“You clearly pulled tissues out of your other pocket earlier,” Liam accuses.
“We’re at a wedding, Liam.I’d be a fool to not have extra tissues.What if my stoic lover actually breaks character outside of the bedroom?”
I blush at Carlos’ open flirting and avert my gaze toward the wall as I wipe the rest of the dog slobber off my neck.
Liam clears his throat and nudges Carlos with his elbow before turning to me.
“I’m sorry we’ve put you in such an uncomfortable situation,” he says.
I shake my head and ball the used tissues in my fist.
“Don’t apologize.It’s just my luck today, unfortunately,” I say with a shrug.
Both of their gazes narrow on my face.Emotions squeeze my insides.Even though I know they’re gay and aren’t sexually interested in me, their masculine attention is too much.
“What happened?”Carlos asks.
I shake my head and pat his arm.
“Nothing I can’t handle,” I lie.“I need to go check on the bridesmaids and wash up before we line up for the ceremony, so excuse me, please.”
“Of course,” Mr.Brunswick says.
When Mr.Lopez glowers at him, I step around the couple and rush away before they can call out my lies.
A fist closes around my upper arm and yanks me into a side hall.My attacker slams me against the wall so hard the air whooshes out of my lungs and the fancy wainscoting bruises my back.Horrible memories flash through my mind, and for a millisecond, I can’t move.
It’s a millisecond too long.
As years’ worth of self-defense classes click into place, I open my mouth to scream, but a massive hand covers it.
Panic floods my veins with adrenaline, and I grab the man’s wrist with both hands as I jerk my knee upward.
The low, masculine curse as I strike his thigh lifts the hairs on my nape.
He releases me and steps out of reach.Relief spears through me and my legs turn to jelly, but I catch myself on the wall and prepare to dart back toward the main hall.
“Long time no see, little stepsis.”
Time splinters.
No, this cannot be happening.
I look up—and up—past shiny dress shoes, up long legs, over broad shoulders, and into sky-blue eyes too clear to belong on such a monster.
Even as horror closes my throat, my soul leaps in delight and my heart quivers with want.
Brennan Diamond.
Myex-stepbrother.The demon who gained my trust, promised to always be there for me, then abandoned my mother and me to his cruel father.
I haven’t seen him for thirteen years.
It’s not long enough.Especially not after I just saw his father for the first time in ten years.
I curl my hands into fists to hide my trembling and inch toward the main hall.
“What, no flirty smiles or suggestive eyelash batting like you just did to the men out there?I’m hurt, Audrey,” he growls.
