Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 97275 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97275 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
A small giggle escaped the girl, and I smiled at her as our eyes met. “Tell me what happened, honey.”
Her gaze flicked up to Bennett, and then back to me, pleading for me to understand, and I did.
She didn’t want Bennett to hear everything that happened. She wanted to tell me, but didn’t want to say it in front of him. Whether it was because she was embarrassed to talk about it, or if she had a crush I didn’t know, but I would find out.
“Bennett, I need you to lay her down on the bed in the second bedroom. Turn right at the T in the hallway. First door on your right. I’m going to go get some towels and the first aid kit. You need to go back to the garage and speak with Max. Tell him what happened.” I informed him before leaving in the opposite direction as him.
When I got to the bedroom, Bennett was leaving. His arms encircled me, and I was lifted off my feet by his massive six foot three inch frame. My feet left the ground, and I blew a raspberry in his neck to get him to let me down.
We played this game a lot, and I know exactly what to do to get him to leave me alone. When your brother outgrows you when he’s seven years old and you’re fifteen, you learn very fast what to do to get your way. Otherwise, your little brother terrorizes you and there’s nothing you can do about it. Especially when your parent’s think it’s funny.
“I love you, baby brother.” I said to him.
He blushed slightly. “I love you, too.” He murmured as he took off.
Teenagers didn’t share their feelings very often, so I felt something tingly spill through me at his words. I truly did love the little shit. I would do absolutely anything for him, and it saddened me when he was hurting.
I hope all of this isn’t as bad as it looks.
ɸ
Max
“Tell me what happened.” I demanded as soon as Bennett got within speaking distance.
He regarded me for a few tense moments before nodding and running his hands through his hair. “I was at a pre-game party. There was a bunch of drinking going on, and that’s not my style. So I started to leave when I saw Amanda, a friend of Corinne’s, being hauled into the back hallway by some asshole senior. I followed them, and I saw him rip her dress before the door to the room even closed. I went in there and that’s when I saw Corinne. She was laying on the floor, her dress ripped open just as Amanda’s had been. I lost it. I beat the shit out of him until he stopped moving, got Amanda’s friend to take her to the hospital and then took Corinne to my car. That’s when she told me she didn’t want to go to the hospital. She doesn’t want to report it.”
“She’s probably just scared. Why don’t you go grab a drink out of the fridge and come sit down? We’ll wait until we hear back from Payton before we do anything else.”
He did what he was instructed to do, and I smiled inwardly when I saw him grab one of Payton’s chocolate milks. She’d have a fit later, and by the pleased smile on his face, he knew it, too.
“Your sister tells me you’re going navy. Why you gotta go and do that?” I ribbed him.
“I want to be a SEAL. Always have. Just don’t tell my dad, he doesn’t know yet. I want to wait until I get the papers signed so he can’t try to change my mind. He’s a formidable force when he wants something to go his way and it doesn’t. He’ll probably give you so much shit. Especially if you end up marrying my sister. He’s always trying to introduce her to a marine that just moved to town.” He said.
My temper started to flare. “Who’s this marine you speak of?”
He looked at me with an evil glint in his eye. “Some hot shit guy on the police force. She doesn’t want to date him though. She’s had the hots for you for a while now. She thinks your shit don’t stink.”
“Oh, his shit stinks. Just take our word for it. Is this guy Luke Roberts?” James asked.
“Yeah, how’d you know?” Bennett asked.
James smiled at Bennett. “He’s a friend of ours. Moved out here about two years ago though.”
Bennett waved his hand as if that wasn’t an important fact. “That’s what I meant. So, what are your intentions with my sister?”
I decided to throw him a curve ball. “We’re getting married.”
“You knocked her up, didn’t you?” Bennett laughed.
“Not yet, but I plan to.” I snorted.
I did, too. As soon as she would let me.
“Is that right, Max? When are we getting married?” Payton asked from the doorway.
I didn’t miss a beat.
“When’s your next three day weekend?” I asked while standing and making my way to her.
“This weekend. I took the next week off. My charge nurse felt that you may need more time with me, and told me to go ahead and take my vacation if I wanted to. Where are we doing this?” She asked while backing away from my advance.
My eyes lit and I maneuvered around the couch she was trying to hide behind, unsuccessfully I might add. “So we can go to Vegas this weekend?”
“You bet, big boy. Just gotta ask my daddy for my hand first.” She said gleefully.
Bennett threw his head back and laughed uncontrollably. I had a feeling I’d been had. They knew something I didn’t, but that wasn’t going to stop me. I was going to make her eat those words. I’d go speak with him tomorrow morning, let him kick my ass, and have her married by next week.
“Deal.” I said, my lips a hairsbreadth away from hers.
“Fuck me. I think I need to go take a shower after that!” James said wile fanning himself exaggeratedly.