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No fucking way. We’ve come so far. Rebel is happy. She’s fighting this bastard. She can’t back down now. I lean over and touch her knee. “Ro, that’s not an option.”
“But—”
“My brother,” Ivy says in a way that catches both our attention. “Is a scary man. For a long time he made me feel like it was my fault that I couldn’t deal with him being a monster. He played it off like the things that he said and did were…jokes. Like they weren’t really a big deal. And I bought into it, because…you know, it made sense that I was weak.”
“Baby.” As much as I want her to open up, I see the fear that clouds her expression while she talks about her brother. I would do anything to eradicate every memory she has where he caused her pain. “If I ever meet the guy I don’t know that I’ll be able to reign in my desire to rearrange his face.”
She looks like she’s about to be physically sick as she levels those serious brown orbs on me. “That isn’t you, Rogue. You’re not the guy who goes to war with his fists.”
I snort out a breath. Rebel is the fighter. I’m the funny twin. The easygoing, gentle giant with a penis of solid gold and a heart to match. Whatever. That just means no one expects it when I throw the first punch. When it comes to her, you bet your fucking ass I’m the guy who will do anything to keep her safe. “That’s exactly who I am. Only once I’m done, I’ll make jokes about it like it wasn’t anything.”
“No.” She practically climbs into my lap and bunches my shirt in both hands like she needs me to be as serious as she is. “No, you won’t. Promise me you won’t.”
“Ivy, I can’t make a promise I won’t keep.”
“Rogue, I need—”
“Ivy. No, I can’t make that promise, so just drop it.”
She opens her mouth like she wants to argue, but must get the hint by the way I’m looking at her. This isn’t a negotiation she can win. I will never back down where she is concerned.
“Fine.” She sinks down on the couch again. Wrings her hands in her lap as she turns to Ro. “What I was trying to say is that you aren’t as weak as Alec Hawthorne wants you to think you are.”
“And he knows it,” I point out. “You’re ready to tell the world what a piece of shit he is, and he’s scared. Otherwise he wouldn’t have done this.”
“Hey, Ro.” Riot enters the room with the detective on his heels. “How are you feeling?”
“A little better.” She glances at Ivy. “Thanks to you.”
“Well, this is Detective—”
“Gunner.” The cop steps forward and holds out his hand to Ro. His brown eyes light up, but he masters his expression into something appropriate. “Rochelle Kitt. I wish we were meeting under better circumstances.”
“Me too.” She smiles like the consummate professional she is when faced with a fan as she clasps his hand with both of hers. “It’s been a rough night.”
“Yes.” He clears his throat. “Your boyfriend…”
Ro and Riot’s gazes collide.
“We’re just friends,” Riot explains.
So they’re not there yet. But are they close? Or is this mostly one-sided? Is my baby bro getting himself in too deep? Or perhaps it’s just a matter of keeping it under wraps for now.
“Sorry.” The cop’s lips flick up in the corner. “My mistake.”
Was he just feeling out the situation between Rochelle and Riot? Like he’s interested? Oh boy. The guy has balls to be hitting on the victim of a crime he’s investigating, never mind the fact that it’s Ro and in front of my brother.
“That’s okay,” Ro says, completely unaware because she’s still caught in the nightmare that has been this evening.
“I just need to ask you some questions about what happened, if that’s okay?”
“Yes. Of course.” She sits down and rearranges her skirt over her knees. Riot moves to stand behind her, his hand on her shoulder, lending her strength.
My phone rings. “Rebel.”
I move to the kitchen so I can answer my twin. I’m surprised it took him this long to call, to be honest. His Spidey sense had to be tingling this last hour.
“What the fuck is going on?” is his first question when I answer.
