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“SayYouWon’tLetGo”—JamesArthur
“You’re going to wear a hole in my damn floor, Jazzy,” my brother said as he sipped his coffee and read something on his phone.
“Don’t even talk to me. I’m still mad at you for last night. You said you wouldn’t hurt him.”
“Hell, that was nothing. He was lucky that was all I did. And I said I wouldn’t kill him. I never said I wouldn’t blacken his eye.” He gave a careless shrug, and I growled in frustration.
I’d slept like shit last night. No matter how many times I woke up, I fell back into the same dream on repeat. It was the same one I had occasionally over the years, but it was insane. It was of the wolf that watched me from the shadows. We were in the middle of freaking Iowa—there were no wolves here. So the odds of me encountering a wolf in the wild were less than slim.
“It was still fucked-up. He’s your friend—your ‘brother.’” I made air quotes.
My brother’s expression went hard. “Yeah, he is. Which is why he should’ve known what he was doing was wrong. What he did is against the club’s code. The thing is? You’re right, he is my friend, and I would’ve thought he’d at least have the nuts to come talk to me. Ask if it was okay. Tell me he wanted to be with my sister in more than a one-night way. Something.Anythingbut hiding it like you were his dirty little secret. That’s what pissed me off more than anything.”
A stabbing ache hit me in the chest like a shot. I sucked in a ragged breath because it was difficult and blew it out hard. “Jude. That wasn’t his fault. He wanted to talk to you. He repeatedly said he wanted to tell you. But I wouldn’t let him. If anyone was in the wrong, it was me. I shamelessly used him because I trusted him not to hurt me. And he let me,” I said with a pleading gaze. I wanted my brother to understand it wasn’t Nico’s fault.
“Jasmine, I understand what you’re saying, but regardless, as a man and a brother, he fucked up. We settled it. Drop it.” Rarely, did my brother use such an authoritative tone with me. It wasn’t harsh, but it was firm and brooked no argument.
“So you’re good with him now?” I clarified as my hand rested protectively on my baby bump. His eyes softened. It was important that my brother and Nico be okay if he and I were going to make this insane relationship successful.
“I said it was settled, didn’t I?”
“Just like that?” I asked, disbelieving.
“You want me to kick his ass again?”
“Hell no!”
“Well, that’s good to know,” the voice that I’d both missed and dreaded hearing for the last four months said from behind me. Butterflies let loose in my belly, and my heart damn near exploded as his deep tone poured through me like warm honey. Korrie must’ve let him in as she went upstairs with Angeline.
Slowly, I turned to face him and captured my lower lip in my teeth. God, the man was sexy. Tall, dark, and handsome barely covered it. Add in those tattoos that told a million stories, the dark hair that flopped over his forehead, and his mesmerizing eyes the color of the richest chocolate, and his beauty was damn near deadly. Muscles rippled with each movement, and damn did he fill out those jeans perfectly.
And he was mine.
“Hey,” I said softly and way too breathlessly as his mouth kicked up on one side. Yeah, he’d caught me drooling. The shiner my brother had given him didn’t detract from his good looks one bit, but it did make me want to smack my brother upside his head.
“You ready?” he asked. I nodded. Then he looked a little nervous as he cast a glance to my brother before locking on me. “Do you mind if we take your cage? I only have my bike, and I don’t really want to risk it with you. I’ll have to get a cage of my own soon,” he said as his gaze dropped to where my hand still rested over the curve of my stomach.
“Look at you, already getting domestic and shit,” my asshole brother said.
To my surprise, Nico flipped him off with a chuckle. Angel stood, and for a second I held my breath. I needn’t have worried. They embraced, then my brother slipped on his cut that matched Nico’s. Did it make me disloyal to my big brother that I thought Nico looked better in his? I grinned at the thought.
“What?” my brother asked as he caught my smile.
“Nothing,” I said, my smile spreading wider.
He hugged me tightly. “God, sis, it’s good to see you smile.”
Pressing my nose into the soft leather of his cut, I nodded. “Itfeelsgood to smile,” I agreed.
For a few moments, we quietly held each other and remembered simpler times. Then he stepped back and gave me a peck on the cheek.
“Take care of my sister,” he demanded of Nico as he passed him. He gave him a squeeze on the shoulder and went upstairs to say goodbye to Korrie and his daughter.
Looping my arms around Nico’s neck, I kissed his chin playfully.
“Are you sure you want me to go with to your therapy appointment?” Nico asked as we heard my brother’s bike start, then the roar of his motor fading down the road.
After a deep breath, I nodded. “Yes, I am. I’d like you to meet Helen, and she wants to meet you.”
