Page 43 of Hothead

“’Cause he was your brother?” She let the words hang in the air. He left them there. Absorbing the weight that label now carried.

It was only when she prompted him with his name that he spoke again. This time, he looked into her. Let her see him.

“To an angry fifteen-year-old, he was just another person who could hurt me.” And he’d had enough of that to last a lifetime.

“So what did you do?”

“I told him to fuck off.”

“And did he?” Bella’s head tilted with the question.

“You knew Marco ... what do you think?”

A delicate smile gently curved her lips. She knew his brother was no quitter. As much as Luke wanted to reminisce with her, though, there wasn’t a happy ending to this story and that smile wouldn’t stand the test of time after what he had to say next.

“When he came back, must have been a month or so later, I was in a bad place. I was about to do something stupid ... the kind of dumb shit you don’t come back from. But he stopped me.”

“But that’s good, right?” His cheek received another stroke with her question.

“It is, angel. What wasn’t so good was my reaction. I was pissed. Said some hurtful shit to him. Sent him away. And now ...” He let out a sigh. “Now I can’t help but wonder what if. What if I’d heard him out? Taken a chance. Let him be my goddamn brother ... ’cause that’s all he wanted, y’know? To be my brother. And I just pushed him away. Discarded him like day-old trash, when, really, I owe him everything. I wouldn’t have the life I have now if it weren’t for him.”

Both of them fell quiet. Luke was done sharing, and Bella must have sensed it because she didn’t push for more. Instead, she rose and stood before him, giving him a much-needed reminder of the reason behind his sharing session. The next thing he knew, she was pushing her panties down, and melancholy swiftly gave way to an overwhelming sense of pure want.

There was another feeling there too. Something that had been multiplying from the very moment this woman had come into his life. Something dangerous.

Bella clearly wasn’t getting the same warning signs as him, though, not if her outstretched hand was anything to go by. An offer his body gladly accepted as he came to his feet and tugged her into him.

As her neck stretched back, astute eyes took him in, and all of a sudden, potential danger was the last thing on his mind. Which was probably why he let what was left of his mask drop. She’d been chipping away at it ever since he’d met her. And now it was gone. He was ready to show her who he really was. Damaged. Alone. And emotionally stunted. This was him. He was sick of hiding.

His newfound courage didn’t stop his heart from hammering, though. Was this how it felt to let someone in? Vulnerable. Unsure. Fully clothed, and yet feeling just as naked as the beautiful woman in his arms.

“Take me upstairs, Luke.” Bella’s arms circled him. “I’m ready. Ready to feel all of you.”

He’d never been nervous to take a woman to bed before, not until this very moment. Maybe because this felt more real than any other encounter he’d had. More honest.

As he took the sight of her in and felt her warm flesh press against him, he knew it didn’t matter what he was feeling, because this was happening. Only an act of God would stop him now. He was taking his vulnerable ass upstairs, and he was going to feast on this heavenly body until sunrise.

Bending his knees, his hands went to her backside as he lifted her off the ground. Once she was secure in his arms, he headed toward the stairs, well aware that after tonight, things would never be the same.

And he was right. They wouldn’t.

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