The party is in full swing. We ate, we laughed, and now the band is calling my parents to the dance floor for their first dance. “Your Love” by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill starts to play. It is their song.
I look at Lexy next to me, and her eyes are fixed on my parents in wonder.
“They’re beautiful,” she whispers.
“Yeah…” is all I say, because I am not looking at them, but I am still telling the truth. She is the most beautiful thing I have ever laid my eyes on. I keep trying to shut it down before it takes root, and yet she draws it out like a flame pulling moths from the shadows.
The song comes to an end, and I am about to ask her to dance when a hand appears in front of her. I look up and find Jace, a flirty smile on his face.
“May I have this dance?” he asks.
She looks at me as if I can stop her, and I know I can, but I don’t. I shrug.
She turns back to him and takes his hand, and something tightens in my chest, sharp enough to make me want to chase her and stop this. Instead, I stand and walk to the bar, where I spot Cas and Ethan leaning against it, beers in hand, their knowing smirks aimed straight at me as I watch my baby brother flirt with Lexy while holding her close.
I have never, ever wanted to kill one of my brothers.
But the urge to drag Jace away from her, to stop him from making her smile and blush, is so strong that I turn around and stop looking at them.
“Another one bites the dust,” Ethan sings under his breath as I grab a bottle of beer, his smirk sharp. It is a reminder that not long ago I sang the same damn song to him when he followed Summer around like a lost puppy.
“Fuck off,” I growl, taking a long swig.
“You know fighting it will only make it worse, right?” Cas says, his knowing eyes pinning me in place.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say, but my voice betrays me, tight with anger.
Cas’s smile widens, while Ethan just shakes his head. I can’t help it and turn back to look at Tinker in the arms of my little brother.
“You mean you’re not looking at Jace and imagining your hands around his neck while he shamelessly flirts with Lexy?” Ethan asks, brows lifting.
“Lexy is free to do whatever, and whoever, she wants,” I snap.
“Really?” Cas sets his beer down and steps closer. “So you wouldn’t mind another man tasting those lips?”
I force my face into stone.
Cas doesn’t stop.
“You wouldn’t mind another man pulling her close, feeling her body against his, touching her like that…”
“Fuck you!” I cut him off, fury burning through me, my expression finally betraying everything I have been trying to bury.
Cas smirks. “No point fighting it, little brother. That kind of passion… there is no avoiding it.”
Ethan nods. “Why would you want to anyway? Summer is the best thing that ever happened to me.”
I don’t answer. I just turn and walk straight toward Jace, who now has a hand on Lexy’s shoulder while she laughs at something he said.
Her eyes flick up to mine for half a second, wide and startled, before she looks at my hands, clenched into fists at my sides.
“Hands off. Now,” I growl.
Jace turns slowly, that familiar, infuriating little brother smirk firmly in place.
“Dex, you never told me she was funny and smart too.” His eyes flick to her. “I should come home more often. Grab a beer, steal a dance or two.”
He winks at her.
