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I swear sometimes it’s like I have three brothers instead of one. Xavier’s friends have been around for as far back as I can remember. They all went to university together and then they built up their firm to what it is today. They’re only ten years older than me—it’s really not even that much—but I still like to tease them about it. Also, it helps to deflect the interrogation I felt coming my way. If they think I’m fine, they’ll stop trying to figure out what’s wrong with me.
Not that I’ve stopped trying to figure that one out for myself.
I decide to head home. I need to forget this stalker bullshit. It’s not like anyone can get into my apartment. They’d have to slip past the doorman and then have the biometrics to make it to my floor. At least that’s what I assumed until I enter my apartment and find a new vase of blue tulips sitting on the ground. In the middle of my foyer.
First of all, why leave them on the ground? And second, what the hell is this dude’s fascination with blue tulips? Third, and probably what should have been my first thought seeing as he was obviously inside my apartment, is he still here?
I grab the can of Mace from my bag, gripping it firmly in my palm as I slowly check every door and every cabinet. I don’t know why I pull out the cutlery drawer. It’s not like anyone can fit in there. There’s no one here. I sigh in relief, dropping on the edge of the bed with the Mace still clutched in my hand.
What the hell do I do?
I pick up my phone and dial the doorman.
“Miss Lucy, how are you?” he answers.
“Good. Um, Shawn, did you, um… let someone up into my apartment?” I ask him.
“No, Miss Lucy, I would never,” he assures me, and I believe him.
“Okay, thank you.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes, fine. Just checking,” I tell him before hanging up the phone. I leave the vase of flowers exactly where they are. They can rot right there in the middle of my foyer for all I care.
NINE
I’m watching Hope teach the self-defence class Lucy is taking. My cousin’s really good. Hope’s been known to put both me and Ash on our asses a time or two. She was attacked when she was sixteen, and ever since, she’s been hell-bent on making sure she can protect herself. She’s also passionate about teaching other women the skills they all should have. It’s not lost on me that she’s paying extra attention to Lucy, helping her perfect her form a littletoofucking much.
I’m torn as I watch Lucy learn how to defend herself. I want her to be able to fight back against a potential predator.Exceptwhen that predator’s me. On the other hand, my cock hardens at the thought of her fighting back, of her trying to outrun me, escaping only to be captured again.
It’s fucked up. I’m sane enough to recognize that. I just don’t fucking care.
My eyes are glued to the monitors in my Uncle Bray’s office, while my fingers itch to be the ones teaching her. Touching her. I have an irrational jealousy of my fucking cousin. She’s too fucking close to my Little Bee.
“You look like your cat just died.”
I turn my head to the door and roll my eyes when Axe walks in. “Is the whole fucking family in town this weekend? Was there a reunion and I just didn’t get the invite?” I ask him.
Axe, AKA Axel, is my youngest cousin and belongs to my Uncle Zac and Aunt Lyssa. He’s also Ash’s little brother.
“Nope, Uncle Bray asked if I could come and help out with some of the classes for a few weeks.”
“No. You’re not teaching the self-defence classes,” I tell him with a hard stare.
“Ah, last I checked, this was Williamson territory, not McKinley. Your word holds no weight around here, coz,” he says with a grin.
“Wanna put money on that? Better yet, step into the ring and we can put words to action,” I warn him.
“Who is she?”
“Who?”
“The girl everyone says you’re obsessing over.”
“No one. I’m not obsessing over anyone,” I lie.
“Okay, I’m gonna go check in with Hope. You should probably go back to bed or take some fucking meds. You’re acting crazier than usual, and that’s saying something.” He slams the door on his way out. It doesn’t immediately click with me how his “checking in with Hope” also puts him in the same room with Lucy. I’m standing and making my way in that direction when I’m stopped by Uncle Zac, Uncle Bray… and my father.
