Page 4 of Her Brother's Best Friend

“It won’t happen again,” I say, mostly to get him off my back.

“Damn straight it won’t. I’m not going to let it.”

“Oh,” I glance up at him. He’s brooding and sullen and oh so hot. Last night I was almost attacked, but right now my panties are sticking to me I’m so wet for Luke. It isn’t right. “How are you going to manage that?”

“I’m dating you. From now on, if you want to go out, you go out with me.”

I laugh, and his eyes darken at the sound. “That’s nice of you, but that’s not how relationships work. You can’t make me date you.”

“You think I can’t?” His jaw is set and his body tight. I’m beginning to think he’s serious. “Try me. Let a guy get within ten feet of you and watch how fast I make him run for cover.”

“Luke,” I shoot up out of bed and stand next to him. “You can’t be serious.”

“Serious as a heart attack. You don’t want me telling Kyle about last night, then you have to agree to my terms.”

“Which are?”

“You’re off the market. You want to go out, you tell me. You want to see a movie, grab a bite, get a drink, fuck... I’m the only number you call.”

“You’re crazy, you know that?” I’m searching for my shoes. The faster I can get out of Luke’s apartment, the better for us both. “Where are my shoes. I’m calling a taxi, and you’re going to work.”

I’m almost to the bedroom door when Luke stops in front of me. To keep my balance, I reach for his chest, and my hands land on his hard abs.

“If you walk out that door without agreeing to my terms, I tell your brother everything about last night.”

“Why are you this way to me, Luke?” I want to scream, but I can’t. There’s so little fight left in me after last night. He doesn’t answer, and he doesn’t move out of my way. He isn’t going to until I agree. “Fine. Now can I have my shoes and a taxi?”

He smiles. He thinks he’s won, and for now, I’ll let him believe it. I just need to get home, have a hot shower, and sink into my own bed until this nightmare ends.

“Taxi’s are off-limits too. You need a ride, you call me. Your shoes are in the hall. I’ll drop you off on my way to the shop.”

Luke

If Cass thinks I’m not serious, she has another thing coming. Seeing the look of fear in her eyes while that scum bucket ripped her around the parking lot last night still has me seeing red.

I’m not done with him either. Cass said he was her roommate’s brother-in-law which makes hunting his ass down easier with a place to start. He’ll know she’s mine when I’m done with him.

I spend my Saturday rearranging the front of the shop. Kyle and I meant to do it months ago. With this much anger coursing through my veins, I need to move heavy things and demolish shit. By the time closing rolls around, I’m spent and sweating, but I don’t feel an ounce of relief for the effort.

I stop off at my place to grab a quick shower and a change of clothes then hit my bike headed for Cassy’s. No way I’m giving her a chance to disobey my orders. I pull up as a short blonde exits her front door and hops in a red Camaro with a guy. Veronica, I assume which makes the guy in the car a likely suspect for Joe. The blonde gives me a wary once over before she opens the passenger door, and I lean down to the driver’s side window and tap the glass.

“You Joe?” I growl at the driver once he cracks the window. “You the one who fucked with my girl last night?”

I can tell by the blank expression he has no idea what I’m talking about.

“This is my date,” the blonde says, leaning over the guy. He’s too trim and clean cut to be the guy I only glanced at in the bar.

“Luke.” Cass’s voice catches my ear, and I stand to see over the hood of the car. She standing at her doorway in nothing but a pair of hip-hugging booty shorts and a tank top so thin it leaves nothing to my imagination.

I growl. I’m about to ask Camero guy if he was inside with my girl while she was looking like she is now, but as soon as I took my attention away from him, the jerk started the car and peels down the street.

“What are you doing here, Luke?”

I eat the sidewalk to her door and use my body to cover hers from prying eyes. “Cass. Was that man in your apartment? Tell me the truth.”

“No, Luke.” She presses a hand to my chest, but instead of making me back away like she wants, it only spurs me forward into her doorway. “Why are you here?”

“We have a deal. I kick her door shut with my boot. She is glaring at me, but it’s not anger I see swimming in her gorgeous green eyes. It’s lust. She can deny it all she wants, but she can’t keep secrets from me. I know her too well. “You said you don’t cook once, so how about we order in some pizza and watch a movie?”

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