That’s a question for another time. What I do know is that he’s not going to not be my man just because Dominic says so. The only people who can decide that are Griffin and me. And let’s be real ... the only one who can truly decide that is me, because if I put my back into it, I could seduce Griffin likethat, although that’s not the sort of woman I am. If he wants to commit, then I’m going to make sure he’s committed, no influence allowed.
And I’m about to say as much, using my cheerleader projection voice to break through their melee, when Dominic surges up, landing a solid uppercut to Griffin’s chin. So instead of shouting, I decide it’s high time for me to get a little farther away from this battle. Neither of them would intentionally hurt me, but with the way my luck runs, I’m likely to accidentally catch hands from one or both of them. And they’re tougher than me and will be fine after all this hitting. Meanwhile, I’d probably end up needing a nose job, and I happen to like my cute, swoopy nose and don’t want it changed.
But they have to stop. And shut up before Mrs. Rosenthal calls the police. I have no doubt they’d show up for something like this. Hell, they’d probably arrest Dom and Griffin just to say they took down two famous hockey stars, asking for autographs and photos while simultaneously booking them in and taking mug shots.
An idea strikes me. It’s crazy, but I think it’ll work.
I dash for the kitchen, grabbing the sprayer hose from the sink. Turning the cold water on full throttle, I whisper a quick prayer of thanks for excellent water pressure and thumb the trigger. The spray arcs across the room, dousing them. I play firefighter, swooping the sprayer back and forth to drench them both.
“No, bad boys!” I call out, chastising them like wayward dogs.
“What the fuck?” they both sputter as they stop fighting and their anger-filled eyes find me.
I release the trigger but keep the sprayer locked on Dominic, silently threatening another spray as I inform him, “This is happening.” I swing a finger from myself to Griffin to make it clear what I’m talking about because my brother likes to play stupid when it suits him. “This.”
Dominic immediately starts shaking his head. “No, it’s not.”
“Quit with the bossy big brother act and be a better friend,” I tell him, ignoring his refutation. “Now.”
“It’s not an act,” Dominic answers flatly. “And I have been thebestfriend. You don’t know this guy like I do.” Sneering, he lifts his chin toward Griffin.
Dom’s talking about Griffin like he’s not standing right here. No, he’s talking like he wants to make Griffin feel like shit, and he’s using me to do it.
Well, he can fuck off if that’s his grand plan.
I press the trigger, squirting him again, and he sputters in enraged shock.
“I know enough!” I declare. “You and Griffin are best friends. He’s the one you want at your side and at your back, and who you love like a brother. And he’s done the same for you. Respecting you so much that he squashed down his feelings for me in some misguided bro-code bullshit.”
“Bro-code bullshit? Is that what he told you?”
“He told me a lot. Enough that I’m willing to give him a chance.” I cut my eyes to Griffin, a soft smile stealing across my face. “Because he’s worth it.”
“You deserve better,” Dominic spits out.
I watch the light in Griffin’s eyes dim and his jaw clench hard. That hurt him. He said as much about himself today, but hearing it from Dominic cuts a lot deeper. I wonder how many times he’s heard that in his life. His parents told him he was worthless, and now, even as an adult, his best friend in the whole wide world is essentially doing the same. His dad, the man who was supposed to love him unconditionally, hit him so hard that he broke his nose. And now, his best friend has done that too.
My heart breaks for Griffin, which is something I never thought I’d say or think or feel about the stone-cold man but is absolutely true in this pivotal moment.
“Dominic Lee, I have never been so disappointed in you as I am right now,” I reply evenly, totally seriously, and absolutely disgustedly. “If you know anything about Griffin, have ever had one real conversation with him the way a friend would, I want you to think really hard about what you just said and what you’ve done tonight.”
I’m channeling every bit of Mom that I can, from the glare to the stance to the frown shaping my lips. Dropping the sprayer hose, I beeline straight to Griffin. Grabbing his cheeks in my hands, I force his eyes to mine, pulling him down until he’s nearly nose to nose with me. His skin is wet, chilled by the water, and there’s bruising blooming beneath both eyes from his clearly reinjured nose. “You are a good man. Deep inside that fortress of a heart, you care. And I see that in the way you protected me tonight. I see it in the way you let my asshole brother—”
“Standing right here,” Dominic interjects.
Ignoring him, I forcefully repeat, “The way you let myasshole brotherbeat you to a pulp in some stupid attempt to punish yourself. And you are worth everything. Friendship, love, family, friends. I deserve the best, and I think I’ve found it.”
Dominic snorts in disbelief, but Griffin is locked onto me, listening intently and absorbing every word.
“If you kiss her ... cross my cock and swear to balls, I will kill you right here, right now.”
He won’t. I wouldn’t let my brother kill Griffin. And not only because Talia and I wouldn’t get our security deposit back. But because I’m in this thing. Earlier today, I was reeling. Hell, I still am, but for entirely different reasons. Because I see the way Griffin is trying so hard to respect Dominic while also wanting me with every fiber of his being. And he left a damn hockey game—twice!—for me. If that’s not an indicator of how important I am to him, I don’t know what is.
And I’m sure Dominic won’t kill me—partially because he loves me, but for sure because Mom and Dad would have his ass. So I make the move, lifting to my toes and pressing my lips to Griffin’s. I can feel him holding back, the tight grip on his restraint returning, and when he doesn’t fully give in to me, I crack open one eye to find his eyes opened fully as he looks past me. My lips still pressed to his, I ask, “Is he mean-mugging you?”
“Mm-hmm,” Griffin answers, not moving away.
I let go of his face, sliding one hand behind my back to flip my brother the middle finger. I don’t know what Dominic does, but Griffin chuckles against my lips and then kisses me properly. His arms wrap around my waist, and he lifts me, my feet dangling in the air as he stands to his full height. His lips soften, melting against me as he leaves gentle smacking kisses across my mouth.
