“First off, what’s happening between us is so much more than what you insultingly whittled it down to. And second, who I sleep with is absolutely none of your business!”
He crossed his arms over his chest and glared down at me with indignation. “It absolutely is my business when you’re making terrible decisions like this.” He threw his hand out to indicate Raylan. “The guy’s a man whore. Jesus, Lenni, I thought you were supposed to be smarter than this. I didn’t think you’d be dumb enough to fall for his brand of bullshit.”
Okay, that one hurt, but before I could lash out, Raylan’s arm banded around my waist, and I was yanked behind him faster than I could blink. Unlike me, he was able to go eye-to-eye with my brother, and based on what I could see of his profile, he’d officially reached the same level of pissed off as Zach. Suddenly I was worried about bloodshed.
“Never again.” His voice was so low and menacing that a shiver worked its way over my spine. “You want to insult me go for it. Hate me all you want, but that is the first and last time youtalk to your sister like that. I want your acceptance, I want you to be happy for us, because I love her more than you can possibly know, but if I ever hear you call her dumb again, or anything else that could hurt her feelings, I’ll knock your goddamn teeth down your throat. You hear me?”
Oh shit.
Zach pushed in closer, his mouth a snarl as he hissed. “You don’t love her. You don’t know the fucking meaning of that word. You’re only using her to get your dick wet, and as soon as you get tired of her, you’ll toss her aside just like you’ve done with every other woman that came before her.”
“Zachary Paulson!” At Rae’s shrill yell, we all turned her way. She’d shot up to her feet, her hands fisted at her side and murder gleaming in her eyes. “I knew you could be stupid sometimes, but I forgave it because you’re a man, and men can be dumb more often than not, but I’ve never known you to be cruel. You keep this up and you won’t be sleeping on the couch; I’ll throw your ass into the barn!”
He looked stricken at her threat. “Hollywood—” he started, but before he could get any further, I rounded Raylan, putting myself between him and my brother.
I didn’t bother to mask the pain his words had caused, and the instant he saw it written on my face, he flinched like he’d just been slapped, the color draining from his cheeks. “Zach, I love you with everything I have. You’ve always been the best brother, at least until right now.” I couldn’t keep the wobble out of my voice. My chin trembled and my eyes welled with sadness. “You’re breaking my heart,” I whispered.
“Lenni, sweetheart?—”
I held my hand up to stop him. “I love him, Zach. And when I say that, I mean I’ve loved him for more than half my life. I know exactly who he is, and so do you. We know his character. We know his heart. And we both know he’s a good man. Knowingthose things is preciselywhyI love him. How you feel about us being together is never going to change that. I’ll choose him over and over again, because it’s only ever been him.” I heard Raylan suck in a gasp behind me, but I couldn’t turn to look. I had to get this out before it tore me apart inside. “I want nothing more than for you to support this relationship, but believe me when I tell you, even if you don’t, I’ll still be with him. But it would kill a little piece inside me.”
“Oh, sweetheart.” Zach looked ravaged as he stared down at me, his forehead pinched with sadness. “You don’t understand.”
“Then explain it to me,” I pleaded. “Because the last thing I want is to lose my brother.”
Then he proceeded to gut me... in the very best way. “My life started the day I met Mom and Dad, but you have to understand, I didn’t really learn the meaning of true, unconditional love until the day you were born. I’m talking the kind of love where I’d gladly give my life for yours. When you were born, I made a promise to myself that I would do everything in my power to make sure you never got hurt. I never wanted you to go through anything like I did, and I’ve spent every day since you were born, worried that I’d fall down on the job, and wouldn’t be there to protect you when you needed me. I couldn’t live with myself if I ever failed you like that.”
I lost the fight with my tears and let them stream down my cheeks unchecked as I lunged for my brother, wrapping my arms around him, hugging as tightly as I possibly could. A single sob broke free when he squeezed me back. This was the brother I’d always known. The one who could heal most anything with nothing more than one of his incredible bear hugs.
“You’re the best big brother a girl could ask for,” I sniffled, holding him for another second before pulling away. “But you can’t protect me from being hurt. It’s going to happen no matter what anyone does. That’s just a part of life.” I reached back withone hand, Raylan’s fingers automatically tangling with mine, infusing me with his silent strength. “Raylan is going to hurt me. Probably more than once. And I’m going to hurt him too. Because we’re humans, and humans screw up from time to time. But you have to trust that, even when that happens, we’ll be able to work through it and get to the other side.”
Raylan’s fingers pulsed around mine. “She’s the love of my life,” he said fiercely. I whipped around in shock at his moving declaration, but he was laser-focused on my brother. “I’m going to marry her one day, and she’s going to give me a family, just like Rae is giving you.” At that, my sister-in-law sniffled, tears staining her face. She wasn’t the only one. My mom was also glassy-eyed as Raylan confessed his feelings for me publicly for the very first time. “I’m going to spend the rest of my life doing everything possible to make sure she feels happiness and love every single day because she deserves nothing less. You have my word.” Those eyes met mine, the gunmetal swirling as he smiled down at me. “And for the record, Chaos, for me, it’s only ever been you.”
“You really mean that.” At the awe in my brother’s voice, my gaze went back to him but he was too busy staring at his childhood friend, understanding melting into his features. “You really love her.”
“She’s air for me. She’s the blood in my veins. Without her, there’s no surviving.”
Oh my god.That was so much better than simply saying “I love you.”
“Then I’m happy for you both.” And just like that, my heart pieced itself back together. “But just remember, you treat her wrong, I’ll be there to break both your legs.”
My head fell back on a laugh. I’d expected nothing less from my overprotective big brother.
“Understood,” Raylan returned, his mouth hooking up in a grin.
“Great!” my mother declared with a clap of her hands. “Now that that’s finished, who’s hungry? I made meatball subs.”
I wasn’t sure it was possible for life to get any more perfect than it was in that very moment.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Lennix
My whole body trembled with the strength of my climax. My fingers were tangled in the sheets, and my back was arched off the mattress as I cried out Raylan’s name.
The man in question turned his face to graze his teeth along my inner thigh, making me shiver delightfully as he crawled over the top of me, fitting his trim hips between my thighs.
“Christ, Chaos. Love hearin’ you shout my name like that while you come all over my face.” Then he kissed me like his life depended on it, stealing what little breath I had in my lungs. I’d just had a whopper of a climax, and already, he was working me up to want more.
