Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 74655 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74655 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Yeah.
He is.
But he’s still my brother. I reach over and grab his chin in my fingers, squeezing hard enough for him to meet my eyes. “Yeah. You’re a fuckin’ idiot. You did somethin’ incredibly stupid. But you’re only human, and you fucked up, and you were strugglin’. We all make mistakes, some bigger than others. All you need to know right now is that I’ve got your back and, no matter what happens, I’ll keep havin’ your back. You go down, Braxton, I’m going with you.”
His eyes get glassy, and he growls, “Love you, Dakoda.”
“Yeah, brother, I love you, too.”
And I wonder.
Is that the last time I’ll get to say that to him?
~*~*~*~
NOW – KODA
“Busy night, brother,” Maverick murmurs, walking into the kitchen the next morning to take the one stash of coffee we have until someone can get more.
I glance over at him. “Makes you say that?” I mutter.
“Heard that girl screamin’ from our cabin. Pretty sure she wasn’t doin’ that on her own.”
I shrug. “She wanted it. I gave it. Everyone was happy.”
He doesn’t say anything, and when I look back, he’s staring at me. Really fucking staring. I hate when he does that, like he can see I’m a fucking liar and he knows it. Of course he knows it. Everyone in this place knows it. Charlie is under my skin. No matter how fucking hard I try and fight it. She’s there, and I can’t get her out. Every time I look at her, my chest tightens.
Fuck.
This is not good.
It’ll only cause pain. So why the fuck can’t I walk away?
“You and I both know you could get any woman. We also know that woman is protected. You wouldn’t fuck her for the fun of it, and we both know it. You got feelings for her?”
I shoot him a glare. “No, I do not have fuckin’ feelings for her. I like her, she’s a good chick, she’s fun, and she’s hot. End of story.”
Maverick shakes his head. “Like to hope that’s the end of story, because if you don’t have genuine feelings for her, you should back the fuck off, brother. She’s havin’ a hard time, and we’re supposed to be protectin’ her. Can’t be doin’ that if you’re in her pants for a bit of fun. Trustin’ you to have her back.”
I clench my fists because he’s making me fucking angry now.
“First of fuckin’ all, don’t ever make out like I’d stray from my job over pussy. And that’s all she is, just pussy. I wouldn’t, not for a single fuckin’ second. Second of all, told you, it was a bit of fun. Not goin’ to let it get in the way. But if it makes you happy, I’ll get pussy from somewhere else from now on. As I said, it’s all the same to me.”
He shakes his head.
He knows.
I fucking know.
But he also knows I won’t say it.
She’s more than pussy.
His eyes go up and over my shoulder, and his face softens just a little. I know, even before he murmurs, “Mornin’, darlin’,” that she’s there. I know it, I can feel the fucking vibe as I turn and see the most beautiful woman on the face of this Earth, standing in a long tee, hair messy, cheeks rosy, looking so fucking perfect it hurts, and staring at me with a hurt expression.
I just called her pussy.
Nothing more. Nothing less.
Fuck.
“Just pussy, hey?” she says, running her hands through her hair. “If that’s the case, you can get it from somewhere else, and I’ll stick with Mason. And Mason alone.”
My jaw clenches. She’s getting on my nerves. She is hitting me back hard, and I probably fuckin’ deserve it, but I don’t like it. Not at all. The thought of her fucking Mason, his cock sliding into that perfect fucking body, makes me wild with anger.
No.
Fuckin’ no.
I don’t say that, I just glare at her for a few seconds. Then I grind out, “Whatever you want.”
Worse thing I could have said, because her face falls just a little, and her eyes flash with that strong rage I’ve come to know so well. When Charlie is mad at you, she lets you know, and she does not back down. She’s strong, and she’s not into quitting.
“Awesome,” she bites out and then walks past both of us and grabs my coffee mug straight off the bench then saunters out with it.
Fuck me.
“Well done, bro,” Maverick mutters, grabbing his mug and shaking his head. “One day you’ll learn that when a good one comes along, you don’t fuckin’ push her away or you’ll end up very fuckin’ alone. And I’d hate to see that. You’re already bitter enough.”
Then he walks out.
Well, fuck me.
I make another coffee and move out onto the patio where Malakai, Scarlett, Amalie, and Maverick are all sitting around on chairs. Charlie is standing, back against a pole, and she doesn’t look at me when I come out.