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Chapter eleven
Adrian Carter
Ishutthedoorto my house behind me, barely resisting the urge to slam it. My hands slide into my hair, tugging at the strands in frustration. I haven’t felt this angry in ages. I haven’tfeltthis much at all in a long time.
When I saw that scumbag grab her arm I almost blacked out I was so furious. It took all the self-control in my body not to rearrange his pathetic face. I growl and stalk over to my fridge, hoping some water will cool me down. Because even though we were standing in the cold, my blood is boiling.
I chug half of a water bottle and slam it on the countertop. My mind won’t quit replaying the moment I spotted them across the street. Before I assessed her discomfort, an unwelcome feeling arose to the surface of my mind.Jealousy. I think I would have looked away from them if I hadn’t felt that. It shocked me and held me in place as I watched him place his hand on her back.
It wasn’t until I saw her cringe and take a step away from him that the feeling released me. Not that I felt any relief at seeing her discomfort. No, seeing her that way was like a hand around my throat. I couldn’t breathe until I made sure she was safe.
Even after she was safe beside me though, I couldn’t let go of the notion that it could have been much worse. Maybe I shouldn’t have talked about her dating life. I groan and scrub my hands over my face.
This is why you don’t get involved with people. Only bad things happen.
I should have stayed away from Juliette. She’s too bright, too sweet, too soft. Now I’ve hurt her yet again because I don’t know how to have a normal relationship. My only friends are my siblings and I haven’t dated in years. All my non-family friendships have ended in bitter betrayal. I was content to spend my life alone in peace until Juliette came along with her pretty smile and starlight in her eyes. She snuck her way into my life and now Icareabout her.
My muscles are twitching and I feel like I can’t sit still. I need to get away from here. Put distance between me and Juliette. So, even though the last thing I want to do is deal with his annoying optimism, I pull my phone out and call Grayson.
“Adrian!” he shouts into the phone when he answers. I immediately regret my decision.
“What are you doing right now?”
“I just got back from a date.”
Of course, he did,because while I’ve spent my adulthood in solitude, Grayson has spent his in constant company. It’s not like he has nefarious intentions or that he uses women; he just genuinely enjoys being around people for some reason unbeknownst to me.
“I’m coming to hang out.”
A choking and sputtering sound comes over the line, making me lift my phone away from my ear.
“Sorry,” he wheezes. “I thought you said you wanted to hang out and I choked on my drink.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I’ll call Levi or Mav if you’re going to act like this.”
“Oh, you seriously want to hang out?” He whoops, the sound piercing my eardrum. “This day just got so much better. Are you on your way?”
“I am now.” I grab my keys and head out to my car.
“Aren’t you going to ask me why my day wasn’t good?”
“You said your day got better, not that it was bad in the first place.”
“Yes, but it wasimplied. Sometimes I really don’t understand how your brain works.”
“The feeling is mutual,” I remark in a dry tone. He doesn’t say anything, and I sigh as I start my car and my phone transfers to Bluetooth. “You can tell me about your day when I get there, there’s no sense in having a conversation while I’m on the way to you.”
“Fine, I can wait. See you soon!” He hangs up before I can.
It’s a thirty-minute drive to the suburb where Grayson lives. He bought a family home in a neighborhood with a community pool and swingsets and an HOA. I told him it was weird for a single man to own a family home and he said one day he was going to have a family, so there’s no sense in wasting his money on a bachelor pad.
I drive in silence on the way to Grayson’s house. There’s enough noise in my head tonight, I don’t need anything added to it. I keep replaying every word I said, every word Juliette said. By the time I get to Grayson’s, my emotions are stretched taut.
The warm glow within his two-story craftsman is a welcoming beacon after being lost in the sea of my own thoughts. That is until I notice that there are two additional vehicles in his driveway. Maverick’s motorcycle and Levi’s pickup truck. Groaning, I slide out of my car and trudge up the front porch steps.
The door swings open. “Brother!” Grayson grins and I shoot him a flat look.
“Why did you invite our entire family?”
