Sucking on my teeth, I’m saved from having to respond when a feminine laugh draws mine and Aaron’s attention away from the truck.
“She sounds good,” he says before turning.
We cut across the lot, following the sound of the voice. I know without needing to see her that it belongs to Kasey, even without Aaron’s confirmation. And he’s right. She does sound good.
A smile curls the corners of my mouth, knowing she’s enjoying herself. It was a good idea to push her today. For a second there, I worried that returning to school would be too hard for her, but from the sounds of it—
We turn the corner and I come to a hard stop.The fuck?
Ice trickles through my veins at the sight of the guy standing next to her. Way too fucking close for comfort.
“Who is that?” Aaron asks, taking in the scene in front of us.
My spine stiffens, my blood all of a sudden heating like an inferno. “A fucking dead man,” I grind out, and the next thing I know, my feet are moving and I’m eating up the distance between us as I stalk toward Deacon and Kasey.
Her back is to me so she doesn’t see our approach, but Deacon must feel my gaze burning holes into his back because he looks over his shoulder, and as soon as our eyes meet, he blanches.
Good. That asshole should be scared. I warned him to stay away from her. Just because the team is no longer pummeling his ass during practice doesn’t mean he has the all clear from me and can just move in and make a pass at Kasey. She’s still off-fucking-limits.
He leans over, whispering something in her ear and getting way too fucking close to her. Rage clouds my vision. If he doesn’t back away from her right now, I’m going to make him regret ever transferring to Suncrest U. He must see the threat in my gaze because he takes a step back right as Kasey’s head snaps in my direction.
A look of surprise colors her expression before her blue eyes narrow. And what does she do? Arms folded over her chest, she takes a step forward, in front of Deacon. I almost laugh. The pretty little idiot. If this is her bullshit attempt at protecting him, she’s going to need more than her five-foot-three frame to stop me.
I’ll be damned if I let Deacon, or anyone else for that matter, try to take what’smine.
SIX
KASEY
Deacon leans close to whisper in my ear. “We’ve got company.” Inclining his head, toward our cars, I follow his gaze to find Dominique stalking toward me. Eyes hard and footsteps determined. He looks like a man on a warpath. Muscles flex with each step he takes and his face is stony, hard lines carved into his handsome face but it’s his eyes that unsettle me.
They burn with an intensity that screams there is hell to pay. I get the feeling I’m the one who will be on the receiving end of it.
My smile slips from my face.This should be fun.Shifting my weight, I place myself between him and Deacon before he gets the chance to do anything stupid. But another look at his face says that was the wrong move.Shit.His already murderous expression darkens.
A few steps behind him is my brother, Aaron, moving at a more relaxed pace. Our eyes meet, his green ones softening at the sight of me. Something inside my chest lightens.He’s here!Without thinking, I sprint toward him, blowing past a pissed-off Dominique, who stops in his tracks to watch as I jump into my brother’s outstretched arms, wrapping my legs around his waist as I hug him for all I’m worth.
“Hey, baby sis.” Aaron buries his face in my hair, squeezing me tight. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” Until this moment, I didn’t realize how much.
Having him back makes the tight ache in my chest loosen enough that it no longer hurts to breathe. Burying my nose in his neck, I suck in a lungful of air, taking comfort in the pear and cedar wood scent that is my brother. I never thought I’d love the smell of his Axe body spray so much.
“You been staying out of trouble?” Aaron places me back on my feet before ruffling my curly blond hair.
Swatting his hand away, I scowl at him before pushing my hair out of my face. “I never get in trouble,” I retort. Lies. I’ve gotten insometrouble. But nothing Aaron needs to worry about.
He chuckles, and that tight feeling in my chest loosens a little more. It’s good to see him smiling. I’m sure he’s had a hell of a week, but he looks good. Better than I could have hoped for.
“Is that why Dom looked ready to commit murder as soon as he spotted your friend over there?” He tips his head behind me, giving me a curious look, and I remember Deacon is still here.
Aaron quirks a brown, obviously waiting for an introduction so I give him one, laughing his comment aside with a roll of my eyes.
“He’s the second string quarterback.” I tell him, thinking on my feet. “He’s giving Dom a run for his money so they don’t really get along but,” I shrug, “Not many people get along with Dominique, so what can you expect?”
My brother takes the bait. Thank god. I don’t know what the hell Dominique was thinking but he’s coming off as a jealous boyfriend and that shit is not going to fly. Is he trying to out what’s going on between us?
Bending at the waist, Aaron laughs, his shaggy blond hair falling over the front of his face. When he catches his breath, he runs his fingers through it, pushing the strands back from his eyes before closing the distance between him and his friend.
