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“There has to be something. I’ve gone through everything I can think of. Have there been any significant movement with V’s finances that you’ve noticed?”
“Nothing aside from normal everyday things,” Rian whispered. “He’s either laying low, or this isn’t our guy. I know you’ve been watching him just as closely as me, but I’m starting to question the information I recovered. I think it was a ploy. A backup in case we got through. I should have tried to push harder.”
“You still can.”
“Not here, I can’t. At least not now. Isn’t the FBI coming over soon?”
“You just missed them.” My eyes lifted to Kody, moving feet away to the one person I’d had enough of. Jealousy was a nasty thing. I never suffered from the emotion much before, but with Kody, especially now, I didn’t have a choice. The beast inside me lived. He prowled the prison of my mind, looking for a way to be set free. There was nothing he missed. He saw every guard who looked at her with more than a glance. Every FBI agent that walked through my front door. I trusted no one who might want to get to her behind my back. The jealousy was real. Mixing with obsession, it was running rampant inside of me. What was I becoming? What had almost losing her done now that it was paired with me having her sexually? I was a tyrant. A manic, obsessive psychopath. I wasn’t about to change that. This had to happen. It was the only way to keep her safe.
“Rian, I swear to God, I’m trying to stay calm right now, but if your brother doesn’t keep his eyes to himself, I’m going to remove them.”
“You’re overreacting. It’s nothing.”
“If it was nothing, it wouldn’t be happening nonstop. Who’s he checking out, Tiffany or Kody?”
“Neither.” Rian continued his whispered tone. “Rush is watching TV. He’s not—”
“Right there. I told you. He can’t be serious.
“He’s just…he’s...fuck.”
“I’ve kicked his ass once before—”
“Over a bet.”
“And he thought that was bad. I’m trying here, but what the hell.”
“It’s not like it looks. He knows better. He’s probably just curious. You have been different lately. It intrigues him. How’s it going with the commitment? I’m a little surprised you wanted us over so soon. Especially after the last time I talked to you.”
At my look, he nodded. “Right. It wasn’t you.”
“No. Kody wanted to see Tiffany. I was content to keep her in bed another week, but she.” I stopped. “She’s already discovered how to get her way.”
“That good, huh?”
“That’s not what I mean. Although…” My mouth clamped shut. I wasn’t one to do bedroom talk or gossip over private things, but damn if I could get ahold of myself. It had to be the combination of the new intimacy with unknown threats. I leveled up my feelings for her. The fear that came from loving her had me holding on inhumanly tight. So much so, even in sleep, I never let her go. She’d wiggle, turn—nope. There was no escaping me. Even now, I wanted her on my lap. Or at my feet. It was all so contradicting that it was driving me crazy.
“Jase, what is it? I can’t get you to stay on topic to save my life. One minute you’re focused, the next you have tunnel vision and you’re quiet. You’re all over the place right now.”
“Tell me about it. This is exactly what I was trying to avoid. I thought if we could get to the bottom of this, if we could catch them first, I’d save myself this headache. If I could put a stop to this.” I got quiet, my eyes going back to Kody as she laughed with Tiffany. She was happy. Happier than she’d been in days. Outside of me, she needed this, and I was okay with that. What I was not okay with was Rush eying her up.
“Jase?”
“It’s me. Her, but me. That doesn’t make sense.” I groaned. “She’s messing with my head. I feel a lot for her. Maybe too much. I see that, but that doesn’t mean I’m willing to do anything to change it.”
“That’s what you’re afraid of? Smothering her?”
‘Yes. Amongst other things.” I slouched back in my office chair, noticing the way her eyes lit up as she whispered something in Tiffany’s ear.
“You love her. Like…really love her.”
I didn’t look at Rian. I continued to take in the sway of her hair. The way her eyes creased when she laughed really hard. I soaked in the adoration she had for her friend, comparing it with all the ways she’d ever looked at me.
“Fuck, man. You got it bad. What are you going to do?”
“Aside from drop kick your brother’s ass over the side of my balcony? He better be lucky I’m not packing like I used to. He tests me, and he does it on purpose.” I gritted my teeth as his eyes scanned her once again. This time his gaze jumped to me. My hand shot up as I pointed right at him, calling him over with my finger. He already knew I wasn’t happy. Rush cursed, his face turning hard as he walked from the living area over to my desk.
For being Rian’s twin and sharing the same face and height, they didn’t look anything alike. Where Rian was lean, Rush was powerfully built and thick. Where Rian’s hair was on the longer side at the top, Rush’s was still short in military style. No tattoo’s from Rian, but Rush was covered almost every inch under his clothes.
