Filed to story: Crushing on My Enemy Stepbrother
‘There was a note on the paper around the rock’ he sighs finally, ‘I’ve rung my brother and Callan, they are heading here now.’
‘What did it say?’ I query hoarsely, dread building in the pit of my stomach.
Silently, Caleb walks toward me, pulling his phone back out of his pocket and scrolling through it before handing it to me.
My gaze sweeps over the words that are printed, a thin vein of fear coiling through me.
‘What does this mean? Who is this person? And what are they talking about? we took from them? Took what?’
Caleb removes his phone from my hand and pushes it back into his jeans pocket.
‘I think it’s for me’ he replies quietly, ‘I . . I have a few of people who might feel like I tried to take something from them, might be angry with me . . I . .’ he swallows hard, his gaze finding mine, ‘I think that this is tied to your accident.’
My lips part, my heart rate spiking as I suddenly find it hard to breathe, my accident? I thought maybe it was just someone mistaking my car for whoever they were after, I never considered that whoever ran me off the road knew who I was.’
Placing the mug back on the worktop, Caleb is beside me in three strides, pulling me into his arms, his familiar scent washing over me.
‘Hey’ he growls, ‘you are safe baby, I will never let anything happen to you. I might be wrong, the car that ran you off the road might just have been a case of mistaken identity, but I’m not going to gamble that it is.’
I nod numbly, my mind swirling with the knowledge that someone might be targeting Caleb, targeting me to get to him.
I stay, cocooned in his arms until the sound of the front door opening disturbs us. I expect Caleb to release me, step away, knowing his brother and best friend are about to come in but instead he holds me tighter as if scared that I might bolt from him.
The two men walk in, Callan raising an eyebrow at his friend whilst Gage smiles widely.
‘Finally got your head out of your ass then?’ he asks.
‘Told you he’d be unable to stop himself after I said I would show her a good time’ Callan crows, walking over to the coffee pot and pouring himself a mug.
‘Help yourself why don’t you, asshole’ Caleb grumbles as I stare at the three in confusion.
‘You woke me up at . .’ Callan glances at the expensive watch in his wrist, ‘four am, demanding we come over here dude, the least you can do is give me caffeine.’
‘You . . . you knew?’ I ramble dazedly, waving a finger between Caleb and I.
Gage laughs as Callan snorts derisively, ‘please’ he huffs, ‘the guy has been like a nasty little chihuahua since you got here. Biting and snapping at everyone, the only person he seems semi calm with is you.’ He points at Caleb sternly, ‘you f*ck this up man, and we’ll beat the shit outta you.’
My man holding me shrugs, ‘sure, like a couple of Jarheads could take me down’ he retorts.
‘OK, tell us why we are here, I thought we already sorted out watching Tessa’ Gage cuts in before the other two men can start bickering.
‘Watch me?’ I ask, my voice taking on a sharp edge, ‘since when is anyone watching me?’
‘After the car incident, the guys and I decided that you needed protection’ Caleb replies blithely.
‘Umm, I don’t remember being consulted on this’ I snap, pushing off the stool and sliding from Caleb’s arms.
‘You didn’t need consulting Tessa, it just is something that is happening’ the older man replies firmly.
My gaze snaps to his, anger building up inside of me. ‘I didn’t need consulting?’ My hands ball into tight fists that I force to stay by my side. ‘What the hell? This is my safety we are talking about, my life! And I damn well get a say in how I live it.’
‘Baby . .’ he starts but I cut him off.
‘Don’t you baby me’ I flare, ‘you are not my boyfriend, and even if you were, you don’t get to decide things for me.’ I turn on the other two men, Gage taking a small step away from me, ‘and you two’ I add, pointing at each of them in turn, ‘you went along with this bullshit? You agree with him that I have no right to know what’s going on?’
‘Tessa, sweetie’ Callan tries to soothe me, moving toward me as I growl like an animal. ‘You don’t understand . . ‘
‘Oh I understand’ I retort icily, ‘I understand that you all think I’m incapable. Poor little girl doesn’t know how to defend herself, needs the big bad ex military men to make all her decisions because it’s too much for her pretty blonde head.’
I jab my finger again toward Callan, ‘I’ll have you know that I grew up in Miami. You think I didn’t run into trouble down there? You think it was all sunshine, bikinis and beach volleyball? No and I protected myself just fine. I took self defence classes, I always carry my keys between my fingers when I’m alone. I don’t walk anywhere by myself at night and I make sure I’m aware of my surroundings wherever I am.’
‘You said you didn’t see that car . .’ Caleb starts, drawing my attention back to him.
‘It was dark, it had no damn lights on, so no, I didn’t see it’ I huff. ‘I didn’t realise that being in the military gave you the ability to see in the dark! Silly me, of course, I need you all to baby me, what with your super powers and all.’