Page 36 of Bossy Ex's Brother

“So I’m supposed to just look away while my brother makes the biggest mistake of his life?”

“It’s his life. You should focus on yours.” He leaned forward, his eyes blazing with meaning. “And stop living for other people for once.”

What on earth was he talking about?

“Don’t give up your life for anyone,” he said, his expression morose. “I did that for my brother, did things, went to some very dark places, sold my soul. Now I can never get it back.”

I opened my mouth to say something else, to ask him what he meant or to ascertain that Iwasliving for myself, only to realize just how close our faces were. Luca must have realized it at the same time because his eyes darkened. I licked my lips involuntarily, and his eyes dropped, a growl rumbling out of his chest. My heart began to pound in anticipation as his face got closer and closer.

But once again, we pulled apart when the door opened.

And once again, Brandon stood at the entrance, surprise stamped on his face.

FOURTEEN

LUCA

As Jane scurried off, avoiding Brandon’s gaze, I was debating how much I needed my second-in-command alive.

This was the second instance of his horrible timing. Only, this time, he’d walked in before I could even taste her. I could just imagine it, inhaling that sweet, spicy scent, putting my lips onto her soft skin, and sucking until she was gasping and begging for more. I would give it to her, but I would go at my own pace, exploring her body slowly, unhurriedly. Right before I spread her legs apart and splayed her on my table, lapping up all her cream like a fucking starved dog. And when she’d come multiple times on my face, I’d finally put my dick inside her and let myself be surrounded by her wet heat once more.

I nearly groaned as my dick jumped at my imagination, hard enough to cut through steel. God, why was I letting myself go there, knowing good and well that I couldn’t do anything about it right now? I was only torturing myself at the end of the day.

Brandon walked in and shut the door behind him. This time, he didn’t apologize or say anything. He just watched me closely.

It quickly got irritating, so I growled, “What?”

“You like her,” he stated simply.

I shrugged, feigning nonchalance even though a huge part of me still wanted to hit him. “She’s very competent. I wouldn’t have hired her if she wasn’t.”

“That’s not what I mean, and you know it. Youlikeher.”

I glanced up at the emphasis, wondering when we’d regressed to middle school. And then I noticed something in Brandon’s gaze, something I didn’t like. Something vaguely envious.

I suddenly recalled that when I met Jane at the bar all those days ago, he’d been in the process of offering her a free drink.

Brandon didn’t offer free drinks lightly. The man was usually more stingy with the booze than I was, and that was why I left him in charge of the bar. So for him to offer her a free drink meant that he’d probably been attracted to her on some level.

A dark emotion filled my chest.

Was that what this was? Was he challenging me for her?

Instant jealousy swam through me, and a low growl colored the air. It took me some time to realize that the growling came from me. I didn’t care. I couldn’t stop it. The heat of possession was already riding so high inside me that I wanted to kick Brandon’s ass just for thinking about her in that way.

And he could probably tell what I thought because he raised his hands defensively.

“Hey, I didn’t mean it like that, okay? Calm down.” He spoke quickly, taking a step back in a defensive pose in case I charged at him. I was still currently sitting down, but Brandon knew how fast I was and how lethal I could be when I was pissed off.

And he didn’t want any of that smoke.

“I’m serious, man,” Brandon continued. “Sure, I thought she was a beautiful woman when I first met her, and she still is, but I never got that far into it. She’s not my type anyway. That’s not why I’m asking you these questions.”

“Then why are you asking me these questions?” I didn’t recognize my voice, deep and vibrating with a kind of violence that was unusual for me and out of proportion with this conversation. Trying to get myself to calm down was impossible, though, even with Brandon insisting that he wasn’t interested in Jane.

Mine. The beast inside me declared.She’s mine.

“I’m asking because you seem to like her a lot more than you’ve liked any other woman in a long time,” he said. “And as your friend, I became…concerned.”

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