I shook my head, ignoring Blake’s muscles straining beneath his shirt as he locked my brother in a chokehold. His strength and ability to fight had never been what appealed to me. I’d fallen for the sweet, lesser-known version of him. The guy who spent weekends teaching kids how to play football. The one whoalways loaded his arms with grocery bags so my mom wouldn’t have to carry them.
Still, I couldn’t deny how my attraction to him had changed over the years.
I hated when he fought recklessly and put his future at risk.
But I was still a woman.
While Adam grunted and struggled, Blake reined in my wayward thoughts as easily as he’d distracted me, when he crowed with laughter. “Say uncle!”
“Idiots.” I muttered over their bodies as I climbed out of the car. Flipping my sunglasses off my head, I prayed the incognito look would hide my relation to them. “Can you try not to embarrass us?”
Stepping around them carefully, I searched for strangers who might witness their childish display. In doing so, I missed when Blake released Adam and tore after me.
Adam joined him.
And I got scooped up into a tangle of limbs as they attacked me. They dug their fingers into my sides, forcing an outrageous and totally embarrassing laugh to burst out of my mouth.
“Stop!” I shrieked as they tickled me. “Oh my god!”
My arms flailed wildly. My whole body spasmed as I fought to get away from their hands. Laughter peeled loudly across the entrance to the building while I tried to break free.
Voices I didn’t recognize commented as they passed us. Snickers of laughter forced a growl from my throat. And they’d knownexactlywhat weakness to attack when they did it.
The whole thing was mortifying.
College boys were the worst.
“You guys, stop! Mom!”
“Adam Nathaniel Barrow! Put your sister down this instant!” My mother’s voice rang out across the courtyard, helping whilealso adding to my mortification. “And Blake Hawthorne, don’t think I can’t see that you’re involved.”
“He started it!” I cried, sure she’d go easy on him either way.
But at the sound of my mother’s voice, Blake’s hands immediately left my body.
They both dropped me, stepping away and leaving me to smack my butt on the sidewalk. I hit the ground with a grunt, another equally embarrassing sound after my squeals of laughter.
Rubbing my sore right butt cheek, I glared up at my two tormentors. “Ow. You jerks.”
They stood soldier-straight with their arms clasped behind their backs, smiling innocently at my mother while they fed her a fake apology.
My mother waved them away, her lips pursed as she checked on me. “Addie baby, are you alright?”
I dusted off my pants and stood. “Just peachy, Mom.”
Satisfied, she left us there to rejoin my dad in the front office. After years of witnessing our squabbling and roughhousing, she’d only intervene so much between the three of us.
If I wanted to get back at the two of them, retaliation would need to be delivered by my own hand, swiftly and stealthily. Once our parents were back home, of course.
I pinned them with my most menacing stare, conjuring up all the pranks our newfound freedom made possible. With limited resources, I focused on the most achievable options.
But the art of war—even a prank war—meant knowing my opponents.
While Adam and Blake’s strengths lent themselves to physical tactics, I needed a mental approach. Something they didn’t see coming. Smiling sweetly, I stepped between them and slung my arms over their shoulders. “Home sweet home, boys.”
They eyed me warily.
I nodded toward the apartments. “Better sleep with one eye open.”
