Page 2 of Her Brother's Best Friend

The laugh that bubbles up my throat won’t be held back no matter how hard I try to swallow it down.

“Your making fun of me?” Joe’s eyes flash black. His fingers wrap around my arm so tight I know they will leave bruises. He pulls and I have no choice but to move with him. “Wait until we get outside. I’ll show you what happens to people who fucking laugh at me.”

I’m tripping, falling over stool and table legs and my own feet. Not a single person in the bar takes their eyes off the screen long enough to see what is happening. Even if I try to go dead weight, Joe’s massive enough to drag me.

The front door gets closer, and I know my only hope is to stop him before he can pull me out of the bar.

If we leave... my brain goes blank. I can’t think past the next few seconds and not letting Joe take me outside.

I need someone to see us. To see me. I need someone to save me now.

Luke

Shit. My heads a screwed up mess, and it’s all because I saw Cassy in the bar with a guy. Like I have any right to stake any claim on her. Kyle made that clear years ago when I made a play for her on her birthday. Brothers until the end, he told me once. I learned that night; the end was messing with his little sister.

I haven’t seen Cassy in at least a year. She went off to school while Kyle and I started the shop, and she spent one summer working at the front counter. I thought we had something going then too, but as soon as the school year began, she was out without a second thought about me.

Maybe it’s for the best. I’m not really Cass’s type. Sure, I spent the last two years of my adolescence living next door, but the first sixteen years of my life weren’t the kind you talk about. And, I have my demons. I always will. But, Cassy made that all go away for me once. She looked at me as if I could be her equal. As if I could own her, heart, and soul.

Then I fucked it all up by kissing her on a stupid whim that cost me everything.

Shit. I reach into my jeans pocket and realize Bret still has the keys to the shop on him in the bar. I’d been so messed up seeing Cassy for the first time in a year, I’d forgotten to get them off him before heading out to my bike.

I can’t open the shop without them. I’m heading back through the parking lot when I spot Cassy and her guy. I should avoid them. She’s got her own life, and I have no right to intervene. But as soon as I get close enough to see his hands on her, I hear Cassy scream my name.

I see fucking red. My fists are tight before I even reach Cass. She tries to pull loose, but the jerk’s got her arm, and he screams at her to move.

No one screams at my Cass.

I cross the rest of the lot in seconds. My hands wrap around his neck and I lift him until his hand releases Cass, then I send him flying to the ground.

He lands on his back and rolls to his side before jumping back to his feet. If he wants to fight, I have no problem using his ass as my personal punching bag.

Cassy whimpers my name, but I block her out. The loser takes a swing at me, landing his fist smack dab in my open palm. I could crush his hand with one squeeze, but that’s too easy. I want this to be hard. I want to leave scars he has to look at daily and remember what happens when you hurt women.

My fist lands along the side of his nose and digs into his cheek before he flails and falls.

“Luke, stop.” Cassy grabs my arm as I’m cranking it back for another hit. “He’s not worth it. Can you just get me out of here.”

I hear her, but there’s blood rushing in my ears, and as long as this piece of shit is still breathing, I can’t be satisfied.

He moans on the ground and rolls to get up, and I land a kick to his ribs.

“God, Luke. Just stop. Joe, stay down.”

Why is she defending him? My head is spinning until her hands clasp around mine, and her eyes lock on my face. “Luke. Please. Take me home.”

The parking lot lights catch the tears in the corners of her eyes, and I break. I can’t make Cass cry again. Instead, I lead her to my bike. “Can you ride,” I ask over my shoulder.

“I think so,” she whispers so low I barely catch it.

I hand her my one helmet. Kyle would do worse to me then I just did to Cass’s date if I didn’t keep her safe on my bike.

Cass wraps her arms around me and lays her head on my back. She holds on while I start the bike and peel off into the street. She doesn’t move again until we’re outside her parent’s house in the dark.

I didn’t even think to ask her where she wanted to go. I stop on the street before the driveway and cut my bike off, but Cass doesn’t move. She’s molded to my back.

I give her a second before I reach up to my chest and unlatch her hands. I hold them in mine and turn as much as I can without disturbing her. “Cass. You okay?”

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