Defy You: A Brother's Best Friend/Age Gap Romance (Rebel Ink Book 3)

by Tracy Lorraine

  “So, were you planning on joining me, or…” I say with a laugh when he remains in the hallway, watching me.

  “Uh… no. I’ll just be in here.” He darts for his room, and in the blink of an eye, he’s gone.

  “It’s okay,” I call out, “I wasn’t planning on leaving the door open.” Although, I must admit, it would be quite amusing.

  He seems to be doing anything he can to prove he’s not affected by me in any way, but I see it in his eyes.

  With a laugh, I walk into the bathroom and close the door behind me. I turn the shower on, and, after stripping down, I step into the bath and allow the hot water from above to wash over my body.

  I can’t remember the last time I had a shower that felt this good. The one at the house certainly wasn’t. It also makes the ones at the club seem terrible, when I thought they were the best I was going to get.

  This huge showerhead and torrent of water, is everything.

  Realising that I only brought in a clean set of underwear and no toiletries, I make the most of Spike’s that are littering the edge of the bath.

  The second I open his body wash, images of him from this morning in my bed fill my mind and a smile forms on my lips.

  I wonder how much it would have taken to make him stay and give in to what he was so obviously craving.

  Picturing the impressive bulge behind the fabric of his boxers, I use my hand to rub the bubbles all over my body. I gasp when I brush over my pebbled nipples, not realising how much just thoughts of his body are turning me on.

  Parting my legs, I drop my shower gel covered fingers to my clit and find I’m wetter than I probably should be.

  Knowing that someone isn't about to barge through the bathroom as was a usual occurrence back at the house means I lean back against the wall, prop my foot against the edge of the bath and continue what I’ve started with his scent filling my nose.

  As my muscles start to tense, I realise just how long it’s been since I felt this. There’s no privacy at all in that house, and I’ve witnessed one too many of my housemates openly taking what they needed to ever run the risk of getting caught doing it myself. They might have barged in and seen me naked in the shower, but I refused to give any of them that kind of show.

  All too soon, my release rushes forward, making my knees want to give out as my hips buck against my own fingers.

  As I come down from my high, I can’t deny that it was needed. My muscles already feel a little more relaxed from it, but I want more.

  I need a man to work me over good and proper.

  I groan to myself, rolling my head and feeling my shoulders crack.

  Making quick work of finishing up, I dry myself with what I assume is Spike’s towel before pulling on my fresh underwear and dragging the door open.

  He’s crashing around in the kitchen, so I bypass my room and stop in the entryway.

  “What are your plans for the rest of the day?” I ask, startling him.

  He turns around and his eyes almost bug out of his head.

  He clears his throat, but it doesn’t work. His words still get stuck. “P-put some clothes on and I might be more likely to tell you.”

  “Jeez, are you always this much of a prude?”

  “When it’s my boss’ little sister standing in front of me, yeah, I am.”

  “Zach doesn’t give a shit what I do.”

  “You really believe that?”

  I shrug. He’s spent most of his life not knowing I even exist; he can hardly have an opinion on my life now.

  “Well, let me tell you that he’ll likely scoop my eyes out with a fork if he was aware I even knew what colour underwear you owned, let alone what you look like wearing it,” he says, turning around and returning to what he was doing when I walked in.

  “I get up on stage and dance for hundreds of men at a time, in less,” I say flippantly.

  “Fuck,” Spike barks, dropping the knife that was in his hand to the floor and lifting his finger to his mouth.

  “Shit, are you okay?” I ask, rushing over. “Please don’t tell me you were hungry?” I ask when I spot that he was attempting to make a sandwich. He pins me with a hard look, but there’s a fat chance of me being scared of the likes of him, not when I’ve got Jet and his crew on my back.

  “Let me see,” I say with a sigh.

  Reluctantly, he pulls his finger from his mouth, although not before I notice just how his lips look sucking on it.

  He holds out his finger for me, which immediately gets coated in a layer of red from his cut.

  “Over here.” I drag him using his finger to the sink, where I run it under some cool water to ensure there’s no food in it before reaching for the kitchen roll sitting on the counter and pulling off a piece. I fold it a few times and then wrap it around his finger.

  “I can look after myself, you know,” he sulks.

  “Says the one who cut himself chopping cucumber,” I sass with a raised brow.

  “I was distracted,” he mutters.

  “Does it hurt?” I tilt my head to the side, waiting for an answer.

  “Yeah, a little.”

  A smile curls at my lips. “Want me to make it better?” I bite down on my bottom lip and take a step toward him, all the while keeping my hand wrapped around his injured finger.

  “I-I think I’ll survive.”

  I stare up at him, our eyes locked in our silent battle of wills.

  He wants me, I can see it in his eyes, in the way his chest is suddenly moving at an increased rate.

  I also know that at some point I’ll win this game.

  Looking away from me, he swallows, making his Adam’s apple bob. “You need to stop this.”

  “Stop what?” I ask innocently. “I was merely helping you out in your time of need.”

  “That’s not what this is, and you know it.” He glances back down at me and to my breasts. “I’m trying to do the right thing here, Kas. Don’t push me, or I won’t bat an eyelid sending you back where you came from.”

  “Bullshit. You aren’t sending me anywhere. You care too much. I like it, it’s sweet.” I step away from him, allowing him to release the breath he was holding. “It makes a change from no one giving a shit. Oh look, you dropped your knife.” I bend over to reach for it, and the second I touch the cool metal a growl sounds out from behind me. “You really should be more careful. You could have cut a toe off.”

  I place it on the side and walk from the room. I don’t look over my shoulder. I don’t need to. I know he’s watching my every move. I can feel it.

  The second I close my door, I rest back against it and laugh to myself.

  Tempting him is too easy. I can quickly see it becoming my favourite hobby.

  Pulling on some clothes, I spend the next few hours in my room, unpacking the few possessions I have and having a much-needed nap on the incredibly comfortable bed.

  I’d set an alarm to wake me so I can get to work—assuming I still have a job—but I’m woken by Spike’s buzzer, followed by the low rumble of another male voice a few minutes later.

  It’s not Zach, I know that, and I’m pretty sure it’s not Titch either.

  Climbing from the bed, I check my reflection in the mirror. After fluffing up my hair a little, I pull down the neck of my tank and push the girls up a bit before going to see who’s here.

  “Have you got a girl here?” the deep voice asks the second I open the door.

  “Uh…” Spike hesitates.

  “Jesus, you’re such a dog.”

  “Takes one to know one, man. But she’s not that kind of girl.”

  “And here I was, thinking we could both make use of her.”

  I’m slightly taken aback by his words, although I’m not sure why. Boys will be boys. I know that more than most with the job I’ve been doing.

  “You’re really, really going to regret even suggesting that,” Spike says, his voice harder, angrier even after the man’s suggestion.

  “Why? Wh
o the fuck are you hiding back there?”

  At that, I walk around the corner.

  “It’s not polite to talk about people behind their backs, you know that, right?”

  The second I see him, I know who he is, and I understand Spike’s warning a little more.

  “D, how’s it going?” I ask while he stares at me with his chin dropped.

  “Spike.” His voice is a warning as he looks between us. “Why the hell is Zach’s little sister in your flat wearing… well, not a lot?”

  “It’s nothing like that,” Spike argues. “I found her in Pulse last night.”

  D raises a brow at his friend, clearly not following his lead. “If you’ve touched her, Zach will kill you with his bare hands. I know he let Titch off lightly, but he won’t do it again, and not with her.”

  “I am in the room, you know,” I snap, but they both continue to ignore my presence.

  “I haven’t fucking touched her.” It’s kind of a lie, but I let it go. “She wasn’t there on a fucking night out, she was up on the fucking stage.” If I weren’t so pissed off about them talking about me like I’m not here, I’d be amused by how wide D’s eyes go at Spike’s words.

  “Nooooo. Zach will fucking—”

  “Zach will fucking nothing,” I bark, coming to stand between the two of them. “I’m a fucking adult. I can make my own choices. And right now, I need money, and that’s the best way I know how, other than to—”

  “Oh no, don’t even go there,” Spike spits. “Do not even consider whatever follows that sentence.”

  “Whatever,” I say, waving him off. “My point is that it’s my choice. My body, my life. I don’t give a shit what either of you, or my brother, think.”

  “You fucking should. He’s gonna lose his shit when he finds out you’re flaunting it for the scumbags in that place.”

  I refrain from pointing out that they are two of the scumbags from that place.

  “So, don’t tell him. Let me do my thing, earn the money I need, and then I’ll be done. Trust me, it’s not a career that I want to embark on for longer than necessary.”

  D chuckles, causing my brows to draw together.

  “What’s so funny?” I cross my arms over my chest and don’t miss Spike’s eyes drop momentarily. Yeah, definitely one of the scumbags. He’s trying to be all chivalrous, playing my protector, but really, he’s just like all the others. I’ve heard the stories about his antics. It’s one of the reasons I pushed last night. I thought he’d give in much easier though, I must admit.

  “You really think we’ll keep this shit quiet? You might be related to Zach by blood, but make no mistake that he’s our brother in every other sense of the word. We look out for our own, and that, young lady, includes you.”

  “Don’t ‘young lady’ me,” I snap, unhappy with the way he’s looking at me like I’m a little girl. “I’m younger than you lot, so what? I’m not the naïve child you think I am. If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a job to get ready for.” Spinning on my heels, I storm back to my room and slam the door.

  Okay, so maybe that was every bit as childish as they were making me out to be.

  I can’t help it though. Their condescending tone as they talked about me as if I wasn’t in the room pissed me the fuck off.

  I do my hair and makeup before shoving everything I’m going to need for my shift in my backpack and getting ready to leave the flat.

  I’m earlier than I need to be, but right now, I’d rather spend time in the dressing room at the club with the other dancers than I would with those two judgemental arseholes.

  Two sets of eyes leave the TV and turn to me the second I’m in the same room.

  “Where the hell are you going?” Spike barks.

  “Um… to work.”

  His lips purse as he sucks in a deep breath before he responds. “Have you heard nothing I’ve said to you? You’re not going back there.”

  “Get over yourself, Spike. It’s my job. You of all people know why I need the money.” His face reddens in anger as I assume he thinks about what happened last night.

  “Exactly the reason why you shouldn’t go back there.”

  “Oh, so what am I meant to do? Sit here and wait to win the lottery that I don’t play? Great idea, arsehole.”

  “I’ve told you the solution. You tell me how much, and I’ll sort it. If you don’t, it’ll just get me to Zach’s door quicker.”

  “Blackmail?” I ask with a sigh. “You’re resorting to blackmail now? Let me just sort out my own life. Butt the fuck out.”

  “No can do, sweetheart.” He shrugs, and all it does is infuriate me further.

  Rolling my eyes at both of them, I march toward the door.

  “Leave and I’ll make sure Zach finds you up on that stage himself tonight.”

  I pause with my fingers wrapped around the handle.

  “You think I caused a scene last night? Just wait until he finds you.”

  Blowing out a calming breath, I spin around and look between the two of them. D just looks amused that Spike seems to be winning this argument, whereas Spike looks about ready to combust.

  “Fine,” I sass, thinking of another option. “Fine. You win. Happy now? Just remember that you were the one to stop me when Jet catches up with me and forces me to make payment in other forms. It’ll be your fault when he passes me around his arsehole friends for shits and giggles.”

  Without waiting for a response, I run for my room, once again slamming the door so hard that the floor vibrates beneath my feet.

  Turning on the wireless speakers that were sitting on the chest of drawers when I got here, I sync my phone and turn up my angry playlist.

  I can’t help smiling as I wait to see if there’s going to be a response from the arseholes in the living room.

  When neither of them appear at my door after five minutes, I take it as my cue that it’s safe, and stalk toward the window. Pushing it as wide as it’ll go, I look down. It’s a fire escape, so it’s not the most dangerous place I’ve had to climb down from over the years, but equally, it’s not a staircase either.

  Pulling the straps of my bag higher up on my shoulders, I throw my leg over the windowsill and set about my secret escape.

  6

  Spike

  “She’s awfully quiet in there for someone who has so much to say,” D comments as I make my way back to the sofa with a pizza for each of us.

  “She’s probably just sulking.”

  “Is she really stripping?”

  “Yup,” I mumble around a mouthful of steaming meat feast pizza. “I pulled her off the stage and demanded we leave. Dakota was pissed.”

  “That was brave of you. There’s no way I want to be on the wrong end of Dakota. That bitch is scary.”

  “I decided I’d take my chances with her over Zach.”

  “He’s gonna lose his shit, man.”

  “You don’t know the half of it.” I fill him in on what happened once we got outside the club and then the squat I followed her to today.

  “Jesus. He said her life was shit, but fuck. I don’t think he knows it’s that bad.”

  “Why do you think I dragged her back here?”

  “To be honest, I’m just glad it’s not to fuck her.”

  I raise a brow at him. “I am able to say no, you know.” I roll my eyes and reach for another slice.

  “You’ve had to say no?” he asks with his brows raised in suspicion.

  I shake my head. “She was drunk. It was nothing.”

  “You need to watch your fucking back, Spike,” he warns.

  “What?” I ask innocently, because there’s no fucking way I’m about to admit the less than innocent thoughts I’ve had about my latest roommate. Her presence makes me realise why I’ve only had male housemates to date. Even though she’s forbidden in every sense of the word, she’s still a temptation I really don’t need.

  “You think she’s hungry?” he asks, glancing up at her closed bedroom door.
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  “How the fuck should I know? I’m not her keeper.”

  “I was thinking more of a fairy godmother.”

  “Fuck you.”

  “Kas,” he calls, his tone much softer than a few moments ago. “Do you want some pizza?”

  Silence greets him.

  “And here I was thinking no one could turn down pizza.” He shrugs and goes back to his puke-inducing ham and pineapple. There is something seriously fucking wrong with my friend.

  “Kas,” I call, trying myself when a feeling I can’t shake fills my body. “You hungry? There’s plenty here.”

  Silence once more makes me sit forward on the sofa.

  “Why do you look so worried?”

  “She wouldn’t… would she?”

  “What? Ignore us because we’re arseholes? Yeah, more than likely.”

  “I have a feeling it’s worse than that.” Marching over to her door, I rain my fist down on the wood. “Kas, open the door.”

  Silence.

  “Kas,” I warn one more time. “If you’re in there, I need you to open the door right now.”

  Nothing.

  “Motherfucker,” I mutter, pushing the handle down and shouldering the door open.

  “Fuck,” I bark, taking in the empty room and the window that’s cracked open.

  “What the fuck, man?” D asks when I storm back into the room and angrily shove my feet into my shoes.

  “She’s fucking gone. Come on.”

  “Gone? Gone where? How?”

  “Out the fucking window. Move, or I’ll go without you.”

  He’s up off the sofa in a beat and joins me as I walk through the front door.

  “She’s a pain in the arse,” D mutters as we descend the stairs.

  “You got that fucking right.”

  As we turn toward the club that’s only a few doors down, it doesn’t escape my mind that we could just leave her to it, let her do her thing, allow her to get naked for all those sets of eyes, but I can’t. The thought of them looking at her makes me want to lock her up in that bedroom properly this time.