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Control is Aleck’s lifeblood, but it’s becoming apparent that mischief is Hayden’s.
“I will,” Aleck replies. “As long as you know your place, little one.”
I almost snort a laugh. Hayden is by no means a small man, but Aleck’s taller and broader in the shoulders. The thought of how small Hayden’s heart is comes to mind though.
I smile uncomfortably at Richard and Midge, lifting my shoulder to knock Hayden’s hand away, but it remains. Aleck—visibly quelling his temper—casually, but firmly, reaches across my back, lifts Hayden’s hand from my shoulder, then drops it like it’s covered in disease.
“Hands to yourself,brother,” Aleck rasps through clenched teeth.
A laugh bubbles in Hayden’s chest as he rounds the table toward Midge. “Oh, that’s right…” His eyes glitter with delight, relishing in Aleck’s frustration. “You’ve always been…particularabout your playthings,” he taunts before leaning down to kiss Midge on the cheek.
Aleck snaps up from his seat, my hand dropping from his thigh. “Regard her like that one more time and I’ll cut your fucking tongue out,” he grits, leaning forward. His knuckles pressing so hard into the surface of the table, I am sure the wood will split down the middle.
“Aleck!” Richard stands, his scowl jumping from brother to brother. Tears well in Midge’s eyes. “Donotspeak that way in front of your mother.”
I stand next to Aleck, ignoring the maniacal laugh coming from Hayden and weave my fingers through Aleck’s. “Excuse us, please,” I address the table with a smile. “Come on,” I whisper to Aleck, stepping between our chairs. His eyes remain fixed on Hayden, so I tug at his arm. “Aleck, come with me.”
He finally turns, his eyes pooling into mine. His features soften, but his jaw remains tense. He nods, so I tighten my grip on his hand and lead the way into the house. When we step through the sliding glass door into the common area, I stop and slide my arm up to Aleck’s shoulder, feeling the eyes of his family on our backs.
“I don’t know my way around,” I say. “Take me somewhere private.”
Aleck displays a weak smile, one that doesn’t reach his eyes, and takes the lead. We enter a hallway, the natural light from the living room fading the deeper into the hallway we walk. We pass two closed doors until we reach a staircase. We descend the stairs, reaching a split-level landing before the L-shaped staircase turns, descending the stairs in the opposite direction. When we reach the bottom, there’s a hallway leading to one door. Directly across the hallway, the stairs continue to another lower level of the house.
My curiosity about the house’s layout has peaked, but we don’t continue down the stairs. Aleck, still gripping my hand in his, walks to the door at the end of the hall and opens it, exploding light into the hallway.
When I enter the room behind Aleck, my eyes widen at the view. The entire wall of this bedroom is glass. The view mere feet from the ocean's surface. Drops of water and ocean mist spray across the bottom of the glass, letting me know just how close to the water we are.
The room is large. Larger than my room in the suite. There’s a king-size bed in the middle of the far wall, sleek nightstands boxing it in. Glass French-style sliding doors are open, showing the spacious en suite and double walk-in closets.
Aleck lets go of my hand, gesturing toward the window. I smile and step close, my feet stopping once I’ve reached the glass, and I look down. Rocks sit just below the house, disappearing and reappearing as the tide forces the waves forward, then pulls them back into its grasp. I take it in quickly, knowing I’m not here for a tour, but here for Aleck’s sake.
I turn around, a small smile quirking Aleck’s lips, but he’s tense. I take a deep breath and walk toward him.
“This is beautiful…”
He slides his hands in his pockets, his shoulders square, his eyes darkened to a deep blue. “This is my favorite of all my family’s properties. We’re so close to the water, it almost feels dangerous.” He looks past me, through the glass.
I step closer, grazing my hands up his arms, and lock them behind his neck. “He’s goading you, Aleck.”
“At your expense.” His eyes snap back to mine, digging in, and all I see is a ten-year-old boy who may have been excited to learn he’d have a new brother, only to learn the reality.
“I’m a big girl—”
“You’remygirl.” His hands leave his pockets and curl around my waist, pulling me into his chest.
I never thought I’d be impressed by a possessive man, but Aleck being so protective of me that he threatened to cut his own brother’s tongue from his mouth does something to me. It’s weird how meeting the right person can change your desires.
And Aleck Fox just called me his.
“In any case,” I continue. “I can handle myself.”
He scowls, looking at the ground between us.
“Aleck, he’s only doing this because he knows it will bother you. He knows you care about me.”
His head pops up and his eyes wrap around mine, pulling me in as realization hits. A nervous swarm suddenly cyclones in my gut.
“I just mean that…” I start to backpedal.
