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Knox left for Eldorado hours ago to avoid getting his ass chewed out for being late to work. However, Knox showing up hungover and getting in trouble is nothing new. Though spending the day with him would’ve been interesting, I expected him to leave before the sun rose. His one-nighters should be called half-night stands. From everything he’s shared over the years, he never stays for breakfast unless it comes with a promise for round two.
When my bladder threatens to explode, I stand and wobble to the bathroom. Thank God it’s Sunday, and I don’t have to work until tomorrow. I’ll be chugging water all day hoping I don’t feel like utter crap in the next twenty-four hours. Being a nurse at the hospital means I’m on my feet the majority of the time. I work in the ICU, where there’s always a crisis, so I have to be on my A game. People’s lives are literally in my hands. When it’s crazy, I’ll spend the day sprinting from room to room.
Once I pee, I brush my teeth to get the alcohol taste out of my mouth.
And the taste of him.
After I shower and dry off, I feel a million times better. I throw on some comfy yoga pants and a loose T-shirt, then a moment’s later, my lock pad beeps, and my door whips open.
“Hads!”
Kane?
“Hadleigh, where ya at?” he shouts, his voice echoes throughout my house, and he doesn’t sound pleased.
I walk out of my bedroom. “Right here.”
He rushes toward me in the hallway, lowering his gaze down my body, then back up to my eyes.
“Are you okay?” I ask. I’ve never seen him like this. He looks ready for a fight even though he’s typically the one ending them.
“I need you to be honest with me.”
I furrow my brows. “About what?”
“Did anything happen between you and Knox on your date?” He says the word with disdain.
Blinking, I stumble back a couple of steps. “Uh…that’s not really your business. I didn’t ask you about your date with Sarah.”
“You know nothing fuckin’ happened between us. And it’s my business because he’s my brother and you’re my best friend. It would change things, so I deserve to know if something is goin’ on between you two.”
I move closer, trying to read his expression. Not that I’ve had a ton of dates in recent years, but he’s never asked about them. That was juicy gossip I saved for Harper, my other best friend since grade school. She’s married with a baby now, so her priorities have switched from girls’ night out to romantic nights in. I love that for her, but I could really use some advice on what the hell is happening right now.
“Why do you care about this so much, Kane? You’ve never asked about my dates before.” I rest my hands on my hips and challenge him to come up with a better excuse.
“Fine, ya really wanna know? You wanna know why the thought of you with my brother makes me physically ill?”
My throat goes dry as I watch his face turn from anger to hurt.
“Because you’re the girl I’ve been in love with since high school. You’re the one I’ve wanted to be with for as long as I can remember. So if you’re hooking up with my brother, let me know now so I can move the fuck on.”
His intense blue gaze holds me in place as I swallow hard, unable to breathe. My heart beats erratically, and I try to form the words to respond, but nothing that comes to me makes any sense.
“Whoa, wait a minute…” I step back, needing a moment to process this. “What do you mean you’ve been in love with me since high school? Are you just saying that now since Knox and I went out? I—”
“No, I’m not, but I am fucking jealous. The one night I was away, he took you out. And every second you were with him, I was raging with envy. Then when I saw him this morning with a smug-ass look on his face, I lost it.”
“Kane! You didn’t…” I inch closer, hoping to somehow calm him. He looks unhinged.
“I got one hit in, but don’t worry, he’s fine.” He shrugs carelessly. They’ve gotten into more fights than I can count, but I didn’t expect them to physically fight over me.
I sigh with a groan. This is the last thing I wanted to deal with today.
“You seriously didn’t know I had feelings for you?” he challenges. This possessive and jealous side of him is different and hot as hell.
“I had my suspicions, but I didn’t know for certain. You never freaking told me!” I shout, getting angry at how he went about this. “I’m not a goddamn mind reader, ya know?”
“I don’t want to upset you, Hads. I’m sorry.”
