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Turning onto the narrow road again Zoey made the turn into the narrower lane leading to her sister and brother-in-law’s home.
Turning off the ignition, Zoey slid from the car and headed up the walk.
“Okay, sis?” Concern filled Natches’s emerald-green eyes when Zoey stepped to the porch.
He was her cousin, but Dawg, Natches, and Rowdy were often mistaken for brothers by those unaware of the Mackay family history. And she loved them like brothers. Overprotective, affectionate, always loving, brothers.
“The little moron.” She rolled her eyes at Billy Ray’s antics as his hand settled at her back, leading her into the house.
“Where’s Lyrica?” she asked.
“Her room, with the babies,” he answered, his voice relaxed enough, but there was an edge of tension in his expression that warned her that Billy Ray’s future could be in question. “That was Billy Ray tearing around you, wasn’t it?”
She heard that carefully bland tone and knew it for what it was. It wouldn’t be much longer before Billy was sporting Mackay bruises.
“Dammit, Natches, they’re friends. Let it go,” she demanded, turning to face him as she entered the hall, knowing if she didn’t confront it now then she’d only have to deal with it later.
“I heard you tearing onto the road a mile away, Zoey,” he refuted, concern flickering in his gaze. Concern and no small amount of anger. “The way the motor was screaming, you were scared. Don’t deny it.”
She didn’t hesitate. One never hesitated when it came to Natches. Going to her tip toes, she shoved her finger in his face, anger tightening her expression.
“If you, Rowdy, or Dawg or any of your cohorts lay one hand on my friends, Natches, I swear I’ll head straight to California. Seth and Saul have promised I could stay with them any time I want. Keep pushing me, Natches, and my ‘want to’ just may get real deep and intense. Know what I’m saying?”
The Navy
SEAL August twins had made the offer more than once after hearing about her brother’s and cousins’ attempts to protect the sisters.
It distracted him, though. His gaze had strayed to her neck, where she’d pulled her hair over her shoulder to hide Doogan’s mark. At least, she hoped it was still hidden.
“That worries me?” he snorted. “Hell, Zoey, those boys of Cade’s and Marley’s are a hell of a lot more protective than we are.”
Natches might have to redefine their ideas of protection.
“And I wouldn’t forget, cousin,” she reminded him with a fierce glare. “The Mackay sisters and the August brothers are just kissin’ cousins, and those are some fine-lookin’ Texas boys.”
Natches actually stepped back in shock before he blinked as though he couldn’t believe she’d said something so outrageous. “You wouldn’t . . .”
Well, no, not now she wouldn’t. But he didn’t have to know that, now did he?
“The Mackay cousins could when they were my age,” she reminded him. “Do you think I wouldn’t get happy-happy with two of those bad boys if you dared me, Natches? Push me and find out.”
Walker’s Run Bar
Doogan saw the confrontation, outrage and pure white-hot, livid lust surging through him at the threat she made to her cousin.
“Oh, fuck!” Eli snickered as he watched the live feed from Graham’s security camera on John Walker’s large-screen television. Lyrica had called her husband the second Zoey had stepped into the hall and laughingly told him to pull up the security feed.
“Damn, Zoey.” Natches rubbed at his chest, the camera catching his wince and that expression of disbelief on his face.
“Acid reflux,” Graham guessed, chuckling as he glanced at Doogan. “This is about to get good.”
“You’re making my acid reflux burn,” Natches grimaced.
“Test me, Natches.” She bared her teeth, heavy black lashes narrowing over her pale green eyes. “Not a single bruise.”
“You wouldn’t . . .”
“Winter gets real cold,” she reminded him softly, and the faintest hint of sensuality flickering over her expression had his teeth grinding. “A set of those twins would keep me just nice and warm, don’t you think? You know how much I hate the winter. You really want to test me on it?”
