“Keep talking. I want to see him take off your head.” Maksim literally looked ready to break out into song and dance while King looked worried that I’d actually be headless the rest of my short life.
“Told you he’d freak out when he found out.” Serena sighed while Junior looked ready to play referee. I just wasn’t sure if it was the kind that would step between us or just blow the whistle and say round two!
“He’s still alive.” Ash waved me off. “You’re welcome, but I need to see something. Junior, hit him.”
“The fuck!” I yelled. “What’s wrong with you?”
“YOU SLEPT WITH MY SISTER!” he roared. “You get no vote!”
“He’s dying today.” King made a crossing motion over his chest like he was saying a prayer for my dark soul.
“Definitely,” Maksim and Izzy said at the same time.
Junior dropped Serena’s hand and approached me.
“Should we at least move the living room table?” I wondered as he stalked toward me.
“No, I vote it stays.” Serena grinned at me. “Imagine the slo-mo angle I’ll get on the camera when he picks you up and slams you into it.”
“Oooooo!” King rubbed his hands together. “Yes, that, do that, Junior!”
“Some brother you are,” I grumbled as Junior continued stalking his prey.
Me.
Which meant I actually had to fight.
I was more lover than fighter.
It was all smokescreens.
A part we have to play.
That had been mine.
Until now.
I’d never been interested in fighting the guys, so when we fought, I typically just let them get a few hits in, jabbed, ducked, and then went on my day. Because I was afraid if they saw this, they’d see too much, and if they did…
I’d be a dead man.
Liar.
The voice whispered in my head as Junior lunged for me.
I side-stepped out of his way, letting his momentum take him next to me as I shoved him down and then kneed him in the stomach, before driving my elbow into his back and driving him into the ground.
“Ouch.” Serena winced. “Get up, Junior, you’re fine. Nice moves, Breaker. Someone drop you in a tank of superhero? Or have you just been holding out on us?”
“Shit.” Junior winced from the floor; my hit had opened up a cut on his chin, whoops. “Didn’t see that coming.”
“Right?” Ash’s eyes narrowed as he helped Junior to his feet. “Why hide the fact that you can actually win fights, Breaker?”
I gulped; I hated lying. I hated it. “Because I’d rather make out with your sister than spend all day getting the shit beat out of me?”
“Not good enough,” he snapped. “And mention her and you doing anything physical again, and I’m going to pin you under the table and sit on it until I hear each rib crack, mmkay?”
Serena snorted out a laugh. “I always appreciate Ash’s imagination.”
“Look, I’m telling the truth.” Kind of. “Now, I’m starving, and I’m tired of bleeding everywhere. Can we just—”
“It’s Violet!” Izzy jumped off the couch. “She’s coming over! I told her we were visiting! She’s already on her way.”
Panic like I’d never known seized my lungs. My muscles locked up, rooting me to the floor.
She frowned.
“What’s wrong?” Ash asked.
“Nothing, she just said she has a curfew?”
Paralyzed, I watched them and tried not to give anything away when Ash’s gaze fell to me. “You know about this?”
“I know nothing.” I held up my hands. “Remember, I’m the heartbroken one.”
His gaze flickered away. “Yeah…”
“She’s a few minutes out. She has a driver, that’s weird.” Izzy just kept talking, and I kept drinking in every piece of information like a starved man. Maybe this would work. Maybe it would be okay.
Maybe, just maybe, we could salvage how messed up this had gotten.
Minutes later, Violet was walking into the living room.
And I still hadn’t moved from my spot.
I took one look at her smooth skin and haunting eyes.
Maybe not.
Not a chance in hell.
She moved toward me.
Ash stepped in front, blocking her, and then said, “He looks like shit because we fought because you guys slept together. True or false, you seduced him?”
She peered around her brother, sending me a look that made me almost terrified to breathe. “Technically, I seduced him. And…” She faced Ash again. “I’m not sorry.”
“No!” He put his hands on her shoulders. “No sex! Ever.”
“Holy shit, he sounds like Chase.” Junior burst out laughing. “This is the best; he’s turning into a dad right in front of us. Quick, man, grab a tie to hang yourself with because bro, you’re done for.”
Ash ran his hands through his head. “Just—not with him.”
I was the him apparently.
“Okay,” she whispered. “Deal.”
Why did it feel like she just punched me in the gut all over again? This was for the best, remember? She was married, remember? She doesn’t belong to Breaker, remember?
It still hurt like hell.
It hurt to breathe.
Being in the same room with her but not able to hold her hand or tell her that I would figure a way to make this right when I couldn’t even get myself out of the mess I was in.