“Alena should be a queen too.” I shock my brothers, who whip their stares at me. “She can run circles around thefourof us. She’s a badass.”
Like a lion, Nash snarls, “My daughter is our princess. She doesn’tneedto be a queen.”
“God, man.” I toss my chin up, frustrated. “Alena’s not your little girl anymore. She’s an adult.”
“And you’re not a father,” Nash reprimands. “You don’t know how your daughter willalwaysbe your little girl.”
I aim my glare at him. “You’re her father, yes, but you’re not stupid either. In your heart, she’s your little girl, butyour head knows she’s a grown woman. She doesn’tbelongto you.”
Axel lowers his brows. “Then who does Alena belong to, baby brother? And just how doyouknow she’s a grown woman?”
Because she claims my soul every time I come inside her.
This fucker. Why isheso fierce about Alena?
“Because she’s mine!” I boom. I explode. I turn my world into fire and ash for her. “Because I love Alena! I’m so goddamn in love with her! She makes me blueberry pancakes for breakfast, I pack her turkey sandwiches for lunch, and then we fuck all night until she falls asleep in my arms.”
“Oh, shit,” Jace murmurs, quickly reaching for his phone.
I know who he’s summoning, but Sire can’t stop me now.
“You fucked my daughter?” Nash leaps, pouncing like a lion on top of me. It topples my chair over while I let him punch my face. Once. Twice. Three times, I promised Alena I’d let him, but I’m no one’s bitch or baby.
I throw a right hook, catching Nash in the nose, hoping he’ll stop when I hear it snap before it pours blood.
I broke it, but tell that to Nash, who won’t stop punching me. With a left jab, he cuts my eyebrow open. Blood blinds me while Nash hits me with blows to my body and heart.
Forever, I let him do it.
“My daughter? You fucked my daughter? You piece of shit! I trusted you!” With brutal uppercuts, he attacks my ribs. “You’re not my brother. You’re not my fucking brother if you laid a fucking hand on my daughter.” Over and over. Fucker knows what he’s doing. I can’t breathe. “I’m gonna fucking kill you.”
I twist and block, not fighting Alena’s father. I’m fighting my instinct to kill Nash. I fucking could. I’m bigger. I could flip him over and gouge his eyes while I smash his skull open. I’ve done it a dozen times, and I’ll do it again.
But for Alena, I take his rage. I let him whale on me, putting my arms up, blocking more punches to my face. Each one, a memory jabbed of growing up with Nash. Of loving Alena.
What the fuck am I supposed to do?
“Get off him.” Jace wraps his arm around Nash’s neck, choking him. “Don’t make me hurt you for him,” he warns. “Goddamnit, you two. You’re my brothers. Chill the fuck out!”
Nash finally surrenders, putting his hands up seconds before Jace chokes him out.
Licking his bloody lips, Nash rises over me, snarling, “You’re fucking dead to me.”
“No, I’m not.” I climb to my feet, ribs broken, but I stand eye to bloody eye with Nash. “I live to love Alena. Always have. Always will.”
“Why Alena?” Axel stalks toward me. “You can have any woman. Why her?” With a right hook, he punches my jaw.
“Because, Dick!” So I uppercut his gut, then jab Axel’s big mouth. “I love her!”
My eyebrow won’t stop gushing blood as Axel lunges for me. “She deserves better, you fucking?—”
He tackles me to the carpet, but I roll on top of him, cocking my fist to punch his mocking mouth. I’m tired of being told what the fuck to do when I hear THE voice.
“Hurt my brother, and I will strike you down!” Sire booms like God above.
I glance up at my eldest brother, shocked. “You’re defending Axel? He fucking started it!”
It’s like somehow Axel knew about Alena and me. How?
