“Penny,” Dominic says in that warning tone I hate.
“Dominic,” I echo in the same tone because I can mimic Mom and Dad just as well as he can.
Irritated with me, he sighs deeply before leveling Griffin with a hard look that promises painful blood loss. Right when I think he’s going to ask Griffin for the lowdown on what’s happening, he slowly turns back to me for the answers he wants. I guess Dom’s decided to give Griffin the silent treatment. That lucky bastard. “Safety first. Why aren’t you safe, and who was at the game that scared you?”
“So, it’s kind of a funny story ... about that whole situation ...” I say, dragging it out. “I got myself into a teeny-tiny dill pickle of a situation, like one of those cute little cocktail gherkins. But I had some help this time.” I glance toward Griffin, intending for it to be a compliment, but given Dominic’s grumbling, I’m pretty sure he heard that this is Griffin’s fault, not mine, despite knowing that I’m nearly always in some sort of trouble. “You see, it all started with Carolynn at Yesteryear—you know the antique store I like to go to?—calling me about this amazing ring—”
Griffin cuts me off. “She bought a ring. We got mugged. There are two guys who want the stolen ring. They’re stalking her.”
Well, okay, I guess the story wasn’t quite as long as I thought.
“You were mugged?” Dominic shouts, eyes filled with fury. If the thief were in the room with us, I have no doubt my overly protective brother would tear him into a million pieces, spreading his entrails like confetti. But anger quickly morphs into concern as he scans me from head to toe as though I might be hiding some bruising or broken bones. “Are you okay? Did you call the police?”
“Yes,Dad. I’m fine. And of course I called the police. They didn’t care, just told me to fill out an online form to get a report number.”I roll my eyes, still really annoyed with that. “And we think the guys who want the ring have been messaging me through my website. I told them the ring isn’t available, but they keep emailing. And today, they were at the post office where my PLDesigns PO box is. I heard them trying to get my address from the clerk and skedaddled out of there as quick as I could.”
I rub the faintly tender spot on the side of my head where I hit it, testing for a bump. Griffin and Dominic both zero in on the unconscious movement, knowing exactly what it means, considering my history of clumsiness. I wave a hand dismissively. “I’m fine. But when I saw the guys at the game tonight, it raised up all the little baby hairs on my neck because I don’t think that’s a coincidence.” I shoot Griffin an apologetic look because I really did think that at first.
“So we need to call the police again and tell them these guys are stalking you,” Dominic declares.
A bark of laughter escapes as I say, “Dude, have you ever seen a single true crime show in your life? Well, I have, and they don’t care unless the guy hurts you, and even then, it’s doubtful they’ll do much. At this point, what have they done? Send a few emails? Walk down sidewalks in areas I happen to be in? Show up to one of the most well-attended sporting events in the state? Yeah, don’t think any of that’s gonna qualify as suspicious. And the post office? I’m pretty sure they didn’t get my address, so technically, all they did was ask a question and get told no. Believe me, I hate to say it, but they haven’t done anything illegal. The police are gonna smile and nod, and tell me to lock my door. Which I’m going to do obviously.” I glance at my apartment door, noting the two dead bolts with a small sense of relief. “I’m just really glad I got out of there tonight.” I walk over to Griffin and thread my arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. “Thank you.”
Griffin’s strong arms wrap around me, and I feel him drop a quick kiss to the top of my head. “Of course. I’ll keep you safe.”
“Get. Your. Fucking. Hands. Off. Her.” Dominic spits the order out through clenched teeth as he stomps toward us. Griffin immediatelyreleases me, not because Dominic said so, but to put himself between me and potential harm’s way.
But I’m not afraid of my brother, so I step right back between them. “Don’t tell me what to do,” I snap at Dominic.
Dominic’s lips lift into an evil grin. “I didn’t. I told him what to do.” He looks at Griffin, his best friend, with pure, unfiltered hatred.
One second, I’m standing between them, planting my feet on the solid ground of my own adult independence. The next, they’ve stepped around me like I’m nothing more than a speed bump on their roadway to mutual destruction.
Dominic’s hands land on Griffin’s chest and he pushes him hard. “I fucking trusted you.”
“I know!” Griffin answers. “I tried to stay away from her. I tried so fucking hard.”
“Not hard enough.”
They’re yelling, pushing, and grabbing at one another.
Bang-bang-bang.Mrs. Rosenthal hits the wall, and I hear her shouting for us to be quiet. For once, she has a point.
I watch in horror as Dominic and Griffin start fighting again, seeing exactly how Griffin got the bloody nose he showed me in the locker room.
What has happened? They’ve always been such good friends. I knew this would be explosive, but I didn’t expect my brother to turn on Griffin so completely.
It hits me. Dominic is doing what he’s always done as my brother. Protect me. He thinks he needs to protect me from Griffin, and I can understand why. He’s seen how Griffin has treated me too. And while he might’ve been okay with it before as nothing more than a teasing friend, he’s obviously not okay with it if Griffin is more. But he doesn’t understand, he doesn’t know why.
“Stop!” I shout, but they don’t listen. Mrs. Rosenthal bangs on the wall again, and I glare at the white surface like she’ll see me through it and realize that I’m doing my best here.
I jump onto Dominic piggyback style, yanking on his shoulders as I try to pull him away from Griffin. “Leave him alone.”
But I might as well be a fly on a donkey because Dominic easily shakes me off. Griffin notices me sprawled on the wood floor and rears back, punching my brother for what seems like the first time, landing a massive blow to Dom’s stomach that has my brother reeling. “Don’t fucking hurt her.”
“I’m not hurting her! You’re hurting her,” Dom gasps painfully from his doubled-over position, his hands cradling his gut.
Woo-hoo! My man can pack a punch,I think to myself proudly.
What? Is Griffin my man?
