Page 7 of Wolf's Son
“Yeah, sure.” I nod in agreement, though I don’t intend to do that. I couldn’t.
Once Wolf steps out of my sight, I turn everything off and head for the door. I glance in the direction of his house to see him standing on his back patio, looking down at his phone. Well, he was until I stepped outside, and his head twisted in my direction.
Looking away from him, I rush across the lawn and into my house. The sight of the men sitting in my living room and the man sitting at the island in my kitchen makes me wish I’d stayed in my studio.
“What are you doing here, Izaiah?” I demand. I’m not going to let the fact he’s not alone intimidate me.
“You’re not answering your phone,” he states, getting right to it. “Since you refused to speak to meon the phone, I had to come check on my little sister.”
“I told you I’d call you when I wasn’t so mad with you,” I snapped and stepped around the island, moving toward the fridge to see what I intended to cook for myself. I wasn’t really in the mood to cook or really eat anything, but I knew my body. If I didn’t, I would start to get lightheaded, and my sugar levels would drop. I wasn’t a diabetic, but I was hypoglycemic.
“You know I don’t like it when you ignore me like that. I don’t care if you’re upset or not. I’m your brother, and you know better,” Izaiah mutters and looks at me like I am an annoyance to him right now.
Guess that’s just me, an annoyance to everyone.
I annoy my brother because I don’t jump at his every command.
I annoy my neighbor for blaring loud music. Though this time, he didn’t seem to mind so much.
“What is so important that you couldn’t allow me a few more days to get over being mad at you?” I ask, closing the fridge and looking at him.
“You did not tell me you had someone move into the house next door.”
Ah, now I get why he’s here.
“I’m not moving out of my house,” I tell my brother, determined to stand firm.
“Considering the man you’re living next to now is part of a motorcycle club that I know and have a history with, you will if I tell you to do so. For now, though, I won’t be demanding this of you.”
“You won’t be demanding this of me, period,” I snap, glaring daggers at my brother. “I’m a grown woman, big brother. I don’t need you constantly trying to run my life.”
Izaiah narrows his gaze and slowly gets to his feet. “I do what I do to protect you. To keep you safe. To ensure you have a beautiful life.”
“You want me to have a beautiful life? Let me do it as I please.” I didn’t need or want to go to those dinners. I didn’t want to host the Gala and other charity parties. Sighing, I shake my head. “I love you, Izaiah. I do. You’re my big brother. I’d do anything for you, but I can’t keep living like this. I don’t like it. I hate the dinners. I despise the parties. I just want to be me. I want to do what I enjoy.”
Izaiah watches me closely and nods. “Love you too, Jacqueline. I just don’t want to see you hurt. There are threats out there that I don’t want to see affect you.”
“Threats of what?” I demand, interrupting him with a huff. Throwing my hands in the air, I shakemy head. “Wait, I know the answer to this. It’s not for me to worry about. Right?”
“You know I’m only doing this to protect you,” Izaiah states calmly.
Always calm.
Never once has he ever raised his voice to me. It’s always calm. Gentle. Even when he expresses his displeasure. To him, it’s like I’m this fragile being that can’t do anything for myself.
Even when I lost the chance to be a dancer, he treated me like I was glass and going to fall.
“Izaiah, please, just for once in my life, let me just be,” I whisper, tears pricking at my eyes ready to fall down my cheeks.
My brother doesn’t say anything at first. Instead, he watches me before finally nodding. “Fine, we’ll change things. You want to open a gallery, I’ll help you. We’ll make it happen. Tomorrow, we can go look at spaces, but under one condition.”
“What’s that?” The question comes out right at the end of the last word.
“You allow me to handle the security for the gallery. Also, you at least have to go to dinner with me once a week. If at any time I believe you’re in danger, then you’ll listen to me without argument. You’ll also agree to a security detail that I see fit at any time I see fit to set one up.”
“That’s more than one condition,” I point out.
“It’s several things all rolled into one simple condition, you’re allowing your brother to see to your safety,” he retorts.
