His Brat (Off Limits Book 1)

by Kali Argent

  Deciding that was probably enough questionable decisions for one day, I headed out of the Market and made my way back to Jackson Square to wait for Gabe. Halfway there, my phone pinged with an incoming text. Thinking it was him texting me that his meeting was over, I might have done a little happy dance right there on the sidewalk as I dug my phone out of my purse.

  It wasn’t Gabe.

  AIDEN: On DLN. @ NO l8 Sat. BRK Sun?

  My pulse leapt, and I looked around guiltily as if my brother could somehow read my mind and know what I’d been doing for the past two days.

  I also had to roll my eyes. For an internationally famous author, he texted like a drunk monkey. In fact, I had to read the message three times to figure out he was saying he’d be getting into the city late Saturday because he was on a deadline and asking if I wanted to have breakfast on Sunday.

  I typed out my response quickly, telling him I was available to meet him Sunday morning. I just hoped he still wanted to talk to me at that point. I debated telling him I would be at the wedding, but I didn’t. Partly because my relationship with Gabe wasn’t something to confess over text message, but also because I didn’t know how to tell him.

  I’d been over it in my mind a thousand times, but everything I came up with sounded trite. No matter what happened, I wouldn’t apologize for loving Gabe or being with him. Whatever Aiden had to say on the matter wouldn’t change my mind. Yet, he and Gabe had been friends for a long time, and I didn’t want there to be animosity between them.

  AIDEN: C U then. Rem u r @ TU 2 study. Not party.

  ME: How can I forget when u remind me every 5 min?

  I huffed in irritation and jabbed the send button a little harder than necessary.

  ME: U do know I can do both. Right?

  AIDEN: No

  ME: You did it

  AIDEN: Not the same

  ME: How is it not the same?

  AIDEN: I’m an asshole. You’re better than that.

  It was hard to hold onto my indignation when he said things like that. Plus, he’d taken the time to actually type out the words, so I knew he meant them. With that thought in mind, I relented with a sigh.

  ME: Fine. See you Sun. Love you.

  AIDEN: C U. Luv U 2

  I turned the display off and started to slip the phone back into my purse when it pinged again, this time with a text from Gabe.

  GABE: Hey, brat, where r u?

  ME: Walking back from the FM

  GABE: Meet u in front of the gallery?

  ME: Kk. B there in 5

  Adjusting the shopping bags higher on my arm, I weaved through the other pedestrians as I navigated the remaining blocks. At the corner adjacent to the art gallery, I smiled when Gabe held a hand up to tell me to wait, then crossed the street to join me.

  “Hi.” I was a bit breathless, but it wasn’t because of the quickened pace I’d set to get there. It just seemed to be my natural state when I was around him. “How was the meeting?”

  “A waste of time,” he grumbled as he slid an arm around my waist and pulled me in for a chaste kiss. “It wasn’t anything that couldn’t be said over the phone, but at least it’s done now.” Stepping back, his gaze went to the bags in my hands, and he shook his head as he reached out to take them. “I was going to head back to the room to change. We can drop this stuff off while we’re there.”

  I agreed readily, taking his hand as we strolled toward the hotel.

  Half an hour later, we were back in Jackson Square, Gabe dressed in a pair of khaki cargo shorts with a white T-shirt, and our hands free of my day’s purchases. It really was a beautiful day—not too hot, not too humid—and I tilted my face skyward, loving the feel of the sun on my face.

  “You look happy.”

  Linking my arm with Gabe’s, I squeezed affectionately as I smiled up at him. “I am happy.”

  “I’m glad.” Bending, he placed a kiss on the top of my head. “What should we do first?”

  “Let’s just walk.” There was so much to do and see, I doubted we’d have any trouble filling the time.

  We stopped to watch street performers, and I was especially fascinated by the living statues. I couldn’t even stay still while I slept. I couldn’t imagine holding the same position for hours on end. They didn’t even look like they were breathing.

  I was also equally impressed with the musicians. My brothers had insisted I take piano lessons as a little girl, but I’d been terrible at it, and I really didn’t remember anything I’d learned.

  Luckily, when I’d shown an interest in art, Noah had canceled the piano lessons and enrolled me in a pottery class at our local community center. He still had the first bowl I’d made nearly a decade ago prominently displayed on a shelf in his office. While my interests and area of study were now focused on sculpting, I still made time to get my hands dirty at a pottery wheel.

  I showed Gabe around the pedestrian mall and introduced him to the local artist community. When prompted, I eagerly pointed out my favorites while also stopping to admire some new additions to the Square. By the time I finished rambling about the different techniques and applications, the silvery hue of dusk was beginning to settle over the city.

  “Oops,” I mumbled, biting my lip as I ducked my head. “I guess I got a little carried away.”

  With a finger under my chin, Gabe tilted my head up and kissed me soundly. “I love how excited you get when you talk about your work. I could listen to you all day.”

  I didn’t think it was possible, but I fell just a little more in love with him in that moment. “Do you sit around thinking up amazing things to say, or does it just come naturally?”

  He smirked. “It’s a gift.” His fingers traced down my arm before twining with mine. “Did you want to grab dinner before we head back to the room?”

  We’d mostly been living on room service, which was kind of nice, but I liked the idea of sharing a meal with him in public. “That sounds good. There’s a little place just around…”

  I trailed off, my attention completely riveted by a woman dressed in solid black, including a sharp-looking top hat, near the gates in front of the St. Louis Cathedral. More accurately, I was distracted by the sign she was holding that advertised one of the city’s popular vampire tours. She already had a small group huddled around her, and she kept announcing that they would begin in ten minutes.

  “Oh, Gabe!”

  He followed my gaze and shook his head. “No.”

  I pulled on his hand, literally dragging him toward the group. “Come on. Please?”

  “Absolutely not,” he grumped, but he wasn’t trying to stop me. “It’s not going to happen, sweetheart.”

  “It’ll be fun!”

  “No.”

  Since he was reaching into his back pocket to remove his wallet, I didn’t take him seriously. When I offered to pay for the tickets, he ignored me, so I shrugged and made a mental note to pick up the tab for dinner instead. I was, however, confused when he handed over quite a bit more than the actual posted price.

  “Why did you tip her up front?” I considered myself a generous tipper, but I always waited until after the meal or service was complete. “What if the tour sucks?”

  Gabe shrugged as he led me over to join the small crowd. “Even if we don’t enjoy ourselves, the guide still works hard. Besides, if it sucks, we’ll probably duck out early.”

  I considered this for a full minute before I decided that was a rather admirable way to look at it, and I silently vowed to be more conscious when it came to gratuities in the future.

  The tour started off much the way I had expected, and by the third stop, I was completely absorbed in the rich history of the city. Unfortunately, Gabe’s outlook about the whole thing hadn’t changed.

  “I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his shorts and sighed.

  Wrapping my arm around his, I grinned as we shuffled along with the rest of the group to the next stop. He�
��d been growing more disgruntled by the minute, and though I probably shouldn’t have, I found his sullenness pretty funny.

  “You’re cute when you pout.”

  “Brat.” He probably meant it to be stern, but the effect was ruined when his lips twitched at the corners. “Is this payback for something I’m not aware that I did?”

  “Maybe.” I shushed him as the tour guide began talking about bottles of wine filled with blood.

  Gabe leaned into me, rocking me sideways. “Did you just shush me?”

  “Yes.” I did it again. “I’m trying to listen.”

  Gabe shook his head, smiled, then leaned in to press a kiss to my temple. “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.”

  I was, but I didn’t want him to be miserable just to please me. “I heard someone say that the next stop is at a bar. We can end there.”

  I expected him to agree right away, but instead, he laughed. “Layla, I’m messing with you. It’s actually interesting, and besides, I just like spending time with you. It doesn’t matter what we’re doing.”

  If he kept that up, he was going to talk himself right into a blowjob. “There you go again, saying things that make me all warm and fuzzy inside.” I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen him laugh so much, but I was glad to be the reason for it. “I’m actually getting kind of hungry.” I didn’t believe he was nearly as invested in the tour as he pretended, and I decided to take pity on him. “There’s a French place on the next block. What do you say?”

  He tried to mask it, but his relief was practically palpable. “Dinner sounds great.”

  I had to turn away to hide my smile. “Okay, but I’m paying.”

  He frowned but didn’t argue, so I took that as acceptance.

  The next stop on the tour was indeed at a well-known, local bar, which happened to be right across the street from the restaurant I’d recommended. So, while everyone headed inside the pub to use the restroom or refresh their drinks, Gabe and I quietly excused ourselves from the group.

  Despite it being a Friday evening, we were seated right away at an intimate two-top table near one of the bay windows. The lighting was soft, the music elegant, and the candle in the center of the white tablecloth added an air of romance to the atmosphere. I hadn’t thought about any of those things when I’d suggested the place, but it was the perfect addition to our first, official date.

  “Have you decided what you’re going to wear to the wedding?” Gabe asked while he looked over the menu.

  I already knew what I wanted, so I sat back in my seat and shrugged. “I have a few dresses that will work. We’ll need to stop by my apartment, though.”

  “I guessed as much.” He peered at me over the top of the menu. “Are your roommate’s parents still in town?”

  “Yeah, but it’s fine. They’ll probably be out most of the day tomorrow.” I picked at the nail on my index finger and sighed. “Aiden wants to have breakfast on Sunday.”

  “Okay.” Gabe tilted his head, clearly not seeing any problem with that. “Do you want me to come with you?”

  “Yes. Maybe.” I sighed again and slumped down farther in my chair. “I don’t know if he’s even going to want to talk to me after the wedding.”

  Reaching his hand across the table, Gabe wiggled his fingers until I relented and placed my palm against his. “It’s going to be fine, sweetheart. Yeah, your brothers are a little overprotective, but that’s just because they love you.” He squeezed my hand, then released it. “Besides, it’s going to be me they’re pissed at, not you.”

  I wasn’t so sure about that, but I also didn’t want to think about it anyway. So, I just nodded and changed the subject. “Remember last year when you and Aiden dragged me to that haunted house?”

  His expression morphed into a mask of confusion, and he tilted his head. “Yeah, you were dressed like a stripper, and that tight, little ass was tempting me all night.”

  Actually, I’d been dressed as a vampire princess, but his description was accurate enough, and my cheeks heated, even as I rolled my eyes at him.

  “It was awful.” Some asshole had chased me with a chainsaw. Sure, it hadn’t actually had a blade on it, but that hadn’t made it any less terrifying. “The vampire tour was payback for that.”

  His face split into a wide grin, and he bobbed his head slowly. “Well played, Miss Maddox.”

  We rehashed that night for several minutes, pausing only to give the server our order and request a bottle of wine with our meal. Gabe remembered the evening much differently than I did, his version focusing mainly on the way I was dressed or how I’d clung to him during the most frightening parts. As for me, well, I’d had nightmares about it for a week.

  Yet, it was nice to realize he hadn’t always been as indifferent to me as I’d assumed.

  When the conversation wound down, he excused himself to find a restroom. I was still watching him weave through the tightly-packed tables when the seat he’d just left was suddenly occupied by a familiar, albeit unwelcomed, face.

  “Hi, Layla.”

  I bit the inside of my cheek and forced myself to be polite. “Hi, Danny.”

  “I saw you through the window.” He pointed unnecessarily to it. “Are you here alone?”

  Since there were two glasses of wine on the table—one of them mere inches from his fingers—I figured the answer was obvious. “No, I’m here with my…” What did I say? What exactly was Gabe? My boyfriend? Lover? No, that just sounded weird. My partner? “Gabe,” I ended lamely. “I’m here with Gabe.”

  “That guy that just left?”

  I narrowed my eyes. If he’d seen Gabe leave, then he knew I wasn’t there alone. “Yes.”

  “Isn’t he a little old for you?”

  I inhaled deeply through my nose, then released the breath slowly. Danny Jacobs wasn’t necessarily a bad guy. He was even kind of handsome in a boy-next-door kind of way with his mop of blond curls and his big, green eyes. Unfortunately, he just didn’t do anything for me, and worse, he didn’t know how to take a hint.

  He’d asked me out three times, and while I’d always tried let him down nicely, he just kept coming back. At this point, my patience was wearing pretty thin.

  “I don’t really see how that’s any of your business.”

  “I’m just looking out for you, Layla.” He reached across the table for my hand, but I snatched it back and lowered it to my lap.

  His scowl said he wasn’t happy about it, but I didn’t really give a damn. “Is there something you wanted?”

  His expression cleared, and he smiled a little too widely. “There’s a party next weekend. I was wondering if you wanted to go with me.”

  “No,” I answered immediately.

  “Oh, that’s okay.” Undeterred by my abruptness, he pressed on. “How about a movie? Or we could just get coffee sometime.”

  I shook my head. “Thank you. I’m flattered.” I wasn’t, but he seemed so earnest I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. “I’m with Gabe, though, so I don’t think that would be a good idea.”

  “Come on,” he insisted. “Just as friends.”

  Again, I shook my head and let the finality seep into my voice. “No, Danny.”

  “It’s just coffee.” His tone had also changed, hardened, and he glared at me from across the table. “You don’t have to be such a stuck-up cunt about it.”

  My eyes widened, and my mouth fell open at the insult. What the hell was this guy’s problem? More to the point, what the hell was wrong with me that I actually felt hurt by his words?

  I glared right back. “I think you should leave.”

  “You know,” he said, ignoring me, “you’re pretty and all, but that doesn’t make you better than anyone else.”

  I gaped at the offensive picture he painted of me. “Excuse me?”

  “All I’m asking for is a chance, but you can’t even give me that.” His upper lip curled into a sneer. “You act so innocent, but you’re just like all those other elitis
t bitches at school. You’ll spread your legs for any guy as long as he has money, but you have no idea what’s it’s like to be with a real man.”

  Ah, now I understood. Rejection hadn’t been such a big deal as long as I wasn’t seeing anyone else. The idiot actually considered himself somehow equal to the man I was with, and he couldn’t understand why I hadn’t chosen him over Gabe.

  Moreover, he clearly considered himself to be the real man in his scenario. The idea was so ridiculous I would have laughed if I hadn’t been so stunned by his outburst. If I had been paying more attention, I might have also noticed Gabe walking up behind him. By the time I realized what was happening, however, it was too late to do anything more than pray.

  Gabe’s hand came down on Danny’s shoulder, making him wince. Oh, he was pissed, and I gasped audibly at the storm brewing in his eyes. Crap, this was not going to end well.

  “Don’t hurt him,” I blurted. Not that the jerk didn’t deserve it, but I really didn’t want to spend the night at the police station.

  “Don’t worry sweetheart, I’m not going to hurt him.” Gabe walked around the chair to stand at the end of the table and actually offered his hand to Danny. “Gabriel Turner. You are?”

  Danny stood and puffed out his chest, but instead the action being intimidating, he just looked like a child pretending to be a grownup. “Daniel Jacobs. I go to school with Layla.”

  If he hadn’t been so rude to me, I might have warned him not to take Gabe’s proffered hand, but I wasn’t feeling very charitable at the moment. Whatever happened next, he’d brought it on himself.

  “I don’t know what was said.” Gabe enunciated every word quietly but clearly as he gripped Danny’s hand and jerked him a step closer. “Judging by the look on her face, I’m guessing it wasn’t a friendly conversation.”

  “I didn’t—”

  “No,” Gabe growled. “I’m talking now.” His knuckles turned white where he gripped Danny’s hand, and I winced along with the younger man. “Here’s how this is going to work. You’re going to turn around and walk out of here. You’re not going to talk to her again.” He crowded even closer. “You’re going to leave her the hell alone. If you see her at school, you’re going to go out of your way to avoid her.”