Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

Michael

If the building isn't on fire, I'm going to kill someone.

Yawning, I crack the passenger window. The cold air rushes in, and I fight the urge to roll it back up and crank the heat.

Freezing my balls off beats getting into a car wreck.

I blink away the tiredness as the cold air wakes my body. A glance at the dashboard tells me it's three-fifty-five a.m.

"Fuck me," I huff, rolling my neck.

The flashing lights of the responding emergency vehicles slash through the darkness as I get closer to the college campus. Red light reflects off the Welcome to Hampstock College Student Village sign. My family's crest stands out against the stone the sign is set in, showing anyone who looks who owns this building.

Huddles of students line the parking lot as I turn in. They look almost as pissed off as I feel at having been forced out of bed at this ungodly hour.

Almost.

My heart had practically stopped when the fire alert came through. It's not her floor, but it is her section of the building, so she'll be evacuated, too.

Nearing the students, I try not to glance over them too closely, knowing my girl should be in there somewhere.

This is her block, so she's here somewhere.

What if she's not? That little voice in the back of my head chimes, and my stomach takes a dive. Because if she's not here, then she wasn't in her own bed tonight.

I've fought with myself about how close I can be to Lara. Running with her to keep her safe? That's okay. Knowing her school schedule and occasionally following the bus she takes so I know she got there safely? That's okay. Putting a camera in her dorm to keep her safe? Not okay.

Yet.

I roll my eyes because at this point, I'm just lying to myself. It's not crossing some kind of invisible moral line that's stopped me. It's the lack of control I'll have if I know without a doubt that she's doing something with someone else.

Despite my best efforts, I do catch sight of a handful of students, and a few of the kids look like they have yet to even go to bed.

Ideas of what they would have been doing flash through my mind along with the thought that my brother and I might have missed out. We never went to college. Mom and Dad offered to pay for it in full, but the desire just wasn't there.

Daniel hated the idea of extending his education, preferring to jump straight into a job, anything not to be in a room full of people.

At the time, my thoughts had been similar. But even if they hadn't, I have never lived more than five minutes away from Daniel, and the idea of moving to another town or state, even now, makes my stomach churn.

No, I like to live as close to my brother as I can.

If Hampstock had been open back then, I'd have a degree now, but if our upbringing taught us anything, it's that some things don't need dwelling on. Besides, things turned out okay.

I throw the car into park, and a genuine smile takes over my face as memories of the last fourteen months flood me. Charlie had been a saint to put up with both Daniel and me. Even before the birth, she was at her wits' end with our hovering.

The situation was only made worse when Daniel nearly gutted a man in a café when we had all traveled to see Charlie's family one last time before the baby came.

My insistence that I move in for the last month of her pregnancy had almost been the final straw. I don't hold back the chuckle as I recall how her face had flushed with anger, ready to murder one of us, but after a minute, she'd scrubbed her cheeks and threw up her hands.

No point in fighting the inevitable.

Besides, the minx did have me fetching food and drink whenever the mood struck her, which was all the time at the end.

Not that I had minded. I loved it.

All of it.

The late-night cries, the dirty diapers, and the sight of Belle bonding with both her parents.

Charlie was made for motherhood. The past year, she has shown herself to be nurturing, patient, and calm, with a huge maternal instinct, which is everything I could have hoped for in the mother of my brother's children.

My heart fills at the thought of Daniel and the family he's made. The knowledge that I can never have that makes me all the more grateful that he's willing to share this part of their life with me.

After six months, it had been time to go home and leave the small family to settle into their own routine.

With the occasional drop-in, obviously.

The grin on my face doesn't leave but widens when Daniel's truck roars to a stop next to mine.

It seems I'm not the only one annoyed by the early morning callout .

Climbing out, I laugh when he slams his door so hard his truck rocks.

"Fucking students," he grunts.

"How are my girls?" I ask.

My brother tries not to react to my words. Only the fogged breath that shoots out of him shows his annoyance.

"My girls," he emphasizes, "are perfect."

I swallow the lump that lodges in my throat. Seeing Daniel smiling so easily is something I will never get over. Ever.

I make a mental note to drop off a strawberry milkshake and fries later this afternoon. Charlie liked to dip her fries in the shake while breastfeeding Belle, a craving that never left once she stopped . . . It's the least I can do.

I startle when Kaleb's car joins ours. His coupe stands out between our large trucks.

"Urgh, there had better be a fire this time. I swear to God, if one of these little fuckers set off the fire alarm cooking again, I'm going to snap a neck or two," he grumbles, walking toward us.

Daniel grunts his agreement.

I stay silent because he's right. Three callouts in two weeks for some drunk kid setting off the fire alarm cooking isn't funny, and despite our father's insistence, I'm beginning to think it's not worth the money the college pays us for the little shits to live here either .

Although that could be the two hours of sleep I've had talking.

I roll my neck again as the three of us walk toward the front of the blaring building.

Fuck me, it's loud.

My mood continues to sour the closer we get.

We're a few steps away from the curb when Daniel suddenly stops.

"What?" I ask.

Silently, he lifts his chin toward the crowd of students.

Confused, I glance over to them to see his issue, worried it's Lara.

All I see is just a bunch of drunk or tired college kids. No one stands out.

Where is she?

I must have missed something when looking for my girl because Kaleb steps toward them, anger consuming his face.

"Leave her," Daniel orders.

Who? Lara?

I look again but can't see her. A few boys in the crowd who had been scuffling get even rougher, and I catch myself doing another once-over through the crowd.

That's when I see her.

Sandwiched between two rowdy kids, my girl glares as the one behind her bumps into her, not even looking down, as if she's not there.

Fucking prick! What the fuck does he think he's doing ?

My worried gaze sweeps over her. Wrapped in her fluffy blue robe with her thick brown hair piled messily on the top of her head, she's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.

Fucking perfect. Too good for me.

My hand touches my chest, rubbing at it as if to soothe the pain of the past away. With a scowl, I drop my hand.

The past belongs in the past. I'm safe now, and the pretty girl across the parking lot doesn't belong with me.

She deserves better.

My chest tightens at the thought, and I force myself to turn away. She's okay, and I definitely can't go over there and stab someone for pushing her, right?

Daniel looks down at his watch, huffing, but he's not the only one on edge, and I'm out of patience.

I give him a look that says calm the fuck down. We both know we can't leave until the fire department clears the halls and the students are free to go back in.

As owners and the closest emergency contacts, all three of us are stuck here until we know it's safe and no one is hurt.

Kaleb is just as twitchy on my other side. One of those nights for all of us, I guess. Leaning to the left, he peers around me for the fourth time in as many seconds.

I'm unsure what he's looking at, so my mind returns to the pretty brunette behind me. Does she need me to intervene? Is she still being pushed around? I roll my neck again but force myself to stay where I am.

My muscles feel like they're vibrating. I need to hit someone. We're not missing out on kill night again this year. We all fucking need it. This week cannot pass quickly enough.

My body shivers in anticipation.

Another scuffle behind me has me picturing two perfect targets. Sunday is going to be the best night in years.

"Hey!" a female voice calls out, and even from this distance, I just know it's my girl.

I spin, marching toward the students before I can even register what I'm doing. Kaleb's stride matches my own, his face just as tense and thunderous as mine, and confusion fills me once more.

My mood darkens further. If he thinks my girl is his, he can fuck right off. Brother or not, no one is taking her home except me.

No, I'm not . . . Fuck!

I scrub a hand over my face, but it does nothing to stop the warring inside my head, nor does it wipe away the thunderous look on my face as we near the rowdy group. She's caught between the two hyper pricks, and just seeing that scared look on her face as she's jostled again, I know I'm about to break both of the rules I give my brothers—no killing outside of Halloween and no witnesses.

My fingers twitch. The need to wrap them around one of their necks surges through me. It doesn't matter which; either will do. Kaleb can stab the other. He won't mind. He likes that.

But we don't make it that far. I stop short when Kaleb cuts in front of me, his hand reaching out to grab the back of a woman's dress, but she's quicker than he is.

Sidestepping, she squats down and squeezes farther into the crowd.

What is he doing? Who the fuck is that?

I'm about to leave him and, apparently, his girl to it, but he shoves the guy blocking his way. And while I wouldn't normally question his ability, this guy is big. No way am I about to leave my little brother to fend for himself when a college frat boy and his friends are about to descend.

Stepping up behind Kaleb, I eye the two fuckers who decided to join the fray with a smirk on my face.

This is exactly what we need.

The two boys in front of me turn pale, backing up quickly.

I don't even need to turn to know why. Fucking Daniel.

My body tenses even more, knowing that no one will start a fight with my older brother around. Kaleb and I are built, but Daniel is a fucking wall.

A large hand squeezes my shoulder, but again, I don't look. Only one person can touch me without my body panicking. "Your rules, brother." I can hear the smile in Daniel's voice.

Asshole . Since when did he cut the fun short? I preferred it when he didn't talk . . . no, I didn't. I hated it. I love Charlie for being able to bring that part of him back to me.

I nod once because as much as I'd love to kill someone right now, I know better. And so does Kaleb.

Our little brother stands a few feet in front of us, toe-to-toe with who looks to be the college linebacker.

"Little girl, you can either come out here now, or I can break your boyfriend's face and then drag you out. The choice is yours."

Like everyone else out here, Daniel and I stand watching, waiting to see how this plays out.

A hand peeks out from between the crowd of bodies, catching on the footballer's jersey as she tries to pull herself through the people blocking her. When her hand slides over the guy's chest, trying to get a better grip, Kaleb growls.

Reaching out, he wraps his hand around hers and yanks her out of the group.

Samantha stands before us. Her hair mussed as she tries to pull the hem of her short dress farther down her thighs with her free hand.

"Hi, guys." My sister smiles sheepishly. "I was just out with friends. I should get back," she says, pointing her thumb over her shoulder, but Kaleb's not letting go.

I think the fuck not!

"What are you, like, her dad?" the dumbass behind her asks .

Kaleb shakes his head. "Do I look old enough to be her fucking dad?"

A few of the kids around us laugh, and the guy behind Sam squirms, his cheeks turning red.

Stepping back, Daniel nods to the parking lot. "Car, I'll see if we can hurry this along."

We only get a few steps when Sam resists. "Wait, wait. My shoes."

Our gazes snap to her feet. "Where the fuck are your shoes?"

Giving a stressed smile, she points at the building.

Kaleb takes a deep breath and then another. It doesn't work. "Why were you not wearing shoes?" he snaps.

"Because I was inside his apartment . . . obviously." She huffs back, pulling her hand free.

"Dude, she doesn't want to go with you," Jersey shirt shouts, apparently having recovered from his earlier embarrassment. Or maybe he's feeling bold now that a few rowdier kids have joined him from farther down the line. My eyes flick back to where they had been before, but I look away quickly.

Knock it the fuck off. She's surrounded by people. Lara's okay.

My already shitty mood takes a deeper dive, and I'm not the only one.

Daniel steps closer to our brother and sister, his face a blank mask hiding his annoyance. These are supposed to be quick callouts to confirm that everything and everyone are okay, but each time seems to be taking longer and longer.

"Car, now." Daniel's sharp tone is all it takes to get both Sam and Kaleb moving again.

But Samantha just can't help herself. "What're you in such a rush for? It's the middle of the night. What could you have been doing that was so important?"

"My wife." Daniel glares.

My mouth twitches at Kaleb's snort, but the disgusted look on Sam's face makes me smile. Quietly, I swallow my laugh.

We make it a few more steps. "Cold, cold," Sam hisses, hopping.

Kaleb tuts, steadying her by the elbow. "That wouldn't happen if you had shoes on, girl." But despite his tone, he slides his arm around her back, trying to lift her, only to have his hand slapped away.

"Yeah, well, I wasn't planning on coming back outside just yet."

My brother's face darkens. "No shit, we all know exactly where you planned on coming."

"Fuck off."

He should have just thrown her over his shoulder.

"Enough," Daniel snaps, scrubbing his forehead. "Kaleb, put her in the car."

With that encouragement, my baby brother flashes us a triumphant grin, then throws Sam over his shoulder with a small grunt and strides toward his parked car .

"Asshole, you did not just grunt picking me up!"

Now I do laugh. Standing near the crowd, I'm entertained as I watch Kaleb grapple to keep a squirming Sam on his shoulder. A sound spank to the ass suddenly stops her movement.

The two blonds have everyone's attention.

I stay where I am as Kaleb opens his car door. He dumps a seething Sam on to the back seat, shoves her legs in, and slams the car door.

His whole body is tense as he glares at her through the window. "Stay," he orders, pointing at her.

A thud echos out as Sam kicks the inside of the car door. Kaleb's gasp is lost in the noise, but his open mouth tells me he's as shocked as I am.

Before I can think too hard about the scene before me, a heavy hand shoves at my shoulder, forcing me to take a step to keep my balance.

Someone wants to die tonight.

Breathing in deep, I turn to face the little dick. I don't even try to hide my fury.

His face quickly pales, and his two friends step back.

"Come on, dude, kick his ass another time," one of his friends murmurs.

I don't take my eyes off Kaleb's jersey guy who touched me, not even to blink.

"Yeah," he agrees cockily, stepping back, but he's not smiling anymore. "Next time."

"Next time," I promise with a nod. He stumbles backward, and my eye twitches with disappointment .

The boys force their way farther into the crowd, causing everyone to push and shove at one another again.

My eyes move on their own, peeking in Lara's direction just in time to see my girl get jostled in the crowd again. What little hold I have on myself snaps.

I don't think; I just move.

My feet carry me through the crowd quickly. I'm not far when the crowd suddenly surges, and she's squeezed out.

With a loud cry, Lara falls to the ground, face twisted with pain, and I see red. Shoving at the guy closest to her as hard as I can, I force him to fall flat on his back and away from her. The others nearby rush to step away, the group spreading farther back.

Behind me, I vaguely hear the sound of running. Two heavy sets of feet hitting the asphalt remind me my brothers have my back.

Like always.

Safe in that knowledge, I do something I've never done before. I turn my back on a threat and crouch down before my girl.

I give her a soft smile. "You okay, baby?"

The ball of messy brown hair at the top of her head swings back and forth as she shakes her head. "No." She sniffles.

I zone out of the noise behind, trusting my brothers to protect us.

Us. The word makes me warm, like we're not outside in the middle of winter .

My eyes roam over her quickly, looking for an injury. "What hurts?" I demand. My heart hammers in my throat, and I swallow, trying to shove my panic down.

She's okay. No blood, no broken bones.

"My ankle," she whispers.

I nod at the top of her head. "Okay, let me feel," I tell her, reaching out to take her foot.

"No, no!" Panicked, watery brown eyes plead with me as her hands shield her ankle.

"Baby, you have to let me touch it so I can see what's wrong." I try to soothe her.

She shakes her head. "Nuh-uh." Her face is scrunched in a scowl. I'm not getting anywhere near her injured leg.

"Okay," I concede, holding up my hands.

Shifting, I rest my knee on the hard ground. The cold seeps in quickly, and my eyes drop to where her robe cushions her. It's fluffy but thinner than I thought. Not much of a barrier between the cold ground and her ass.

I stroke a finger over one of the small yellow ducks that litter the blue material.

"He's cute."

Her smile melts me.

She can't stay here.

"You have one of two options, princess. You let me look at that ankle, and we can get you sorted quickly, here and now, or we move you over to the car, and you let me look at it there. "

Lara glances behind me, then she leans forward, looking at our cars.

"They're warmer." I try to entice her. I'm not sure why I encourage her. Maybe I want her away from the crowd, or maybe I just want her in my truck.

There's a scuffle behind me, and Daniel's voice growls, "That is the only warning you'll get, boy."

"Warning? I think you broke my fucking nose." Someone groans. "You're the rich brothers who own this building. I'm gonna sue. You fucking wait."

"Sue for what, dipshit? You tried to hit him first so you could get to an injured girl behind us," Kaleb taunts.

Well, that decides it.

I don't look back to see who he hit nor do I care.

My girl has my whole attention.

"What's your name, princess?" I ask her gently, wanting her to tell me so I can use it. It's not like I can admit I've been stalking her for weeks . . . and know her name and so much more already. "I'm Michael," I add with a nudge under her chin.

"Lara, but I kind of prefer princess," she answers with a watery smile. Her eyes shine, big and wide. Her cheeks are red from the cold.

"Me too." I wink with a grin. My heart pounds as she blinks innocently up at me. "Okay, princess . . ." I pause, letting the name sink in. I really do prefer it. "I'm going to carry you to the car now."

"No, no. I can walk," Lara insists.

Sliding one arm around her waist and the other under her bent legs, I stand, lifting her. "I wasn't asking, princess." I press a kiss to the crown of her head to soften the blow, but this is how I am and something she'll get used to.

No.

I need to remind myself why this isn't for me and why she isn't for me.

Daniel did it.

Just as a kernel of hope unfurls, I feel her hand brush my stomach and become aware of the way her shoulder presses into my chest.

Panic fills me, and my heart pounds. I need to put her down, but I can't let her go, not even for a second.

Pain rips through me at our contact. I hate myself more with every step.

I take us past my truck because if she goes in, I'm not sure I'll let her back out.

Annoyed, I kick the door to Kaleb's car, nodding for Sam to open it.

Gently, I place Lara on the back seat as Sam shuffles over.

"One more person kicks my fucking car, I swear to God," Kaleb bitches.

Sam and I roll our eyes as I crouch in the open doorway.

"Okay, princess, let me see," I say, reaching for her right leg.

"No," she declines. Seeing my raised brow, Lara adds, "No . . . thank you." A cheeky grin plays on her lips .

"I won't ask again, princess. Your foot." Holding my hand out, I wait.

"Or?" she challenges.

"Or he'll give you a sore ass," Kaleb murmurs from behind me, pushing his way between me and the car door.

Sam shuffles in her seat behind Lara. "And you'd know all about that," she mumbles.

Kaleb gives our sister a dark look. "Not that kind of sore ass." Turning back to my girl, he gives a surprised look. "Well shit, if I'd have known it was you, Fawn, I would have carried you over here myself."

The fuck you would.

"Fawn?" I ask. What the fuck is he talking about? He knows Lara's name. I've talked of nothing and no one else since the day we met.

Sam glares at Kaleb from inside the car, just as annoyed as I am.

My younger brother turns to me with a grin that tells me he's about to piss me off more. "We run together most mornings."

What the fuck is he up to?

Is this what Daniel felt like when he met Charlie? I ask myself as I fight the urge to stab him in some way.

Lara frowns. "No, we don't."

With wide eyes that flick back and forth between my brother and me, Lara tentatively places her foot into my outstretched hand.

"Good girl," I praise her, but my hands tremble as I try to ignore Kaleb's grin. "Fawn?" I ask again, my voice sharper than intended.

"She's cute and small, with big brown eyes . . . It's definitely not because of the way she runs." He winks.

Lara gasps, clutching at her chest. "I'm injured, and you're insulting me?" Her words trail off with a chuckle.

My lips curve at the way she sounds genuinely insulted.

It's cute. She's cute.

"We don't run together," she reassures me with a shake of her head. As if she's worried that I believe they do.

Kaleb tuts next to us, leaning his elbow on the roof of the car. His smile widens again. I know I'm not about to like what I hear. I just pray it doesn't tip me over the edge. "Sure, we do. We run through the wood path from the dorms, along the edge of town and down Ellis Road past Duke's gas station back to the college village."

My whole body tenses.

"Seven miles every morning. No excuses."

His words may have been directed at Lara, but his eyes were on me. He knows I don't want to pursue her. Is this his way of forcing my hand?

"Ahh," Lara shrieks, her foot twitching in my grip.

Guilt consumes me, and I relax my hold. My thumb strokes back and forth on the pale skin peeking out between her fluffy socks and the bottom of her cotton pajama pants. "Sorry, baby. "

"Does she need a doctor?" Daniel asks.

"No, she's perfect." I smile up at her before glaring at my younger brother. "But Kaleb might need one," I warn.

Lara's eyes are wide, her words whispered. "I don't run with him."

He shrugs. "Like I said, you're small and cute. You shouldn't run alone, it's dangerous."

"You stalked me?" she hisses.

Now who's the dipshit.

"Protected. And not me," he corrects, nodding toward me.

My face heats, and I'm fucking blushing. I'm going to kill him.

"Your bodyguard let me tag along yesterday," he adds. Can he not keep his mouth shut?

Lara looks at me like I'm some kind of serial killer. The irony isn't lost on me. I plead with my eyes for her to understand. My stomach sinks further when her gaze drops away. Is she scared?

Fucking Kaleb.

The whole car shakes, and my hands fly to Lara's waist. The robe is soft and smooth but does nothing to hide the feel of her body underneath. She feels fragile in my large hands. I wait for the panic to settle in from touching another person, but it doesn't come.

I'm still confused about what just happened when Sam raises her leg and drives it into the back of the seat in front of her again, rocking the vehicle.

"Knock it the fuck off. I won't warn you again tonight, Samantha," Kaleb snarls. "What is it with people kicking my fucking car!"

"Well, take me home then, if you're finished fucking flirting, that is," our sister hisses, kicking the seat again. "Or better yet, let me go back to my new friend."

"Samantha." At his tone, Sam sniffles and slouches further into her seat.

Lara sits trapped between the two at the edge of the back seat, startled and scared. Something solid settles in my stomach at the thought of her being afraid when I'm right here.

"You're safe," I reassure her. "I got you, princess. Kaleb's just having a tantrum. He loves his car."

Her big doe eyes blinking down at me is the only response she gives. Her chest heaves rapidly.

Huh, maybe Fawn is the right name for her.

I shake my head and cradle her foot again. My hand works its way up her cream pajama pants, stroking along her shaking calf.

"It's too cold out here, but when you go in, take your sneaker off and prop your foot up. You can keep the cute socks on," I tease.

I tickle at a duck on her robe, earning a reluctant smile.

"Tantrum? Me?" Kaleb rolls his eyes, ignoring everything but the insult. "It's not me protecting my car that you need to worry about now, Fawny," he teases, nudging me with his foot. "Wait until this asshole remembers that the first time he saw you, you were running down Ellis Road alone at six a.m."

"So?" she challenges, not looking as she knocks my hand away from another duck.

"Absolutely no regard for your own safety. Nothing a good spanking won't sort out."

"Oh, so you're the funny brother." Lara laughs, but it's nervous. She's still hoping Kaleb's words are a joke. I guess she's going with denial, which works for me.

"Yep, and these two are dumb and dumber."

With a deep breath, I try to remind myself of why I can't hit my little brother . . . Yeah, I got nothing.

"No, he's the quiet one, and quiet doesn't mean stupid," she tells him, pointing behind me to Daniel.

"Which brother does that make me, princess?" I ask as I hear Daniel walk away toward the main building.

Hopefully, we can all get the fuck out of here.

"The hot one," she whispers and shivers as my hand settles on the back of her knee. "And a stalker."

"Right answer, and I wasn't stalking." Her shoulders relax slightly. "I was protecting." Lara freezes. The cat's out of the bag, thanks to Kaleb, so I might as well be honest. I grin, loving the blush that settles on her cheeks. "But we're still going to discuss you running alone. It stops now, Lara." Turning her gently, I tuck her legs into the car

My girl ignores my tone and chirps, "We'll see."

"Yes, princess, we will," I promise, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'm going to finish up here." I nod to where Daniel and Kaleb stand talking to the fire chief. "Then we'll go home and have a chat."

Not waiting for a reply, I stand and close the door between us.

My heart hammers in my chest as I watch her shy smile turn confused. Again, I can't stop thinking about Daniel and Charlie and how far they've come as a couple. Of how much Charlie loves her husband, all of him.

Can I have that? Can we have that?

She didn't panic too much or run away when Kaleb told her I protect her in the mornings. Not that she could run on that ankle.

Fuck.