Duncan took a step back but was still staring Calum down, never once blinking. Calum took a step back as well and looked from Duncan to Donovan. “Okay, he says he’s serious about my sister. Maybe if the female population of this dojo knew as well, I would believe him.”
Duncan growled. “Don’t make this about some bimbo who was coming on to me. I shot that shit down and told her to never come at me again. Don’t act like I was fucking her in front of ye.”
“Calum, I guess Duncan got a bit pissed when you questioned his loyalty. I want to remind you that you are at his dojo, getting in his face about something he says will never happen again. I think Duncan hasn’t had the time to get the word out, since your sister wasn’t too keen to take the next step with Dunc. Am I right, bro?” Donovan concluded.
Duncan nodded, still looking at Calum with furrowed brows.
Calum sighed and shook his head. “All right, okay.” He held both of his hands up. “I’m sorry for coming on strong.” He then held out his hand for Duncan to shake. “I’ve been on edge for the past two months. Fuck, seeing Kayla again and finding out what happened to her but not being able to do anything for her? It’s messing with me, but I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. I know.”
Duncan shook Calum’s hand before slapping him on the shoulder. “Apology accepted. I know you’ve just met me, and you’re only looking out for your sister. But let me tell you once again, I’ve fallen for Kayla. I’m in deep, and no pussy is going to mess with that. I’m a one-woman man when I’m in a serious relationship. Fuck if I know if your sis even wants that with me, but I’m not running scared. She’ll get her head out of the sand soon enough.”
Calum chuckled. “Good luck with that.”
Duncan thought it best to get it all out and asked, “Now, give it to me straight. Do you have problems with me being with Kayla?”
The question wiped Calum’s smirk off his face. He looked Duncan in the eye and said, “I’m always honest, Duncan. I will always give things straight; what you see is what you get. If you mess with Kayla in one way or the other, you and I have some real problems. I don’t know you all that well, but I can see that you mean to be around for her. I can see that you care for my sister.”
Duncan nodded and was glad that Calum at least acknowledged his feelings for Kayla.
Calum continued. “I think she cares about you too. I think you’ll be the reason she’ll tell me to go back to New Jersey alone. I think that’s the reason I was coming on so strong. If her reason for staying here is going to fuck up, then I want to prevent her from walking away from her family again.”
“I’m sorry that I’ve hurt you, Calum.” The three men all turned around at the sound of Kayla’s soft voice. They hadn’t realized she had entered the dojo, and Duncan wondered what she’d overheard between him and Calum.
She knew she had hurther family by leaving them so abruptly, and she knew Calum was especially hurt by her lies about the attack. He was her big brother, and he wanted—no, he needed to be there for her. It had always been his role to serve and protect, and he was pissed off that he hadn’t been given the chance to help her. He couldn’t exactly yell at her with all that went on, and Kayla was sure he was taking it out on Duncan.
“Please, Calum, I don’t want you to fight with Duncan. I know you’re trying to look out for me, but I’m twenty-nine years old, and I’d like to think that I can still handle things on my own.” She glanced from Calum to Duncan and noticed he was losing some of his anger. When she’d walked in during their discussion, she’d felt the tension pouring off both men.
When Duncan told Calum he was serious about her, that he’d fallen for her and was a one-woman man, her heart skipped a beat. She was standing still, holding her breath and trying to not miss a single word that came from his mouth. He’d said he was waiting for her to get her head out of the sand, and she’d felt her lips curling into a smile.
But the next words that came from her brother made her so sad. When Calum said it would feel like she was walking away from her family all over again if she decided to stay here with Duncan, it was clear that he was hurt. He was trying to hold on to her, and he thought that if she didn’t have Duncan, then she would go back with him and all would be all right. But it would not be all right, and Kayla suddenly realized it.
“I’ve fallen for you too, Duncan. My God, I don’t want to have this talk so soon, and certainly not in front of our brothers.”
Donovan chuckled, and Duncan shoved him aside before walking over to stand in front of her.
She looked at her brother over Duncan’s shoulder. “I know you want to protect me. You think you’ve failed me with everything that has been going on.” Calum took a step toward her, but she kept talking before he could interrupt her. “I know that you want me back home. Perhaps if I hadn’t fallen for Duncan, I would have returned with you, but I don’t want to leave Austin. I don’t want to leave Duncan. I don’t even want to leave my demanding new boss.” She shot a look at Donovan over Duncan’s other shoulder and quirked her brow at him.