AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Jackson scoffs at the same time Leo huffs a quiet laugh. "Look out the window, dumbass."
I do as he says and see that we are literally pulling into the driveway. Narrowing my eyes at Jude, I say, "He meant you, dumbass." He flips me off before deep throating his finger.Fuck.
"Whose car is that?" The strain in Jackson's voice sends a chill down my spine. In the driveway is a blacked-out fucking Bentley GT parked in front of us.
JJ is out of the car in a flash, making my pulse skitter with anxiety. I'm suddenly wishing I had insisted on riding shotgun because I can't see the problem from the back.
Just as I'm out of the car and moving to stand beside Jackson, Layla comes stumbling towards us. Every atom in my body stands at attention at the tears coursing down her cheeks.
"JJ!" Layla sobs, throwing herself into his waiting arms.
He immediately tucks her head into his shoulder. "Hey, shhh. What's wrong, sweetie?"
It's definitely not the right moment to be swooning over the tall, dark, and douchebag man holding a little girl, but fuck, is it a sight to see.
Hiccups burp out of Layla's mouth, but she manages to allow a few words to escape. "We don't know that-that man."
Wondering where Leo and Jude got off to, I lowkey jump when I find them hovering behind me. All my attention is on the sweet little one. Jackson coos at her for a few more moments, his body shifting toward us.
"Okay, sweetie. Leo is going to take you—"
"NO!" Layla shouts and clings to his neck, making my heart constrict and heat all at once. "Mommy said to run to you! I stay with you!"
"Shh. Okay, you will stay with me. I promise." Wonder shines in JJ's sparkly eyes while he hugs Layla to his chest like he never wants to let her go. "I need you guys to go check on Rylee, please." The rumble of his voice is soft as to keep a sense of calm and comfort running from him to the koala bear clinging to his chest.
I nod, trailing my eyes across the yard to find Rylee crying and stepping back from the young man. He looks to be younger than twenty, with dirty blonde hair, a clean, sharp jaw, and a lean, toned body. His eyes and mouth look more prominent than any man I've ever seen. The boy almost looks like my girl. My thoughts come to a screeching halt when he takes a step toward Rylee with an outreached hand.
I run.
Thundering footsteps behind me let me know I have backup. I bypass Rylee, knowing Leo or Jude will help her. I catch a faint whiff of her cocoa butter scent right before my hand fists into the trespasser’s shirt. I have him against the side of the house in a flash, my raging protectiveness something fierce.
"You don't touch her!" I roar in his face. I don't care that his hands are up in surrender. All I give a shit about is that he made my woman fucking cry.
"Marc, stop," Rylee pleads somewhere behind me. I hear the guys trying to get her attention and keep her calm, but it doesn't matter when I see this fucking asshole clench his fists.
Not so innocent now, are we?
"Get your hands off me." The boy’s voice is steady, but I pick up on a subtle hint of crazy under there.
"Who are you?" I spit, grinding my first even harder into his chest.
Rylee's voice interrupts our battle of wills. "Jude, let me go!" The man in my grasp lunges toward me, but I shove him back. "Leo, stop! Please, just let me go!"
The fist that flies at my face happens faster than I can duck. My jaw cracks, and my cheekbone protests with a dull throb as I stumble back.
"I'm pretty fucking sure my sister told you to stop!"
I manage to snatch the boy by his bicep just as the words sink in.Sister? The guy is smaller than I am, but he's really damn good on his feet. Swinging him around by his arm, I throw him away from Rylee. Practically dancing on his toes, he stays upright and lunges at me with a snarl.
A blur of copper hair and flailing arms stops me from meeting the bastard halfway.
"Marcus, please. Stop." Rylee's chin quivers, forcing teardrops to meet the grass. "He's my brother." She sounds so broken as she pleads with me to understand.
"He made you cry, though, sweetheart." My reasoning is weak, yet she huffs a laugh, anyway. To my absolute shock, she buries herself into my chest, dainty arms wrapped around my waist. I'm completely entranced with the way she fits against my body. I dig a hand into her hair like Jackson did with Layla. My other arm wraps around her waist as she takes deep, shuddering breaths against my Henley.
Sniffling, Rylee pulls away. "Don't hurt him unless I say so, okay?" With a wink, she kisses the corner of my mouth and grabs hold of my hand.
"Why don't we all go inside? Go take a seat and a glass of water. Jude, you know where the glasses are." Without waiting for anyone to respond, she points at the front door and waits until Jude, Leo, and Tate are making their way toward it.
