Page 13 of Kingston
I glance at Cannon, aware he can’t keep his eyes to himself. She wouldn’t be ours to deal with if it wasn’t for him. That might be something we need to remind him of later. “Rule three should be fairly obvious. You’ll follow all instructions given from any of the three of us in any form. No questions asked. We tell you exactly what we expect of you.”
At my demand, her chin raises a bit. “What about the rest of the brotherhood? Do I have to do what they say, too?”
My brows draw together as I note the slight trepidation in her voice. Is she scared of someone? “If you have any questions about something another brother asks of you or does, you should bring it directly to us.”
“And you’ll listen?” She takes a deep breath and holds it as her gaze meets each of ours in turn.
Cannon sits forward on his seat, raising his hand to get her attention. Their eyes connect, and he nods, seeking to reassure her if I’m not mistaken.
And surprisingly, for someone who has just met him, she immediately relaxes, releasing the pent-up breath.
Knowing this is how Cannon communicates, Kingston lets them stare at each other for several more seconds before interrupting. “Before you’re an equal member to the rest of us, you have to earn your place.” He eyes her carefully. “I’m afraid Daddy’s fake signature was only enough to get you in the door. Final rule, Archer?”
I smile, wondering how the fuck long he expects this one to last. “You’ll refrain from having sexual relations with anyone in the brotherhood.”
Her lips curve slightly as she absorbs this information. “I take it this is a new rule?”
“It is, as of this year.”
“Because of me.” She hesitates, and it’s clear she’s chewing on the inside of her cheek. Dragging in a breath, she looks to me for the answer to her next question. “And you’ve shared it with the others already?”
“Kingston informed the others via text.”
Elliot’s eyes betray her. She squints when she thinks hard about something. “But am I allowed to have a boyfriend in?”
Cannon’s head tilts to the side as his face pales. Oh, he’s going to shit himself if she has a boyfriend. Of course, I haven’t had a chance to tell him I’ve seen no evidence of anything but an ass of an ex in her messages. This doesn’t seem like the right time to butt in and let it be known that I’ve been sifting through her texts.
Giving a sharp jerk of his head, Kingston grunts, “Nope. Unless they’re specifically invited, the rule has always been there are no men outside the brotherhood allowed. If they aren’t brothers, they don’t deserve to set foot in this house.”
Her brows lift as she works her jaw back and forth. “What about women?”
My gaze snaps to Kingston’s, then Cannon’s.Fuck.We should have seen that coming.
She purses her lips, holding her hands up in an I-don’t-know gesture. “It seems like if you’re allowed to have someone in the house to take care of your needs, then I should be allowed someone, too.” When we stare at her blankly, she continues. “Don’t you think not permitting me to have a boyfriend—or even a fuck buddy—visit is kind of like beaver damming? Especially with the no-fucking-any-of-the-brothers rule?” She stops, glancing around. I don’t even know what to say. “Why don’t you boys think on that for a few minutes?” She seeks out Kingston’s attention, and I feel the smart comment coming before it even exits her mouth. “May I pee,sir?”
Oh, we’re so screwed. She stands up without waiting for a response and ducks back into the house… presumably to pee.
I rake my hands through my hair, eyeing my buddies. “Well…”
Kingston holds up his finger, pointing at me. “Don’t fucking say it.”
Across from me, Cannon rubs his hands over his face, clearly disturbed by the entire conversation. Finally, he pulls out his phone and hammers his thumbs on the screen as he types out a message. My phone buzzes in my pocket, and Kingston’s does the same on the table in front of us. We always know when Cannon really has something he needs to say when he sends a message. He may not be verbalizing, but he still gets right to the point.
I don’t like the idea of some dude fucking her across the hall from me.
And because I sometimes like to play devil’s advocate, I roughly say, “You’ve never had a problem with me entertaining guests, and we share a wall. I hear you all the goddamn time.”
Cannon frowns, rolling his eyes.
It’s different with her.
Kingston grits his teeth. “How so?”
Cannon levels his steel-blue gaze on him, and before we know it, he’s sprung from his spot on the sofa, sending the lightweight patio furniture backward. He stands between us, hands on his hips, shaking his head until he takes off into the house. In search of her? I have no fucking idea.
I rub my hand over my jaw. “He’s upset to think she has a boyfriend.”
Kingston simply nods, tugging on the back of his neck. “Yeah, I picked up on that.”
