“Can you protect and provide for her?” Rylee’s little voice asked as she bit again into the cheese she took off her pizza. Her question floored me.
Where did this little girl come up with a question like that?
“My daddy told me to never settle for a man who couldn’t protect or provide,” she continued, and I shook my head because this little girl was something else.
“Ms. Rylee, you have a very long time before you have to think about men. You already promised that won’t be until you’re sixty,” a deep voice said from behind me, causing me to have a jump scare before me and Bailey quickly turned our heads. As I looked at the tall man with light gray hair walking from behind our booth, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to know that this was Bailey’s brother.
“Daddy!” Hailey and Rylee screamed before leaving the booth and leaping into their father’s arms just as he was kneeling down to catch them.
The girls had their arms around his neck, squeezing him tight as he went back and forth kissing their faces repeatedly. The scene tugged at my heart strings, and I looked in wonder as the tall, rigid, stone-faced man dressed in a black suit melt instantly at the sight of his daughters. After kissing their faces, he stood up with his daughters on each hip and walked them back to our booth. He gave them each one last kiss on the cheek before he put them down and held their hands as they scooted across the bench seat.
“Hey, sis,” Bailey’s brother said, leaning over to give her a kiss on the forehead before he slid into the booth next to his daughters. I stared in amazement because her brother’s demeanor was so gentle as he spoke to Bailey, like he was talking to his daughters.
“Hey, you! I thought you were going to be gone for another month.” Bailey was now relaxed and this side of her was like a gift to me. I figured her and her brother were going to talk for a while, so I used this time to reach for a slice of pizza.
“I was but we finished things sooner than expected.” I heard him respond but his voice sounded distracted and when I looked up after biting into my pizza, her brother’s dark eyes were glaring at me with a look that could kill. Totally different from the man who just kissed his daughter and sister a moment ago.
Something about her brother put me on edge, which was unusual because I was not easily intimidated. Her brother was taller than me by at least two or three inches, but his build was a little leaner, like he ran a few miles on the regular.
But his whole vibe was lethal, I noticed how his eyes subtly scanned the room like he was waiting for someone to attack when he walked to our table with his daughters, and now he wassitting so he was facing the door. I assumed he was either ex-military or highly paranoid, maybe he was both.
“How did you know where we were?” Bailey asked, trying to get her brother’s attention again.
“You know I have a tracking app on everyone’s cell phone,” he responded without breaking eye contact with me. “Who the hell are you?” Her brother finally asked.
I see where Rylee gets her greeting to strangers from, I thought to myself.
“I’m Titan,” I said, extending my hand for a shake, which her brother didn’t accept. Instead, he kept his death stare trained on me, and I smirked as I lowered my hand.
Well fuck you too then.
“I heard of you. Titan Browning, you’re a venture capitalist and tech bro. Founder and CEO of Titan Technology and CEO and co-founder ofHydroBeverages with your siblings. I see your face everywhere but who are you to my sister?” he asked, tilting his head to the side.
“I’m a friend fornow,” I said, not backing down from the aggressiveness her brother was showing.
“Anthony, will you ease up? I just signed Titan’s companyHydroas a client,” Bailey said, reaching over the table and squeezing her brother’s clenched fist, and I watched him immediately relax just from her simple touch. Then he smiled at Bailey like a proud father.
“Congratulations B! Anything you set your mind to, I know you can do.” His smile was wide until he turned his eyes back to me. “I’ve noticed that your right hand has been missing from the table since I sat down, Titan.”
“Mr. Browning,” I corrected, and I heard Bailey gasp from beside me. “Only my friends and family call me Titan; oh, and your sister.” I smirked when I saw him look like he wanted to murder me. I didn’t give a fuck if this black John Wick lookingmuthafucka could kill me with the straw I had in my drink, but I wasn’t no bitch, and his rudeness was unnecessary. Which is why I make people call me Mr. Browning because it forces them to have manners and be respectful.
“Oh, is that right,Mr.Browning?” He said it sarcastically, and I didn’t give a fuck how he said it, but you see he called meMr.Browning right?
“Yep,” I said, putting emphasis on the sound of the P.
Anthony reached for the knife that was on the napkin his daughter opened when she needed a fork for her salad and started spinning it on its side. He kept staring at me like he wanted to kill me with the knife while I kept my hand on Bailey’s thigh. I was going to keep it there just to further piss him off and show him that he didn’t run shit when it came to me, but then Bailey moved my hand and placed it on the table. I was about to be an asshole and put my hand back on her thigh, but I didn’t want Bailey uncomfortable, so I kept my hand on the table.
“Since my sister works for you now, I don’t think it’s smart to be mixing business with pleasure. However, I have to constantly remind myself that she is an adult and can make her own decisions.” He frowned as though the thought of his sister being an adult left a bad taste in his mouth.
“I can tell from the looks you were giving her before I walked over a moment ago that you’re interested in her,” he continued, “I don’t know you enough to say I’m ok with you dating my sister, but I will say that if you two do pursue a relationship, and if for whatever reason my sister doesn’t look the way she does today –Meaning, her smile no longer lights up a room, her eyes no longer sparkle with happiness, or she is harmed in anyway because of you.” He stopped spinning the knife then his smile turned sinister.
“I won’t hesitate to hurt you, and Imeanthat.” I couldn’t lie. I was speechless. He then smiled down at his daughters whowere still eating pizza and salad, both of them oblivious to the threat their father just made and said. “You girls want to play your dad in some video games!” His demeanor once again did another 180 as he and his daughters happily left the booth to look for a game.
When they were out of sight, Bailey finally broke her silence, “Titan, I’m so sorry. He’s been like that ever since I was a little girl. Both my brothers are protective, but Anthony takes the cake.” She sighed, then chuckled.
“I wasn’t expecting your brother to be so intense but as a big brother myself, I understand where he’s coming from. Me and my brothers are the same with my sister anytime she brings some new boyfriend home. I know the speech all big brothers give, ‘You hurt my sister, I’ll hurt you’ yada, yada, yada.” I chuckled as I reached for a chicken wing.
“Titan, I need you to understand something. Anthonyrarelyjokes, and he doesnotmake idle threats.” I was going to laugh it off, but Bailey looked serious, and in the back of my mind, I knew Anthony was serious, but I knew it would never come to that because I had no plans to ever hurt Bailey.
