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He’s shockingly tall, easily six and a half feet, and huge. The guy looks like a solid wall of muscle. I drag my eyes up off of his chest, and up, and up. Until I meet a pair of pale blue eyes that remind me of ice chips. They’re so startling I almost don’t notice how intimidating he looks. He has black, chin length hair, a broad nose with a black ring through it and thick eyebrows, one of which is also pierced with a black stud. Then if you take in the tattoos that cover both arms and his throat, he’s someone I would be terrified to meet under any other circumstances.
This close, I can smell his thick orange creamsicle scent and I’m instantly relaxed, knowing this was the fruity scent I picked up downstairs. I don’t think I’ve ever smelled anything so good in my life. Before I can lean in and beg to use him as my personal teddy bear, I remember I quite literally have never met this man before. Snapping my eyes to his, I catch his tiny grin before he smooths his face into a mask of stoicism. Not necessarily cold, but definitely not warm and fuzzy, either.
I clear my throat. “I’m so sorry. That was probably super weird. I’m Blake.” I smile up at him, hoping to soften him up a little.
It works for a second, and I see his lips curl up before the mask is back. The deepest voice I’ve ever heard reaches my ears when he says, “I know. My name is Rook, I’m D’s brother.”
My eyebrows shoot up, surprised, and he nods.
“My parents adopted him seven years ago,” he says, giving me a pointed look. “Listen, I’m not here to tell you what to do, but I think you should give him a real chance to explain. Things went down a lot differently than you think they did, and it’s not fair—”
I quickly cut him off. “I know,” I say, raising one brow.
He gives me a clear look of confusion. “You… know?”
I pat his chest so he’ll step back, and I can get through the door. “Yeah, big guy. I know. And I will absolutely consider hearing him out, but I need food before I even consider having that conversation. So, if you’re done being all mountain-like, can we please go eat?”
Releasing a tiny chuckle, he asks, “Mountain-like?”
Rolling my eyes and walking backwards, I sass back, “Yeah. You know, tall and immovable?”
I’m completely caught off guard by the full bellied laugh he lets out, and I trip on the top step. I brace myself for the familiar pain of falling down the stairs when two giant hands wrap around my waist and lift me to safety at the top of the stairs.
He chuckles again. “Woah there, Angel. That ain’t the stairway to heaven. Why are you in such a rush to get down it?”
I smirk back at him, loving his laughs. “Why, whatever do you mean? I made the BFG laugh. I was running out to tell the townspeople of my achievement,” I tease.
Furrowing his brows and fighting a smile, he asks, “What the hell is a BFG?”
I’m giggling uncontrollably at this point when I explain, “BFG means Big Friendly Giant. And I called you that because I have a feeling that you, big guy, are exactly that once you crack that thick outer shell you’ve got.”
He laughs again. “You’ve got me there, Angel. Now get on downstairs before D has a heart attack or wears a groove in the floor,” he says as he finally releases my hips.
Before I head downstairs, I need him to understand something. So, I turn around to face him.
“Need somethin’, Blake?” he asks, brows scrunching together in confusion.
“Umm.. yeah. I just need you to know that even though I’m willing to hear him out, that doesn’t mean I’m ready or willing to forgive and forget yet. I have seven years of built up hurt and resentment. I can’t let it all go in a day, even if it hurts him to be kept at arm’s length.” I trail off quietly, waiting to be asked to leave. Or to be told I’m not worth the effort.
He steps closer to me, gently brushing a lock of hair behind my ear.
“I respect you more for your honesty than I would if you just gave in for the sake of keeping the peace with an old friend. I won’t pretend to know how you feel, but please know that any one of us is always willing to lend a shoulder to cry on, or a hand to hold when things get hard. You were worth every minute of searching, Blake,” he murmurs.
Whispering out my thanks, I realize I’m so thankful to have met these men, even under the less than stellar circumstances. I’m blushing like crazy when I run downstairs and just as my foot hits the bottom, there’s a knock at the door. I don’t see any of the guys around. So, after checking the peephole and seeing the pizza guy, I open the door, my stomach growling in anticipation.
The guy is probably my age, and maybe only 4 inches taller than me, making him close to five foot eight. As soon as I get the door open fully, he leers at me and I canfeelhis eyes on me like a physical touch. So even though I’ve had a showeranda bath today, I feel dirty.
Licking his lips in an over-exaggerated way, he makes a show of inhaling deeply. His voice is nasal and high when he speaks. “Damn, girl. I thoughtIwas the one bringing the snack. I didn’t realize you already were one.”
He smirks at me widely, leaning in to tug on a lock of my long hair. My mouth drops open in shock as I quickly smack his hand away. When Rook did it, I liked it, and it made me feel comforted. When this guy does it, I get the urge to vomit for the second time today. Leaning just the tiniest bit closer to read his name tag, I try my best not to give in to the panic beginning to claw at my throat from the unwanted touch.
“Listen, Kenny, is it? I’m really not—”
Suddenly, a vicious growl comes from behind me and I’m enveloped in the scent of fresh, spicy gingerbread as a toned arm wraps around my waist. Kenny’s face has gone completely white, but that doesn’t stop him from opening his mouth again. Clearing his throat and squaring his scrawny shoulders, he lifts his chin at the Alpha behind me.
“Listen, buddy. I don’t know who you think you are, but it’s not really fair to assume one Alpha can handle a fine piece of ass like this during a heat. I mean, look at you! You’d probably break—”
He doesn’t get a chance to finish his sentence before the man, who I’m guessing is Kaspian, steps out from behind me and punches him in the face. Hard enough to knock him out right there on the porch. He’s shaking out his hand when he turns back to look at me. His lips are set in a straight line, but his eyes are guarded like he’s worried I might be upset with him for that show of violence.
