Page 47 of Broken Dreams
“Why do they scare you?”
Addy sighs with a shrug. “They are walking lie detectors. We’re going to spend three days there and that’s a long time around those two. Blakely was a PI and Emmett is the Sheriff. Both were military. Then there’s Spencer, who is a world-renowned investigative journalist. It’s like we’re going into the lion’s den with steak strapped to our bodies.”
Well, there’s an image worth laughing at. “I wonder, though, if they’ll believe it when we show up if you’ve never mentioned me before. Besides, by the time we go out there, we’ll be good at this.”
I hope.
I have yet to kiss her, which I need to fix soon. There’s been something holding me back. Not because I feel guilt, but because I don’t want to feel it. Kissing Addison won’t be a punishment, not by a long shot, but she deserves her first kiss after losing Isaac to mean something. To be with a guy who will give her everything she wants and needs.
I’m not that guy and that makes me feel like a piece of shit.
“You’re right. I need to tell them so they have time to get used to the idea and maybe won’t be complete assholes.”
I laugh. “Oh, they will be, and I’ll deserve that. I’ll be coming onto their turf with a girl who they are very protective of. I promise, they’ll be ready to fight. Just like my brothers and I are when it comes to Brynn. They’ll want to honor his memory and take care of what he can’t.”
“Are you all morons?” she asks, shaking her head. “Do you not think we, the women in your lives, have our situations in hand? I don’t need them to protect me.”
“It isn’t about you needing us or not, it’s about us wanting to protect you from being hurt. I always want to defend the people I care about, like I do with my sister. It’s just the big brother in me, and from what you’ve explained of Isaac’s friends, you’re that for them.”
Addison leans back, her mouth parted just slightly. “You know, at your sister’s house, I thought the same thing. How much you and your brothers were just like the guys.”
“Then we’ll be fine.”
“How so?”
“I understand those guys. If they’re anything like my brothers, we’ll have our pissing match in the beginning, which I’ll win, and they’ll be like lambs afterwards.”
She eyes me dubiously. “You’ll win?”
“Of course I will. Do you doubt my skills?”
“I doubt you’ll fool them.”
I lean in, placing my hands palm up. She looks at them, then me, and I lift my head just the slightest. Addison takes my cue and places her hands in mine. “I won’t have any issues with this, Addison. If it were another time and we weren’t on a clock, I wouldn’t be pretending anything. I don’t have to feign attraction.”
I watch as a small tremor runs through her and then she almost collects herself. “At least neither of us have to worry about that.”
“So you like me?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You think I’m good looking?”
“I didn’t say that either,” she teases.
“No, you said you wouldn’t have to feign attraction, which means you think one of those.”
Addison leans forward, her hands still in mine. “No,yousaid that, I just said I wouldn’t have to worry about that.”
I chuckle softly. “Got me there.”
“So you think I’m hot?”
“I do,” I say immediately, because she’s incredibly attractive and if after all of this, she comes out knowing that, it’s a win. I don’t like using people and that’s sort of what we’re both doing, but what if this gives her confidence to find the right guy?
I can give her a chance to put herself out there without getting hurt.
“At least I have that.”
