by Desi Lin
Ash coughed as he choked on his coffee. “What? I was kidding about the living together!”
His mug hit the table with a loud clunk, coffee spilling over the rim and pooling onto the surface.
“You better clean that shit up.”
I jumped at the growl from the other side of the room.
Turning in my chair, my gaze landed on a guy who looked like he just rolled out of bed. My eyes nearly popped out of my head when I realized all he wore was a pair of low-slung boxers. I could only see his back, brown hair, and the start of a tattoo on his right hip, but I was pretty sure if he turned around, I would drool.
“Put some pants on before you scar my sister for life.”
No way. Turn around first. I might have boyfriends, but I wasn’t dead, yet.
He turned, and I sent a little thank-you to the universe. The tat I spotted the start of swirled from his hip, across his chest, and ended on his right pec. The blue and white whorls spread chaotically over his chest, covering most of it. The light glinted off a gold hoop in one ear. His eyes speared me with a distrustful glare. I wouldn’t call him model or celebrity gorgeous, but he was plenty of eye candy for me, even when his whole being screamed stay away.
“Uh-huh. Sister. Thought you were an only child? I’ve met your dad. I know when your mom died. She claims to be your sister, and you just believe it?” He shook his head. “How stupid can you be?” He crossed the room in a few long strides and got down into my face. “Take whatever con you’re running, sweetheart, and get the fuck out.”
Okay, he might be cute, but I’d had enough of being the prey tonight.
“Make me, asshole,” I growled back.
He snorted a laugh and headed toward the sink. “Yep. She’s a Phoenix.”
Without another word, he started rinsing the dishes and loading them into the dishwasher.
I blinked, trying to adjust to the sudden change in attitude. I looked at Ash to find him shaking his head again.
“I’d tell you Zephyr doesn’t mean to be an asshole, but I’d be lying. He doesn’t trust easily, and he has his reasons for it.” Ash reached for the roll of paper towels on the table and cleaned up the spilled coffee. “Back to you living with Kuriharas.”
The thinly veiled anger in his tone confused me. The change in his attitude was hard to wrap my brain around. The late hour didn’t help. I shrugged. “Some stuff happened at the dorms, and Souta’s folks didn’t want me going back, so they let me stay with them.”
“And you and Souta?” He sat back down and aimed the now wet wad of paper towels toward the trash can, where it bounced off the side and fell to the floor with a plop.
A growl came from Zephyr as he walked over and threw it away.
“We’re dating. And Genus.”
A knock interrupted whatever Ash wanted to say next.
Zephyr headed for the door since he was closest. I heard his growl even in the kitchen. “You must be here for the sister.”
Souta flew around the corner, hair mused, eyes darting everywhere until they landed on me sitting at the table, calmly drinking my cocoa. He dashed across the kitchen, and before I could brace myself, he lifted me from the chair, pulled me tight against him, and spun.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck. Thank the elements you’re okay.” He tucked his head into the crook of my shoulder and neck. “Don’t you ever do that to me again. Fuck. I’m sorry, okay. We’ll work things out, but fuck, don’t walk away from me like that.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck, knowing he needed reassurance.
“Ahem.” The throat clearing got Souta’s attention, and his head jerked up.
His grip on me tightened as he lowered me back to the floor, eyes shooting daggers at Ash.
“Souta.” I ran a hand down his cheek to get his attention. His gaze shifted to meet mine, face and smile softening. “It’s okay, we’re working things out.”
His gaze hardened, and he shot a glare over my shoulder to Ash. “You hurt my girl, I’ll kick your fucking ass,” Souta growled.
I rolled my eyes and tried to hold back a laugh. The alpha male he hid behind an easy-going mask amused me so much.
“I could say the same,” Ash replied evenly. “That’s my little sister you’re clutching there. And let’s talk about the fact she’s living with you. And dating you.” His tone hardened the more he talked.
Whoa, he’d gone from zero to big brother in nothing flat. I glanced back over my shoulder to find Ash with his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl on his face.
Okay.
“I don’t think you have the right to call her that given how you’ve treated her.” Souta’s grip tightened again, and I squirmed to alleviate the discomfort. A stinging slap delivered to my ass told me to hold still.
Ash growled. “You did not just hit my little sister.”
Okay, time to diffuse the situation. “Stop, you two. It’s too late for this alpha bullshit, and I’m tired.”
My hand shot out to stop Ash’s advance across the kitchen while focusing my attention on the pissed off Asian holding me.
“Souta, Ash’s behavior, and anything else, is between me and him. Period. I appreciate your concern, but I don’t need rescuing.” I swiveled my attention to my brother. “Ditto to you. He didn’t mean anything by it. He’d never hurt me intentionally.”
Ash didn’t seem inclined to let it drop. “I don’t fucking care. No one hits you. Period.”
The tension thrumming through Ash’s body was practically visible.
I tapped Souta’s arm, and he released me, reluctance in every movement. Deliberately, I crossed the short distance between Ash and me, threw my arms around his tense frame, and hugged him briefly. After our tumultuous start, I don’t know what made me do it, but it felt right.
“I’m not some shrinking wallflower, violet damsel in distress.” I spoke quietly but made sure to put strength in my words. “If something like that were happening, I would tell you. After I walked away and dealt with it. I’ve been taking care of myself a long time, brother. No one is going to treat me badly.” My words finally seemed to hit home, and I watched him visibly relax.
“All right.” His gaze darted to Souta before coming back to me. “My apology doesn’t make up for what an ass I was. What happened with our folks doesn’t have a damn thing to do with us. Don’t be a stranger, okay? I want to get to know my little sister.”
I nodded and stepped back to Souta, who wrapped an arm around me again.
“Ready?” His voice still held too much irritation for me, but I was too tired to address it tonight.
I let him turn me and lead me out to the car, my thoughts flicking back to what sent me here in the first place. I’d been utterly ridiculous, overreacting to what surely must have been normal street noises.
The drive home was quiet. I spent most of it wishing the next day was a Monday, or a Tuesday. Any day but the weekend.
Moments after we returned to Souta’s house, I fell into bed, and sleep hit me hard.
Eighteen
The sun coming through the window woke me the next morning moments before my guest bedroom door burst open, and the boys came barreling through.
In just lace panties and a tank, I clutched the sheet around me, only about half sure any one of them wouldn’t yank it off.
“What the heck were you thinking?”
“You promised we’d talk.”
“I don’t like how late it was.”
“Why would you do this to us?”
“How the hell did you end up with your brother?”
They talked a mile a minute, questions and worries flying furiously around me. I couldn’t keep track of what they said or asked, but their fear, worry, and anger were so palpable it thickened the air in the room.
They needed to slow the hell down.
“Stop!” I barked the word. The boys froze, their gazes firmly settled on me, though their faces still held too much tension.
Fuck I was no good at
this emotional shit. Wasn’t that obvious from the last few weeks? I’d started to think I wasn’t built for the whole family thing. Maybe that was why The Mother left me alone in the world so young.
Brooks’ head tilted as I met his sympathetic gaze. He stepped closer, then sat on the edge of the bed when I didn’t stop him. Though I wanted to, I didn’t reach for him.
“Forgive us, beautiful.” His soft voice washed over me, soothing as always. It invited me to lean into him, to give up my problems, worries, and fears and let him help make me stronger.
I blinked several times as those thoughts ran through me, not knowing when, but I’d come to think of Brooks as my pillar. He gave me strength when I needed it.
“We’re as new to this as you are.” Hesitantly, I slid my hand over the cool comforter to settle atop his. “Souta texted us when you ran out at dinner and didn’t respond when he tried to reach you. We all worried terribly. We care about you a great deal. I hope you know that.”
I remembered seeing the texts when I’d called Souta from Ash’s house, but they hadn’t registered because I’d been too worried about my imaginary stalker. When he flipped his hand over, I twined our fingers together. Closing my eyes, I drew in a deep breath, felt our connection settle, and our elements sing to each other. I often wondered if others felt the things I did or if it was all in my head?
When I opened my eyes, JJ’s furrowed brows darkened his golden eyes.
A pat to the bed on my other side had him close the distance in a millisecond.
“Why did you leave here like that?” JJ asked as he settled next to me and ran a hand down my cheek.
From the corner of my eye, Souta stood stiffly with his arms crossed, dark eyes flat, sleep pants riding low on his hips and revealing a hint of the elastic waistband of his underwear.
Drool.
No. Focus.
“I needed a moment to myself and only intended to walk around the block. But I wasn’t paying much attention and didn’t realize how long I was out, or that my ringer was silenced. I’m sorry for worrying you.” My focus was on Souta as I answered JJ and apologized, hoping he’d get the message and let things drop until we could talk alone.
Souta shook out his limbs as if to force the tension away then bounded over to the bed. My message received, he was all smiles again as he leapt on the bed, using my knees as a prop to look up at me.
JJ set his arm behind my back to lean against me. “What’s this about your brother?”
“I got a little freaked out when I realized nothing looked familiar.” I shrugged, not really sure I could explain it since I didn’t totally understand it myself. “He came to get me since I was lost. We talked. Things are better between us.”
Brooks and JJ seemed to accept my words, but Souta narrowed his eyes at me.
“Now, get out of here.” After untangling our hands, I shooed them. “I need to put pants on.”
Souta’s eyes lit up. “You’re just in underwear?” He waggled his eyebrows, and I couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped. “Are they black lace? No, wait, red lace.” His eyes widened. “Even better red and black lace?”
When he made as if to try to remove the comforter, I swatted his hand and laughed. “You’ll have to wonder. Now out.” Pointing at the door, I speared them all with a stern look.
Brooks and JJ dragged a reluctant Souta out the door, and I was left in blessed silence. Thankful for the moment alone, I slipped from the bed and knelt on the floor to draw my suitcase from under the bed. Pulling out jeans and a long-sleeved tee, I tried not to let the familiar clench of my stomach bother me as I dressed.
It only took a few moments to run a brush through my hair and another over my teeth, before I headed downstairs toward the sound of boys trying to talk Chris, the cook, into making chocolate chip pancakes.
In the kitchen, I settled onto a stool next to JJ, flopping forward onto the counter. A glass of ice water appeared in front of me, so I sat back up and downed it in one go. Ice water was far more effective in waking me up than caffeine.
Souta plopped onto the stool next to me, then pulled my stool over with one hand and worked a finger through a belt loop at my back.
JJ raised an eyebrow and reached out to pull me back toward him.
Souta growled. Actually growled.
JJ pulled his arm away, palm up, and I rolled my eyes at their antics.
The smells of a mouth-watering breakfast filled the air. A stack of pancakes, sans chocolate chips, appeared on the counter with a small pitcher of syrup. A large pitcher of orange juice, a platter with bacon, and another filled with scrambled eggs quickly followed. The boys dove in like, well, teenage boys.
“Thanks, Chris.” I waved a hand at the incredible spread before us and smiled at him. “It looks delicious.”
He nodded and turned away, but I didn’t miss the grin that lit his face.
Souta pushed a plate in front of me.
Snatching a fork, I dug in, moaning as the perfect, fluffy pancakes hit my mouth.
“Brooks, she’s doing it again. Make her stop,” Souta whined next to me.
I ignored him and bit into perfectly crisp bacon and moaned again.
“Screw that. I fucking love hearing her enjoy food.” When I glanced in JJ’s direction, he waggled his eyebrows at me.
Brooks leaned past JJ to catch my gaze, his eyes sparkling with laughter. “Beautiful, could you kindly spare us all the painful erections that come with you loudly enjoying your food?”
Chris snorted as he cleared the pots and pans from the stove.
“I could, but what fun would that be?” Saucily, I took another bite, making sure to moan with exaggeration.
Souta growled this time and shifted closer.
The other two were also laser-focused on me.
Enjoying my torture of them a bit, I did it again.
Souta leaned in and pressed a kiss to my neck. His breath ghosted over my ear, warm and soft. “Hot stuff, if you don’t behave so we can eat breakfast, I’ll have to spank you later.”
A pleasurable shiver ran down my spine. Since he asked so nicely, I decided enough was enough, quit moaning, but continued to dig into breakfast.
Twenty minutes later, with breakfast annihilated, we left the kitchen and made our way into our usual room. We settled onto the couches to argue over how we’d spend the rest of our day.
Curled up in a corner of the couch, Souta startled a squeak out of me when he picked me up and settled me into his lap.
“Cut it out.” I shoved at his arm wrapped around me. Sitting in someone’s lap gave me the sensation of being five-years-old, and I wasn’t a fan.
The arm tightened. “You’re sitting here.”
The steel in Souta’s voice made me still my attempts to sit on my own. I uncurled, sitting stiffly on Souta’s legs, hands resting on his arm. After my disappearing act last night, I didn’t feel comfortable pushing him away.
Brooks rose from his seat and circled to the back of our couch. He leaned down, whispering so quietly in Souta’s ear I couldn’t hear.
Souta huffed as he unwrapped his arm from me.
I slid off his lap and settled in next to him, grateful to be back on the couch.
We vegged out to a couple movies before Brooks’ phone chimed. He checked it and frowned. “I need to go. Family stuff.” The annoyance dripped from his words.
Family stuff seemed to crop up more and more lately, and he appeared increasingly annoyed.
He unfolded himself from the chair, patted JJ’s shoulder, and gave Souta and me quick kisses before heading out the door. With his exit, my grace period was expiring quickly.
When JJ rose a bare fifteen minutes later, I knew it would soon be time to face the music.
“I’m gonna take off, too. I’ve got a sculpture calling my name.” He kissed me, hard and fast, and headed out.
With JJ and Brooks gone, I knew hiding in my room wouldn’t delay the talk we should have had last night, so I didn’t both
er to try.
When Souta rose, I followed him up to his room.
The silence weighed heavy between us, and I wiped my palms on my jeans.
In his room, I curled into one of the chairs and waited for the questions, unsure if he would blow a fuse first. For all of his flirty, hyper, happy demeanor there were a lot more facets to Souta than most thought.
Souta sank onto his bed, sitting stiffly on the side, hands curling around the edge of the mattress, and head hanging to stare at the floor. His shoulders rose and fell as he breathed in a slow, steady rhythm.
“Why—” He bit off the angry word, took another breath in, still focusing on the floor instead of me. “Why would you call him?” He spat the word him out like a slur. I opened my mouth to respond, but Souta was quicker. “No, wait. Let’s back up. What happened?” His eyes finally raised to meet mine.
“It was stupid, honestly.” Since I hadn’t seen anyone or anything to be concerned about, I truly believed I overreacted. “It was dark, and I kept hearing these sounds.” I waved away the concern on his face. “Just leaves and ordinary night noises, I’m sure, but between realizing I didn’t recognize the area and the dark, I freaked a little.”
Souta shook his head and gave me a stern look full of disbelief. “Not good enough, hot stuff.”
“I thought I heard someone following me, okay?” Sighing, I pulled my legs up and wrapped my arms around them. I didn’t want to tell him that since it made me look ridiculous. “I never saw anyone, or even anything, to indicate anyone was there, it was just my head being stupid.”
Souta stood abruptly and paced toward the door, running a hand through his hair. “So, you got scared, and instead of calling me or JJ or Brooks, or even my folks, or—fucking hell—Maybelle, you call that asshole?” He spun, brow creased but nostrils flaring. “Why? I don’t understand. Why him over everyone else? Over me?”
Dread was heavy inside me, I didn’t fully understand it myself, only parts of the why. “You only saw him the once at Michael’s—Dad’s. I saw him a couple times after that.” Fury flew across his features at my words, but I barreled ahead before he could interrupt. “That first day was the worst, and he wasn’t pleasant for the second, but Ash’s anger never felt directed at me. I was a convenient target.”
