Hard: A Military Stepbrother Romance

by Swann, Lara

  “Please…”

  One glance at Seth steeled me again, and I let him take it without any fuss, the knife terrifying me as I fought to remain calm.

  “You too.”

  The guy grunted towards Seth, and my stepbrother-to-be reached for the wallet he kept in his back pocket, keeping his movements slow as he threw it over towards our feet. I couldn’t believe how still and calm he’d become, especially as I was fighting not to shake where I stood.

  The guy took me down with him to pick up the wallet, then grabbed my handbag and took a step back, forcing me with him as he cast a wary glance in Seth’s direction.

  “Go.”

  The intent command from Seth confused me for an instant, but combined with the carefully controlled danger in his expression, the guy behind me paused for a moment - then turn and run, pushing me back towards Seth’s warm, firm body. Seth’s arms wrapped around me and I’d never been so glad to feel anything in my life. I gasped for breath, the tightness in my chest suddenly shifting enough for me to absorb oxygen again, and I couldn’t help the way I clung to him.

  He scooped me up into his arms in one smooth movement, as if I weighed no more than a feather - and then suddenly we were running forward, down the alley after the mugger. I gasped at him, eyes wide, and he gave me a grim expression as he looked down.

  “This goes against every instruction I’ve ever had. But I’m not letting him get away.”

  I suddenly recognized the coiled tension in his body, felt the fire coming off him as the almost imperceptible rage that it was. I wanted to tell him that it wasn’t important, that he should stop - if I did, I was pretty sure he would. But I pictured my ring again and held my tongue. It went against everything I’d ever heard too, and I was pretty sure my mother would turn over in her grave if she knew a keepsake was putting us in danger like this, but I couldn’t let it go.

  And somehow it didn’t even feel like danger - not with Seth here.

  I nodded at him, and glanced down the alley we were rushing through, seeing only the guy running headlong into a dead-end. That had me puzzled - until he jumped onto a dumpster, then sprung for a drainage pipe hanging at an angle from the nearby building. The move spoke of long practice and I looked up at Seth uncertainly. He grunted and swung me down, glancing between the dumpster and me until I pushed him away.

  “Go. Quickly.”

  That decided it, and then he was away - moving with a grace I don’t think I’ve ever seen, powerful muscles flexing under his tight t-shirt as he repeated the move perfectly and landed on the rooftop above. Instead of heading down into whatever alley the guy had retreated to, I saw him running along the rooftops for a few heartbeats before he was out of sight and I was suddenly alone again. It was what I had insisted on, of course, but that didn’t help the creeping sense of panic and I glanced wildly around. The alley was empty now, but I hunkered down against the wall anyway, assuming Seth wasn’t going to spend more than a few minutes in the chase if it was pointless.

  You’re a complete idiot. The worst kind of fool.

  The inner voice didn’t quite assuage my guilt at ignoring all of the warnings Seth had given, at putting him in danger now.

  What if something happened to him?

  I couldn’t even think about it, and when I heard a couple of grunts and the thud of flesh-on-flesh a few moments later, my heart jumped into my mouth.

  Then he was back, jumping lightly down from the roof above my head, and I was pretty sure the endless wait had in reality been only moments. I stumbled into his arms again and this time I did break down, gasping and choking a little in the aftermath of the adrenaline. He pressed me close and didn’t say anything, strong hands running up and down my back as his large body sheltered mine completely. My petite frame had always felt small when in his arms, but now that he was a solid wall of muscle and strength, it was so much more powerful. I was barely even supporting myself as those arms held me up without any effort, letting me rest my head against his shoulder and fight back the sobs.

  “It’s alright, baby. You’re safe. I’ve got you.”

  I was surprised just how gentle his tone was, but somehow that just made it worse.

  “I’m…sorry…”

  I choked out the words but he shook his head firmly, one hand cupped against my cheek. I winced automatically at that, and his brow creased, tilting my head up to see my cheek starting to swell.

  “Shit, baby girl…”

  His muttered oath was replaced by the soft brush of his lips against the bruised area, and another kind of shudder went through me. It occurred to me briefly that it was slightly absurd I was turning to him for comfort and safety, but it didn’t feel that way. The whole day, he’d been almost possessively protective, and I hadn’t been quite sure what to make of it - until now. Now I couldn’t be anything other than grateful.

  Just don’t think about what it means.

  But I wasn’t capable of thinking about anything else anyway, and I just let myself be held as I came down from the emotional ravages still sweeping through me.

  “Ughh…is this what it always feels like?”

  I spoke without thinking and he cocked his head at me.

  “What?”

  “These situations.”

  He gave a small chuckle and shook his head.

  “Nah, it’s different if you know what you’re doing, and though you never quite get used to it…you get better at dealing with it.”

  The deep rumble from his chest was reassuring, and it felt like he could have said anything and it would have made me slowly relax.

  “You did well though, babe. You kept your cool when it came to it.”

  “I almost got us killed.”

  His soft laugh would have irritated me if I hadn’t felt slightly inclined to let him have whatever he wanted right now. One finger caressed the side of my face as he brought my eyes up to his again - lighter gray now, more relaxed, but with a hint of the stormy depths they’d been only moments ago. I swore they changed based on his mood. It made me feel like I could get lost in them for hours—

  “Well next time, you do as I say.”

  “There’s going to be a next time?”

  I wasn’t sure whether the thought of that excited or terrified me.

  “No.”

  He didn’t clarify that contradiction, and I didn’t ask him to, shivering instead as I finally became aware of the cool of the evening. He glanced at me with concern, then shrugged out of his jacket and wrapped it around my bare shoulders. I had enough spark left to raise an eyebrow.

  “Look at you, the gentleman.”

  “Yeah, just don’t tell anyone, babe.”

  But his voice was distracted as he tilted my head and looked at my eyes from several angles.

  “Was your head hit anywhere else?”

  “No, just my cheek - no risk of concussion or anything like that.”

  But I shivered again, pulling the jacket closer and not quite being able to resist inhaling the warm, masculine scent of it. He only grunted and turned us around.

  “Let’s get you something warm to eat, and then head home.”

  He kept me close this time, refusing to let go of my hand in a way that quietly relieved me. It seemed ridiculous, the two of us walking out of these back alleys and into the light of one of the main roads holding hands like any other couple, but there was no way in hell I was breaking that contact.

  After a couple of blocks, he steered us into a diner and we sat in an out of the way corner. He flagged service down pretty quickly, his handsome rugged looks turning a few eyes, but the initial flirting of the waitress died the moment she got a glimpse of me. I flushed slightly as I caught the speculative look she gave Seth, and some part of me tensed at the idea of what she was wondering. I had the irrational desire to yell at her for the thought, but Seth’s hand closed over mine, the look in his eyes saying he read me too well. Instead, he just turned to her and grunted.

  “Mugging. 7th
Street.”

  Her expression shifted instantly and she nodded, apparently used to such reports. I winced internally at more evidence of my bad judgment.

  “Two coffees, one Irish.”

  He didn’t offer anything more as she disappeared and he slid a menu under my hands. I stared as I saw them shaking, until Seth’s large grip closed over the top. Looking up at him, I took a deep breath and shook my head.

  “Sorry. I’m being silly.”

  “You’re fine. Just focus on eating and warming up.”

  The coffee arrived a few minutes later, the waitress accurately putting the Irish in front of me. I looked at the light, creamy drink dubiously and glanced back at Seth’s simple black one.

  “I’m not sure alcohol is a good idea, Seth.”

  Right now, I felt like getting drunk would have me in a pathetic break down.

  “It’ll warm you up and chase a few of the nerves away. One shot won’t be enough to affect anything else - or you’re not like any college party girl I’ve ever known.”

  “I’m not like any college party girl you know.”

  My pride muttered an answer instinctively, but I picked up the coffee and blew lightly on it. The scent helped, as did the warmth of it around my hands.

  We ordered a couple of burgers a few minutes later - complete with wings, fries and potato skins.

  “You’d better be planning on eating most of this, or my jeans are going to hate me tomorrow.”

  “It’ll be worth forgoing jeans. Hell, forgoing jeans would be worth it anyway.”

  The searing glance that accompanied his words made me laugh.

  “Bastard.”

  I sipped at the coffee and the food arrived quickly, in the portion size I’d worried about. Seth prodded me again when I looked at it uncertainly.

  “Eat.”

  “You could do with softening that abrupt-command vibe you have.”

  His eyes glittered back at me as he took a large bite of his double bacon cheeseburger, and he replied with deceptive mildness.

  “I recall someone agreeing to obey in future.”

  “Well it wasn’t me. I said no such thing.”

  “Definitely not taking you on another crazy road trip, babe.”

  I scowled, but reached for the food, his light hearted attitude loosening me up. My heart still felt like it was about to seize at any moment, but I was starting to breathe more evenly. Maybe that coffee was helping more than I’d thought. Then something else occurred to me and I glanced up.

  “Did you get our stuff back?”

  I should have known already, of course, but the aftermath of the whole thing was too much of a blur. He grabbed something next to him on the booth and slid it over the table. My handbag.

  My hand shook as I reached for it and I cursed myself for the sentimentality, but I had to know that it was in there. A warm hand stopped me and I glanced up at him as he reached into a pocket - coming out with the ring I’d been fixated on. He turned my hand over and closed my palm around it without another word, then went back to the remnants of his burger.

  I hung there, frozen for a moment, my heart jumping as I tried to process it all. He’d known. I saw again the determination on his face as he’d pursued the guy, and couldn’t help but wonder. It was a stupid thought, a stupid feeling…but I couldn’t shake it. He didn’t question, didn’t say anything further - unlike my incessant questions, he let its significance remain mine to keep. Something inside me tightened as I longed to share it, to tell him what it meant to me - what his actions had meant to me.

  But he hadn’t asked. Didn’t want to know. And I could tell it was dangerous territory from the way my heart was pounding in my chest.

  I slipped it back on my finger, surprised by how much of a relief it was to have it back there, and followed his lead.

  The food and drink - and probably time - were helping, and I felt myself steadying gradually, until I was pretty much feeling like myself again. All those crazy spikes of emotion had calmed, and apart from slight chagrin at the whole situation, I was alright. I relaxed against the chair, my food becoming a nice, heavy weight in my stomach and tiredness starting to take me. I’d left half the burger, but wasn’t sure I could manage anything more as I watched Seth methodically work his way through it all. My gaze caught on the powerful, dominating body again and I figured it needed the sustenance. With his jacket off, the line of tattoos on his right arm gleamed in the light, moving with his muscles until they seemed almost living things. I didn’t recognize most of them from the time we’d spent together before, and I found myself distracted as my eyes tried to make out the shapes, before the arm I’d been watching reached over to tap my hand. Seth was looking at me with a dangerously hooded gaze.

  “So. Tell me what possessed you to look at living in a place like that.”

  My face reddened and I looked away, not entirely sure I was prepared to discuss this with him, but his tone made it clear he wasn’t going to tolerate anything else.

  “It’s what I figure I could afford on those internships.”

  “I expect your father will cover the difference.”

  I glared as my eyes shot back to him.

  He was there that night, he knows what my father thinks.

  “I want to know I can do it without his help.”

  “Girls like you have advantages for a reason, Bella. Use them.”

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?!”

  I was getting angry, and I didn’t want to - not after everything he’d just done for me. But this was beyond provoking and pushing for a bit of fun - he was deadly serious with this line of attack. As was I.

  He muttered something under his breath, and then his hand stole forward over mine. I wanted to jerk it away, but even with him being a prick I couldn’t help the way I associated it with comfort. Not after today. When he looked up at me, his eyes were serious but there was no mockery there.

  “You were raised with a certain lifestyle - you wouldn’t last a day in a neighborhood like that. You simply don’t know how.”

  I wanted to argue with him, to bite back at his words, but I remembered my shock at his casual mention of my jewelery. I remembered my dismissal of his warnings as a Navy SEAL’s overactive imagination. I pulled my hand out from under his and looked back at him carefully.

  “Maybe. But if I have to, I’ll learn.”

  Irritation flickered in his eyes again, but at least this time he took me seriously. Truth was, if I couldn’t rely on my father’s help I wasn’t entirely sure what I would do - but after my talk with Kaylee, I refused to think it was my only option. And there was no way I was going back to my father with a half-baked plan. The whole point of this trip had been to show I knew what I was doing, that I’d done the research, and built that case before I finally discussed my decision with him.

  The thought of how spectacularly that had failed shot through me, and almost had me breaking down again.

  Damn it all to hell.

  “Fuuck…”

  Seth’s brow puckered with concern.

  “What?”

  “Just…this was a disaster. The whole thing. So much for proving my independence.”

  Ughhh…

  And this was so not who I wanted to be having this conversation with. Seth might be making a good attempt at being considerate, but he probably already thought little enough of me. I wished to god Kaylee was here. Then we’d order waffles and ice cream and milkshakes, and cry and laugh at the complete stupidity of it all.

  The thought of that had me glancing back to the menu.

  “I’m getting ice cream.”

  The announcement was made with a childlike defiance, but Seth’s eyes just crinkled with amusement.

  “All right.”

  He glanced out the window as we flagged down the waitress though, and I hesitated when she walked away with the order.

  “Is it getting too late for you to drive us back?”

  His gaze shifted in
to that supreme arrogance that took my breath away - whether with annoyance or desire, I had no clue. Maybe both. He raised an eyebrow in disdainful response to the question and something pleasant coiled in my stomach. Crazy how a look could do that to me, but at least it had me laughing.

  “Right. Badass Navy SEAL. Driving in the dark, check.”

  His grin did things to me I didn’t want to contemplate and luckily the ice cream arrived before I had to. Seth grabbed another spoon and joined me, and I mock fought his attempts to get at it with my own.

  “Hey - I don’t recall inviting you to share it.”

  “Badass Navy SEAL, remember? We conquer all.”

  “I don’t think ice cream adds to your image, Seth.”

  He flipped me off and I almost laughed at the sight of that over the bright shades of white, yellow and pink.

  We made good work of it, and he called for the bill when I finally declared myself done, my stomach gurgling from the satisfying feeling. He eyed me as I sat back, sighing slightly as I considered the mess I’d made of the day. His mind seemed to follow my thoughts.

  “You’re alright, Bella. Independence is about making mistakes.”

  I blinked up at him, not expecting the serious note from a guy who I’d never known think too much about such things. It struck a chord though, and I tried to think of the things I’d learned today instead of everything that had gone wrong. I’d been so happy with it all up to that brief encounter…

  I pulled my ponytail over my shoulder and twisted it in one hand while he paid, a gesture I’d almost grown out of but still resorted to for thinking occasionally.

  When he was done, he stood and held out a hand for me. I paused for a moment, pretty sure he’d never done that when we’d been at school.