Page 7 of Her Brother's Best Friend

“The guys here at work. We close early and go out for drinks on Sundays since the business district is so quiet on the weekends.”

His gaze sets on mine, and he shifts his stands, holding me between his palms.

“Luke. You can’t keep me from going out with my friends. One call to my brother and…” I trail off, knowing I don’t have to finish that sentence. Luke is Kyle’s best friend, but even friendships have their limits, and I’m a hard line for Kyle.

Luke stares at me a minute longer before letting me go and backing away a step. “Fine. Go out with your friends, but know you’re coming home to my place tonight. That neighborhood is too dangerous, and I still don’t like the idea of that Joe guy knowing where you live.”

I press a palm to his chest. “Okay, Daddy. I’ll be a good girl and come home before curfew. Any other demands you want to make before you let me get to work?”

“Funny,” he growls. “Call your brother. He’s worried about you too.” Luke turns for the door and storms out, a cloud of testosterone laced pride in his wake.

It’s almost cute how protective he is after seeing Joe rough me up in the parking lot, but it wasn’t that long ago that it was Luke I needed protection from.

That’s the thought on my mind as I reenter the salon to a sea of inquisitive faces. Luke might be hell-bent on protecting me from the world, but who’s going to protect me from Luke?

Luke

It’s past nine when I send Cass a third texted asking where she is. Like the other two I wrote, I delete it before sending. I’m becoming possessive, and I hate it. Every time I close my eyes and see that little fucker with his hands on her, I can’t help it. I go a bit more mad in the head.

I’m standing at the front window of my walkup, my eyes trained on both sides of the street. As soon as I see Cass coming, I’ll meet her outside and make sure she makes it okay.

I don’t know where these feelings are coming from. A week ago Cassy was the one that got away. Kyle’s baby sister, who wouldn’t give me the time of day or piss on me if I caught fire. She’s still angry over me kissing her on her sixteenth birthday. That grudge is seven years old, but she’s held onto it like a champ.

I’d given up hope she’d ever forgive me, but that night in the parking lot, a lot of things changed for me. Cassy being mine is overshadowed by the haunting fear that she’s also in danger.

I should have joined them for drinks. A real gentleman would have insisted and walked her home after, but I wanted to give Cass space after attacking her in the salon this morning. I can’t scare her off. Not now that I finally have her accepting me into her life by a mere inch.

Down the street a half-block, she comes into view, and I decide to watch from the window instead of meeting up with her. The whole space thing. I may even pretend to be enthralled in some sports show when she walks in and barely notice the time. She has at least honored my request to come to my place instead of her apartment tonight.

My plan to play disinterested comes to a full stop when she knocks, then opens the front door and is left standing bathed in soft light in my entryway.

Cass is like no other woman alive. She’s all soft curves and warm tones, and her voice soothes my soul. She’s peace to my chaos, and I need her to balance out my sharpness.

“You’re not going to tell me I’m late?” she says, dropping a bag on the table by my couch and pulling off her coat.

The second she has it off, I wish she’d put it back on. Her tight sweater hugs her breasts and the fullness has my mouth-watering. “I barely even noticed,” I lie.

She laughs and pulls her legs up under her on my couch. She’s at home here, though this is only the second time she’s ever been in my place. She fits, like my surroundings are made for her too.

“I actually stalled a bit. I wanted to see what would happen if your head exploded before I came over.”

“Dirty games.” I deserve that after kissing her for all the wrong reasons on her birthday.

“You are the master at them.” She grins. There’s not a drop of anything but humor in her voice. It helps me relax a little. “So, you and Kyle have some big plan for me, I know it. I could tell in his voice on the phone today. Spill.”

“No big plan.” I take the opposite end of the couch, giving her space, though it kills me to be so far away.

“I’ve known you a long time Luke. Kyle, my entire life. When you two are up to something, it seeps out in your voices.”

I rub a hand along my unshaven face and grunt with displeasure. Cass should be letting us take care of her, not questioning our motives. “There’s a room above the shop, nothing fancy, but there is plumbing and the basics for a bathroom and kitchen area. Kyle’s been thinking of fixing it up and renting it out since we moved the shop into the building.”

“And now he thinks I should live there?” She cuts me off.

I only nod.

“And what do you think, Luke? You and my brother seem to believe you both have some say in how I live my life. Where do you think I belong?”

“With me.”

---