Growing up, he always got the attention. I had to clean up after his mess and look after him when I could and he got to run amok, flash his smile, and get out of anything. His smart mouth and his troublemaking ways had always caused us more anxiety than any of us deserved and it pissed me off. Someone needed to knock him into his place and I was always willing to take the first shot.
Ethan glared at me as Kyra opened her eyes and, the moment she saw me, she stepped away from him.
“I need to get home,” she said lightly. “Thanks for talking with me, Ethan.”
“Anytime,” he said.
But his eyes never left my face.
I reached out my arm and grabbed her just as she moved past me to get to the door. Her body halted in its tracks and she whipped her gaze around, her wary eyes looking up at me. I could see the thousand wars she’d weathered between lunch and here and all I wanted to do was bend down and kiss her lips. To remind her of the tenderness I had inside of me that I could give her. Remind her that I could never hurt her like her ex could or be angry with her the way Ethan had been.
“You need to remember your power,” I said.
She smiled up at me with her watering eyes and my shriveled heart slowly started pumping again. It was something I’d always said to her when she was a kid, after she’d lost her mother and sort of lost her way. We were her Lost Boys and she was our Tinkerbell. Unique and wonderful and always flying around our heads, guiding us home. I told her that when she sprinkled her magic dust on us Lost Boys, we could fly to wherever we needed to be.
She had that power she could bestow upon anyone… even herself, if she needed.
“Thank you, Chance,” she said.
I let go of her arm and she waved goodbye before she walked by the other brothers and left the house. I looked back at Ethan after I made sure she got to the front door without being badgered and I could see the scowl growing on his face. He was about to open his mouth and say something stupid and I’d had just enough drama in my life for the day to fly off at him for whatever he was about to say.
“You always fucking interrupt me, like you’re some kind of big shot,” he said.
“Tired of me stealing the spotlight, baby boy?” I asked.
“I’m tired of you sticking your damn nose in shit that doesn’t concern you,” he said.
“Kyra didn’t act like it wasn’t any of my concern,” I said as my eyes narrowed. “Why don’t you stop acting like a spoiled child who refuses to share his toy?”
Ethan stalked up to me, his hands balled into fists. I was ready for him to punch me. I was ready for him to throw the first shot. All I needed was one fucking excuse to bury his ass into the ground, just so he knew exactly where he stood in this family.
Just so he knew exactly how annoying he fucking was.
He stood toe to toe with me, his nose close to mine while we gazed at one another. He was slightly shorter than I was and I smirked the moment I had to crane my neck down to see him. I could hear him panting and feel his entire body trembling with the emotions coursing through his system.
He reared his arm back and I readied myself for the punch, taking a step back to brace myself to tackle him. But instead, he whipped around and slammed his fist into the wall, creating a massive hole I’d, of course, make him fucking fix.
Then he turned around, walked back outside to the garage, and continued tinkering with whatever the hell was out there.
I frowned as I watched him walk away. Why the hell could I never control my temper around him? He was such a fucking hothead and, if there was one thing the military taught me, it was to control my temper even around the most insane human beings.
But Ethan just fucking got under my skin.
The house was solemn all day. We all kept peering out the window, waiting to see if Kyra would resurface. But she didn’t and we all knew better than to go pester her. I took a few calls for my security consulting outfit, trying to secure more clients as well as interview a couple of men who I’d had my eye on for a couple years now. I needed another miniature team who could take on some part-time work for me but I also needed them to have the ability to commit long term the moment I secured more clients.
I worked all day and passed out in my bed. I woke up to the winter sun streaming through my window, so I decided to take the time to run a few errands. All the brothers were still sleeping, which meant I didn’t have to field all their useless questions, which was nice. We needed some groceries, I needed to make a trip to the bank, and then I could get some breakfast and try to clear my head.
I’d been running my own security consulting business for several years now. I contracted the services of ex-military men that I’d networked with during my time in the service. I loved the job because I could work from home and set my own hours, which meant I could travel and see things I’d always wanted to see but never could. I paid very well, I lived very comfortably, and I got the satisfaction of keeping people safe.
That was all I really wanted to do in life anyway.
I turned my truck on and began scraping off the frost from my windows, only to hear the door across the yard open. I saw Kyra heading down the driveway, heading for the newspaper that had been tossed out there this morning. I waved at her and she waved back, and I could tell how tired she was.
But as she started for me, all I could do was smile when she approached.
“Hey there, Chance,” she said.
“Hey, Kyra.”