“Iama freak,” he replies without missing a beat. “A freak in the sheets, baby.”
She rolls her eyes, and my stool spins around, where I find myself caged in. “What’re you doin’ here, Annie?”
I tilt my head back and get lost in those hazel eyes… eyes that are nearly identical to Charles’s. Even their hair color is the same. “Wait.” My gaze bounces between the two of them a few times before itfinallyclicks. “You’re legitbrothers.”
Ben sighs. “Unfortunately, I have to claim Parker as my legit brother.”
“You told me your name was Charles.”
“It’s my middle name, so technically I didn’t lie, but I wanted to see how long it would take you to figure it out.” Parker even sounds like Ben. I heard his voice in that video with Poe. How could I be so oblivious? I can’t believe I didn’t realize it right away. “I’m not normally such a douche, bu—”
“Yes, you are,” Ben and Kit say as one, and I can’t help but giggle at their banter.
He goes on like he didn’t hear them. “But I saw him walking in and couldn’t resist.”
“Couldn’t resist what?” Ben pushes, and it’s interesting how much less irate he sounds now. I’ve never met a man whose tone says more about him than the words he speaks.
Parker tips his head at me. “Just having a little fun with your girl.”
“Fun’s over,” Ben counters, and when he doesn’t correct theyour girlpart of his statement, it makes the butterflies in my stomach dance. “Weren’t you leaving?”
Parker takes a swig of his beer. “Nope.”
“Well, as entertaining as this is, I’m outta here. Ben, you can have my seat,” the man on the opposite side of me says. For a minute there, I forget we’re not the only ones in the bar, and I realize a bunch of people are watching us.
“Thanks, Kurt.”
As soon as the stool opens up, Ben jerks his chin at me. “Move over.”
He has that voice he uses when he’s commanding me to stay still so he can make sure it’s safe, or when he senses a threat and starts ordering me around. It was scary before, but knowing my life isn’t in danger in this particular moment, it’s just plain hot.
When I slide down to the vacated stool, Ben takes my place, turning his back to his brother and pushing my drink in front of me. “Dirty martini?” he guesses. “I was not expecting that.”
“What were you expecting?”
“Something fruity and possibly loopy.”
It’s so good to have him back, I feel giddy inside. “Ha. Ha. Very funny.”
“You said you were tired,” he says low, with a hint of something bad. “So why are you here now, Blue?”
I take a sip of my drink and then decide to take another, unsure of the vibe he’s putting off, trying to understand the mixed signals. My confidence takes a hit, and I simply say, “I just wanted to have a drink, so why wouldn’t I go to the bar across the street for that?”
“Because I don’t want you here.”
Areyouokay?
Ben
I’m on uneven ground, and I don’t like it. Everything around me is shaky, including my nerves, and that’s practically unheard of. The thoughts in my head are frenzied, and the words coming out of my mouth aren’t rational.
The second the words “I don’t want you here” came out of my mouth, I wanted to punch myself in the face. Of course I want her here. I want here everywhere I am.
“Oh. Sorry, I’ll just go…”
“No. That’s not what I meant.” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Watch her stuff,” I tell Parker as I grab Annie’s hand and pull her off the stool.
She holds on tight and doesn’t ask where I’m taking her. I’m getting several questioning looks as I weave her through the bar. I pause at the office door, and decide it’s not private enough, so I continue on to the back alley so we can be completely alone. The door slamming shut behind me wakes me up, like a hypnotist clapping their hands and pulling me out of a five-year-long trance.
