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Peytonwasmy best friend, but I loved her like a sister. Nodding, I focused on the picture of Peyton and me on the beach, posing for the camera in our bikinis with the ocean behind us.
“I love her just as much as I love Emma,” I stated.
A smirk spread across his face. “Then what happened with me? Our mothers forced us together our entire lives and yet you hate me. What gives?”
Batting my eyelashes, I smiled back. “I don’t hate you, Braden. I just think you, my brother, and Ripp have the big-head syndrome. My cousin, Brooks, is excluded from this.” Brooks was the only one out of our group that was responsible. He chose to become an FBI agent instead of a fighter. Now he was away on an undercover mission, and I had no clue when I’d see him again.
“Big-head syndrome?” Braden asked, grinning slyly. “Are you saying I have a huge dick?”
I held up a hand, cutting him off. “I can’t with you right now. I’m talking about the disease you have where you think you’re all that.”
Braden thrust his head back and laughed. “And what? You think you’re not the same way? I’ve seen all the men who want you, Reagan. It’s hard not to when all they do is stare. You enjoy the attention.” He marched over and stood in front of me, his body so achingly close I could feel the heat radiating from him. “And don’t you dare say otherwise. We both know it’d be a lie.”
I did like the attention, even more so now that I’d won my title and had millions of followers. What I craved more, though, washisattention. There was never a lack of it, but I could never get enough. I wanted more than the verbal sparring that was common between us. My phone beeped with an incoming text, so I stepped back to distance us.
Emma: Where are you? Carter just put the burgers on the grill.
I quickly texted her back.
Me: On my way.
“We have to go,” I said, looking up at Braden. “What are we going to tell Emma when she asks why you’re with me?”
Braden’s lips tilted up. “She’s marrying my cousin, Reagan, and I’m the best man. We could always say we’re trying to conserve gas.” His gaze narrowed playfully. “You make it sound like there’s something secret going on between us. Am I missing something?”
“Nope. There will never be anything between us,” I claimed. “That’s wishful thinking on your part.”
Braden stared into my eyes and then down to my lips. “Whatever you say, sunshine. You know one day, you might regret not taking me up on my offers.”
I followed him out the door and locked it while he strolled down the stairs. “I’d rather be a nun,” I shouted.
He laughed the whole way to his car. Who was I kidding? I wouldn’t last a second as a nun.
CHAPTER4
BRADEN
Reagan reluctantly got in my car, and we headed out to Carter and Emma’s. Her scent surrounded me, and it made me want her even more.
“Now that you’ve kept the featherweight title, what are you doing during your time off? I’m surprised you didn’t want to go to Vegas with your brother and Ripp.”
Reagan scoffed. “Hard pass on that. All they’re doing is hanging out at Kase’s club and screwing random chicks every night. It’s the only thing you guys ever do besides fight.”
“Hold up, sunshine,” I cut in, “You seem to have a severe misunderstanding of what I do. Am I out in Vegas? No. I’m right here with you.”
Reagan turned her body toward me, her lips pursed. “Why didn’t you go?”
I stared at her for a second before focusing back on the road. Why didn’t I go to Vegas? There were two reasons. I didn’t want her alone, not when we had enemies who I knew still watched our every move. I could feel it in my blood; it was like a part of me was always on alert. And the second reason …
“Are you sure you want to know?” I asked her. I had a habit of always telling the truth, and Reagan knew that. I’ve never hidden my desire to be with her. Yeah, I played it off sometimes by joking around, but all the words that came out of my mouth were the truth.
Reagan cleared her throat and turned back to the window. “Never mind. I don’t think I do.”
A smile spread across my face as I turned down Carter and Emma’s street. “I’ll tell you anyway,” I announced. “I figured with your brother and father gone for a few weeks, I’d have you all to myself.” Reagan jerked her head my way just as I pulled into the driveway. “Can you blame me for wanting to stay?” I asked, turning my attention to her.
She shook her head. “Why do you say shit like that?”
“Because I can, and it’s the truth,” I replied.
