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“Right. So this, whatever it going on between you guys, this isn’t just . . . fuck, it’s not about sex, is it?”
It was clear Brooks was uncomfortable asking that.
Grady was going to let Steele do the talking as he felt uncomfortable as hell too.
“We like your aunt, Brooks,” Steele said firmly.
“We?” He looked between Grady and Steele. “Right. Yeah. Fuck. Aunt Effie has never had a boyfriend. I mean, maybe when I was young and can’t remember it. I don’t know if she’s ready for two.”
“Your aunt is special,” Grady told him. “And she needs people who will look after her. Having both of us . . . it means another person to protect her.”
“I won’t have her used or ridiculed. I know you think I’m just a kid, but one day I will be someone. So you hurt her, I will come for you both.”
Fuck. The kid had balls.
Huge fucking balls. Bigger than most guys he knew.
“I have no doubt about that,” Steele said. “But we’re going to try our best not to hurt Effie. I’m having this conversation with you out of respect to you as her protector. You need to know that that’s going to become our job, though. And that means that soon you guys won’t be living here. It means that soon, Effie won’t have to sleep on a couch. You won’t be in a neighborhood that neither of us likes for you. And you won’t have to worry about bullies at school or neighbors upstairs being loud, and Effie won’t have to worry about a fucking thing.”
Brooks stared at Steele with wide eyes.
Okay, that might have been too much. Even for a mature kid like Brooks.
“I get that we might seem like we have nothing, but we have each other. And I’m still gonna protect her. Which means I won’t let you push her into anything she doesn’t want. I’m not sure how she’s going to react to both of you wanting her.”
“We’re prepared to move slowly so as not to spook Effie,” Steele told him.
“How long do you think she’ll need in order to agree to move out of here?” Grady said. He hated that she lived in this dump. Even if it was better than where he’d grown up. But not by much.
Effie was a good guardian to this kid though. Because there had been no way his parents would have given up a bed for him. He’d slept on a mattress on the floor.
“I don’t know.”
Grady turned to Steele. “If it’s going to be longer than a few days, we should get her some sort of orthopedic topper for the sofa bed. And a security system. Maybe a guard.”
“Guard?” Brooks asked. “I thought you said she wouldn’t be in danger?”
“She won’t be,” Steele said firmly. “But that’s because we intend to make her as safe as we can. That might seem overwhelming, but we both protect those who belong to us. And that includes you too.”
“I don’t need protection.”
Grady thought about reminding him about those boys who attacked him. And how Steele had taken care of them, by scaring the living shit out of their parents.
But he decided not to.
He understood pride. A bit too much.
“Got that,” Steele said. “Still going to protect you. Because that’s what a man does. That means I’m going to have a guy watching this place. Not because Effie is in danger but because we’re claiming her. And it’s something we should have already done.”
“That’s not necessary.” Brooks gave him a wary look.
“It’s called taking care of you both,” Steele replied. “We’re going to be back first thing in the morning with breakfast. Unless you need us to stay.”
Grady wanted to insist they stay, but when he shot a look at Steele, he gave him a firm look back.
Fuck it.
“No. She’ll just sleep. I’ll keep an eye on her.”
