Page 19 of Keep Me Safe: A Small Town Suspenseful Love Story

“I’m not in love with him!”

“-but you’re grown ass adults now. Things have changed. If you keep trying to solve this stupid little equation you’ll both end up miserable and then I’ll end up miserable by default.”

I rolled my eyes and couldn’t help but laugh. “I think you’ll live, especially with all the attention my brother’s been giving you.”

Simone froze as her cheeks turned a deep red. Not meeting my eye she said, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” and quickly disappeared towards the shoes.

I easily could have pursued the subject and dug for the information I wanted- I’m unapologetically nosy- but her reaction alone confirmed my thoughts; there was something going on between my best friend and my oldest brother.

I ended up buying the jeans that Simone picked out, appreciating that my ass looked good and camel toe wasn’t an issue. We stopped for frothy, delicious iced lattes where I promised to tell her everything that happened tonight and then went home to get ready for my date. A date. Huh. That sounded beyond weird.

My phone buzzed in my pocket as I walked into the house.

Can’t wait to see you tonight. I hear you’re wearing some jeans that make your ass look stellar. Then again, that’s never been a problem for you.

Laughing, I was typing out a response when Robbie came in through the back, the screen door squeaking. “What’s so funny?”

“Oh, just… Knox,” I said quietly, forcing myself to steel up before I continued. “I have a date with him tonight.”

Robbie stared at me for a minute and said nothing. I hated when he did that, he used to do that when I was younger and doing something he didn’t approve of. The weight of his gaze was heavy and I stared down at my flip flops, feeling like I was a fifteen all over again and dreading the response I was going to get.

“You think that’s a good idea?”

“I don’t think it’s a bad one.”

“Abby…” he started and then stopped, shaking his head and then laughing. “I’m not gonna be like dad and tell you what you can and can’t do. But I remember how much he hurt you last time and I remember wanting to fucking kill him. I just…” he paused and searched for the right words. “You’ve been through enough pain.”

Emotion clogged my throat. I was blessed to have Robbie and Logan when I was growing up. My friends sometimes and my protectors always, they constantly made sure I was taken care of, especially when it came to boys. To their friends, I was off limits and to guys they didn’t know I was definitely off limits. Growing up there was never a day where I felt neglected or not cared for. I was always cherished as a sibling and that made me emot

ional. I loved my brothers and would be lost without them.

Robbie walked up to me and pinched my cheek lightly. “I’m not going to tell you not to go out with him but I’m going to warn you that, as one of your two brothers, if he hurts you he’ll have a world of pain coming his way.”

I laughed and blinked back sudden tears before throwing my arms around him. “How’d I get so lucky to have a brother like you?”

“I don’t know, kid. But I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Chapter 8

I spent a decent amount of time getting ready, pulling my hair up into a strategic messy bun, strands falling here or there. A light coat of makeup and a spritz of Daisy had me feeling like a million bucks.

“Pick a shirt,” I said as I walked around my room clad in only a black thong and matching bra. I was not planning on having sex tonight, but a girl has to be prepared. Shimmying into my new jeans, I tore my closet apart before finally deciding on a sleeveless white shirt with spaghetti straps. It was light, breezy and flowed down to my hips. “Casual. Totally casual and not at all nervous.”

Robbie appeared in my doorway as I slipped on a pair of white boat shoes. “Hey, crazy, if you’re done talking to yourself, your date just pulled up.”

I felt like I was going to throw up. Why was I so nervous? Had I been this nervous when we first started dating? “God, I’m off my game.”

“Who are you talking to?”

“The voices in my head.”

Robbie raised his eyebrows and started backing up slowly with his hands in the air. I threw a pillow at him as his laughter faded down the hallway.

It was showtime.

Knox was halfway up the front steps when I walked out, one hand in his pocket and the other tugging at his hair. The blue dress shirt he had on stretched across his shoulders and I nearly jumped on him until the look on his face stopped me in my tracks. “What?”

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