“We need to talk, Benny.”
“Yeah? Call me.”
I almost growled in frustration. “I’ve been trying for a week. Where’s your phone?”
His gaze flickered to Landon. “Don’t fuck with my sister.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
I kept a firm grip on the door, fearing that if he left now, I’d never see him again. “Please don’t do this. We can figure it out. Just like we always have. You and me against the world.”
The apologetic smile he gave me made my heart stutter. “I love you, sis.”
Then, my baby brother squeezed through the door.
I wanted to scream.
I wanted to fling myself onto the floor and throw a toddler-sized tantrum until he saw reason and returned.
“Mercy—” Landon started, coming up behind me.
Unable to even look at the bastard, I threw my hand up in his face, much like my brother had just done to me, silencing whatever bullshit he was about to spew. This man had brought me so much pleasure last night, and today he’d stuck his nose in where it didn’t belong, possibly costing me the boy I’d raised.
I held the door open. “You should go too.”
He hesitated.
“The threat’s gone, Superman. You’re off duty. Now get the fuck out before I call the cops.”
Dark brows furrowed in a deep scowl. “Fine,” he spat, and stalked past me.
I slammed the door behind him, engaging both the deadbolts and the door lock.
I was never, ever, bringing another man home.
Frustrated with Ben, Landon, myself, and the world in general, I headed into my bedroom to retrieve my phone. Work always made me feel better, and now that the drama had passed, I had shit to do. Ben would be fine. He had to be, because there wasn’t a thing I could do to help him.
Fucking Landon.
If I never saw that asshole again, it would be too soon.
The moment I fired up my phone, it started pinging with missed calls, voicemails, and texts, all from Luke.
Curious, I hit the icon to access my voicemail.
“Hey, Mercy, it’s me. It’s about five minutes after seven, and you’re not here yet, so I’m checking on you. Everything okay? I hope to see you soon.”
Guilt stabbed me in the stomach. I should have at least messaged him back and let him know I wasn’t coming last night, but fucking Landon had distracted me. I’d have to call Luke back and apologize. The manipulative bastard would probably make me grovel, which I would do if he gave me another chance to find out what was going on with Ben.
The next voicemail started. “Hey. Me again. It’s almost seven thirty, and I still haven’t heard from you, which is weird since you’re the one who reached out to me. You needed me, so I gave up my Friday night to help you, and this is the thanks I get? If you can’t make it, at least have the decency to let me know.”
The change in his tone made the hair on the back of my neck stand up, but I was in the wrong, so I let it slide.
The third voicemail held no introduction. “I was there for you when you needed me; don’t forget that.”
His tone was growing steadily angrier. On top of groveling and buying him dinner, I was going to have to bake him cookies or something. Sex was still permanently off the table—I planned to practice abstinence for the foreseeable future—but I’d do something nice for him.
Then came the fourth voicemail.
