“Because you’re his brother. You’ll take his side. Besides, Matt can take Connor in a fight if he has too.” I glanced at Cole speculatively. “Matty could probably beat your ass down too, come to think of it.” I shrugged on my coat. I was only half joking – I’d usually bet on Matt every single time; the guy was a machine. Maybe I was deluded. It might not be safe to bet against Cole - he could be so detached it was scary.
Cole looked slightly pissed. “I was on your side you know, but for that, I’m definitely on Connor’s. You probably drive him insane anyway.” I gasped and Cole looked not one bit apologetic. He had been teasing though and gave me a lopsided grin as he slung his arm over my shoulders and pulled me into a side hug. “Come on; let’s go kill my brother’s hopes and dreams. Who said Saturday nights in this town were dull?” He laughed as we left my room.Maybe both brothers have screws looseI thought as we descended the stairs.
I explained to my dad where I was going and what I was doing. He made Colton promise to bring me home and not let any harm come to me.
It was a beautiful day as we left the house, the sun was shining brightly. Matt was parked across the street, leaning against his SUV, a black Toyota 4Runner, engrossed in his phone. He looked up when we crossed the road and I was in a bear hug before I even said hello.
“Have you been outside this whole time?” I laughed as he squeezed me to death.
“Yeah, Cole said you would probably be in a temper. I decided it was better out here…safe in the sunshine,” he chuckled. Still in his arms, I asked him to come in with me to talk to Connor. Usually everything the guys did had to be approved by Colton. If you were an outsider, you wouldn’t notice the casual glance looking for the barely perceptible nod of approval or shake of the head. When I asked for Matt’s help he agreed without hesitation, ruffling my hair in affection as he confirmed he wouldn’t leave my side. I truly adored this man.
Matt was slightly shorter than Colton by an inch maybe, but still over 6’, hair longer and styled in that annoyingly perfect messed up way that was just so effortless looking. His eyes were dark blue, he had what my mother had always referred to as a strong jaw.
I climbed into the back seat and tried to pretend that this was just another trip with the guys. But as we crossed into the rich part of town and into the gated community where the Dawson’s lived and I looked up at the ostentatious mansion, my heart started racing. I was pretty sure I was three gasps away from a panic attack. Colton turned to me and asked if I was ok. Matt had been looking at me with mounting concern for about half the drive over, only – surprise – I hadn’t noticed.
Before I knew it, I was handed a brown paper bag. I looked at it and looked at them, scrunched it up and bounced it off Colton’s head. Matt laughed as Cole narrowed those amazing green eyes at me.
As we went in, we were met by Jake Dawson. I stood slightly back, knowing that he didn’t like me. I’m pretty sure he thought I was after their inheritance or something equally pathetic. He sneered at me as he looked me up and down and I took a step closer to Matt.
“Have you come to grovel?” He directed at me.
“Dad!” Cole’s voice had a warning in it. It wasn’t a tone I used when I spoke to my parents. Not even my mother and that was saying something.
“I’ve come to talk to him – to tell him to stop acting out. He’ll hurt himself or someone else. He wouldn’t be able to cope with that,” I said quietly.
“One boy’s already in the hospital. I don’t think hurting others is a problem for him,” Jake Dawson said coldly. “Hurting them for you, may I add?”
I glared at him and was about to retort when Colton took a step in front of me, subtly shielding me from his father’s cold glare.
“That’s enough. Arielle’s done nothing wrong. You know she didn’t realise he was like this.”
Jake grunted in disbelief then simply turned and walked away. The guy was stone cold; I had no idea why his sons were so devoted to him.
Your dad’s a douchebag,I thought. Cole turned to look at me with a raised eyebrow. Ok – so maybe I’d said that out loud. Fantastic. Matt smothered a snicker. I reached back and he clasped my hand in support and gave it a gentle squeeze.
Cole turned back, choosing to ignore the silent support system Matt had going on. We went out to the back pool area looking for Connor. It was almost the onset of winter, but the pool was heated and it was Connor’s favourite place to hang out in this huge mansion.
He saw me immediately and leapt to his feet; he was around the pool in seconds and I was in his embrace before I could blink.
“Ari, I’m so sorry, you have no idea how sorry I am. White’s an arrogant ass and when he said those things about you, I saw red, Lil Bit. I didn’t even know I was hitting him till Ricky was pulling me off him.” Connor still hadn’t let me go. I didn’t want to be so close to him. I wriggled free and took a step back. I glanced back over my shoulder to make sure Matt hadn’t left me. He was standing a few steps behind me. Cole had perched on a stool at the bar and was watching impassively.
Connor noticed them and frowned. “Yeah guys can you clear off, I need to be with Ari. Alone.”
Matt didn’t move. Cole looked calmly back at all three of us. Connor’s frown became a scowl.
“Jesus guys, can you give me some privacy with my girlfriend?” He snapped, taking a step forward.
“I’m not your girlfriend,” I whispered. I didn’t look at him, but I felt him freeze.
“What?” The cold arrogance of his father spoke through him then. “What do you mean, you’re not my girlfriend.” He said it like he was daring me to repeat it. He was looking at me like I was beneath him. I could feel it.
I looked up into his face and took a breath to steady myself. “I’m not your girlfriend. I don’t want a boyfriend who puts people in the hospital because they share my sandwich, or look at me, or say hi to me in the store.” He took another step back; his face was hardening, and his eyes were looking at me like I was a stranger.
“It’s not like that, you’re being melodramatic.” He was cold. I felt ill again.
“No Connor, you put someone in the hospital! You’ve done this before, they say; my friends are scared to talk to me. Who does that? You can’t control me, Connor, I have a life and I can’t have that life with you in it when you act like this!” My voice was heated and the fact that he wasn’t looking even slightly apologetic was making me angry.
“You’re overthinking things. C’mon Ari, you don’t even talk to those people, these so called friends you’re mentioning. You never have, you don’t care about anyone. That’s why I liked you to start with – you’re cold just like the rest of us. Onlywematter Lil Bit. The rest of them are nothing.”