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"Annabelle," she blurts out. "I heard them–"
"Hold on…what?" I set my phone aside, ushering her onto the plush couch in our shared living room. "What happened?"
She paces, refusing my offer to sit, restless energy rolling off her in waves. "Emrys, Wilder, Wyatt... they made a bet about me. About who could-" She chokes on the words, shaking her head fiercely as if to dispel them.
"Hey," I coax, keeping my voice even. "You're not alone in this. Tell me everything."
As she recounts their words, my heart clenches. It's like watching someone take a sledgehammer to her spirit. Kat's always been the resilient one, but even steel can buckle under enough pressure. And these guys–these idiots–have just lit the fuse to my protective sister bomb.
"Okay, Kat, listen." I interrupt her spiraling tale, grabbing her by the shoulders. "I was trying to decide which dessert to serve at the rehearsal dinner. Maybe you can help me out and then we’ll figure this out together. How does triple chocolate sound?"
"Triple?" A flash of the old Kat gleams in her eyes, tentative but there.
"Definitely triple." I nod decisively. "I’ll tell the kitchens I’m ready for the tasting."
Once I’m sure she's sufficiently distracted with all the desserts that room service is carting in, I grab my phone and punch in Ethan’s number. He picks up after two rings, his deep voice a calm counterpoint to the raging inferno inside me.
"Hey, baby? What's up?"
"Code Red. The jackasses have crossed a line with Kat. I need backup."
"Say no more. Where and when?"
"Meet me outside Kat’s suite elevator in ten. Bring the cavalry. Oh, and rope. A lot of it."
"Got it. We’re on it."
I end the call and dash down the hallway, pulling together a mental list of our male cousins who'd drop everything for Kat. Our family is tight-knit–a veritable wolf pack–and right now, it's time to bare some teeth.
Armed with righteous fury and a plan that's forming with every thundering heartbeat, I make my way to the designated spot. Ethan's already there, flanked by our cousins–big, burly types who might look like knuckle-dragging Neanderthals but have hearts of gold.
"Guys," I begin, my tone brooking no argument, "Kat’s honor is at stake. Those three musketeers of mayhem thought they could play games with her heart. Now, we're going to teach them a lesson in respect."
Ethan cracks his knuckles, a devilish grin spreading across his face. "What's the play, baby?"
"We confront them," I declare. "We make it crystal clear that what they did was grade A fucked. They need to know that Kat is not a prize to be won. She's a person–with feelings. Nothing crazy…er, well, no one has to bleed."
Nods ripple through the group, a silent pact forming between us. This isn't just about setting things right; it's about family, and in our books, that means everything.
"Let's roll," I say, leading the charge into the elevator.
Today, those boys will learn that when you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us. And the Sharpes don't let anyone off the hook easily.
The elevator dings our arrival and I storm in, my makeshift crew of familial muscle at my heels. The sight that greets us is almost comical–Emrys, Wyatt, and Wilder lounging like they own the place, glasses in hand, completely oblivious to the storm about to hit them.
"Really, guys?" My voice cuts through them like a whip. Their heads snap up, eyes wide with surprise. "You're here, sipping bourbon while Kat's world crumbles?"
"Annabelle, we-" Wyatt starts, but I'm not having any of it.
"Save it," I snap, watching as his face hardens. Emrys and Wilder exchange a look that reeks of we've been caught.
"Heyyyy, Annabelle, what's going on?" Wilder asks, trying for innocence but missing the mark by a country mile.
"Shut it, Casanova," I retort. "You don't get to play dumb after making bets on my sister's emotions."
Ethan steps forward, a coil of rope slung over his shoulder. His smirk tells me he's enjoying this far more than he should. "Time for some brotherly bonding, fellas."
"Are you serious?" Wilder scoffs, attempting to rise from his seat, only to be pushed back down by one of my cousins.
