “First, Jason. What the fuck are you doing here?”

Jason struggles against Levi’s grip. “None of your damn business.”

“See.” Landon tilts his head, a humorless smile playing on his lips. “That’s where you’re wrong. Anything involving my sister is very much my business. So are you going to play nice if my brother releases you?”

Jason nods, and Levi whispers something into his ear before releasing him with a shove. My fists itch to connect with the bastard’s face, but I hold back. Barely.

Landon turns to us, his expression unreadable. “Lil, Sebastian, I apologize for this… unpleasantness.”

He hugs Lil and then extends a hand to me. I shake it, my grip a little tighter than necessary.

“We’d like to talk to our sister,” Landon says. “Away from here. Your mother put a lot of effort into this brunch. Let’s not ruin it with another scene, shall we?”

I open my mouth to protest, but Anne appears beside Landon, her brow furrowed. “What’s going on?”

Landon waves a dismissive hand. “I’ll fill you in later, love. For now, Levi and I need a word with our sister about this new… development.”

His eyes flick to me, and I bristle. Development? Is that what he calls me? Like I’m some fucking phase Lil’s going through?

Lil turns to me, her hand on my chest. “You okay with me leaving?”

No. “If that’s what you want.” I cover her hand with mine.

She nods, rising onto her toes to give me a quick peck on the lips. “I’ll meet you back at the apartment, okay?”

No, it’s not fucking okay. I want to wrap her in my arms and never let go, shield her from the world and all the assholes in it. But fuck, I can’t. I have to trust her. Even if it kills me.

“Alright.” My voice is rough. “I’ll be waiting.”

She spins around, walking away with her brothers, and I’m left standing here like a goddamn idiot.

What if they convince her that I’m bad for her? That I’m the asshole who broke her heart years ago? What if she decides not to come back? The thought gnaws at my insides like a relentless beast.

Anne touches my shoulder. “You okay? What happened?”

I run a hand through my hair, blowing out a harsh breath. “Jason fucking Campbell happened.”

Her eyes widen. “What did he do?”

“He put his hands on her.” The words taste like bile in my mouth. “Kissed her against her will.”

Anne gasps, her hand flying to her mouth. “Oh my God. Is she okay?”

---