Page 49 of Off Limits
Chapter Twenty-Four
Jane
The front door slammed shut. Jane rushed back out to the kitchen to find Brady leaning against the kitchen island. His brows drew down, a crease forming between his eyebrows.
“Rex left?” She already knew the answer to the question but didn’t know what else to say.
Brady nodded. “He thinks I’ll hurt you.”
“You might.” She walked over to stand in front of him. “Or I might hurt you.” She cupped his cheek. He tilted his head into her touch.
“I won’t survive it.” His voice was barely above a whisper. His lips thinned into a grim line. “I’m not sure I’ll survive Rex cutting me out either.” He squeezed his eyes closed. “It feels like someone has died.” He put a hand to his chest.
“Brady.” She rose on her toes and kissed his lips. “This will pass. I promise you. Rex will come around.”
“I don’t know, Princess.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “You didn’t see the look on his face before he stormed out. He looked at me like I was a stranger. Like I betrayed him.”
“I will talk to him,” she said, her voice firm even though her heart twisted. She sighed. She knew her brother would be upset. He’d always had a protective side a mile wide but this was different. She wasn’t a teenager anymore. She owned her own business. She paid her own bills. And she loved Brady with everything she had. How could Rex not see that?
“Maybe let him cool off.” Brady pulled her into his arms and rested his chin on the top of her head.
“He should be more concerned about whether I’m cooled off.”
“I don’t want to come between you and your brother.” His body tensed around her.
She pulled back to look at him. “Don’t you dare, Brady. We have agreed to give us a shot and you aren’t going to back out because Rex decided to act like a petulant child.”
“I can’t let you go, Princess.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “Even if it means the end of me, I’m not giving you up.”
She pressed her lips to his. “Good. Because I’m not going to let you give up on us.”
“I love that about you.” He kissed her back. “You’re relentless.”
“You have no idea.”
****
Jane stormed into thebrewery like a late afternoon Florida thunderstorm.
