Chapter 7

CHAPTER

SEVEN

ALEXANDER

“When was the last time it was just the three of us?” Ashleigh muses. We sit around the gas fire on the balcony of my penthouse and unwind after a long day. I pulled out Ashleigh’s favorite wine and Jules and I sip on my expensive Kentucky bourbon. I gaze at the view that overlooks the stadium and reflect on the events of the day.

She’s right. It’s rarely just the three of us these days. We have a tight group of friends who are like extended family, and someone always has one friend or another with them. Not that I mind. I would lay down my life for Trevor, Chance, and maybe even Cole, Ashleigh’s fiancé. Definitely Emma, her best girlfriend. Hell, our friends, our chosen family, are pretty special. But right now, I’m glad it’s just us Deckers.

“I don’t know if I can remember. Maybe after Mom’s funeral?” Jules responds.

“That long?” That was over a decade ago. A life-altering time for all of us. I look over at Ashleigh and notice Jules watching her, t oo. She looks so much like Mom when she was younger and healthy. That last year drained the life out of her. Ash was so young then. Jules and I were both in college, but Ashleigh was still in middle school. My breathing hitches thinking about it. I clear my throat and take a sip of my bourbon.

“Yeah, me too,” Jules says, acknowledging the unspoken. We miss her. So damn much.

Ashleigh drains her wine and starts heading inside for a refill. I finish my bourbon in one gulp and take her wine glass. “I got this.” I glance at Julian and notice his drink is untouched. I refill our drinks and grab the charcuterie board Ash made because I don’t like her drinking on an empty stomach. She may be an engaged woman, but it’s still my responsibility to watch over her.

Julian and I stepped in to help raise Ashleigh after Mom’s death. Dad was barely functioning those days, and as a result, we’re both overprotective of her, but I’m working on loosening my grip. She has a fiancé now, and she’s the center of his universe. I’m so damn proud of my sister. She’s intelligent, beautiful, and in love. Mom would be unbelievably happy to see her now.

I settle back in my chair, cross my ankle over my knee, and take another sip of my drink. I relax for the first time in forever because I know where my siblings are and that they’re safe. I can’t help it. I’m always protective of people I care about.

“So, today was fun,” Ash starts.

“I feel like I haven’t been to a game in forever,” Jules adds. “It’s nice to be home.”

“It felt like old times.” Ash tucks her feet under her, and Jules gets up and drapes a light blanket around her. It may be July, but tonight, it feels unseasonably cool. He grabs a piece of cheese and holds it in front of her mouth, encouraging her to eat. I’m not the only one who cares for her, whether or not she likes it. She snaps at his fingers with her teeth but smiles as she takes a bite of cheese .

I nod in agreement.

“Matt sent me pictures of his locker. Everyone thought it was hysterical.” She laughs at Jules. “Where did you get that lewd wrapping paper?”

“Ask him.” He gestures to me, and her mouth drops open.

“Xander! What the hell?!”

I shrug and feign indifference. “I cannot confirm or deny knowledge of said wrapping paper.”

We all laugh. I know I can be the hard ass. That’s my role. Jules is the fun one. Ash is the precious one. But I can be fun too. I just don’t flaunt it like my brother.

“Well, apparently, it sparked quite a debate in the locker room about a Secret Santa from last year, and they’re still trying to figure out who it was. Spirits were high after the win, but they also had a bonus team-building exercise. Good job.” She nods at me and lifts her wineglass with a mock toast.

I’m pleased knowing the team is bonding and having fun. Professional sports can be cutthroat and become more about the money and wins than the love of the game. I want the Reapers to have it all.

“There’s the smile I love.” Ash throws an almond my way. I catch it mid-air and pop it in my mouth. I may not play anymore, but I still have a ballplayer’s reflexes. A torn rotator cuff ended my baseball career in college. I could never throw the heat after surgery, and my shoulder still acts up before it rains. Occasionally, I’ll even workout and practice with the team for fun. I’m not MLB caliber anymore, but I could have been back in the day.

“It was a good day, Xan. A fantastic day.” She throws another almond my way.

“I know.” She’s right. It was a good day. The team won, attendance was above average, and Matt and Tripp had incredible games.

“So, what did you think of Dani?” Jules asks. “You think she’ll hold the Reapers responsible for Pauly? ”

Dani’s an incredible woman. She’s beautiful — no, absolutely stunning. And intriguing. She’s complex in a way I don’t understand. She’s a puzzle I feel compelled to solve. I want to know how she maintains her optimistic outlook on life when bad things happen. I’m fascinated, and I’d love to spend more time with her, preferably not apologizing with every other sentence.

“She’s nice.” If I let my siblings know I’m interested, I’ll never hear the end of it. Besides, she shot me down. Hard.

“Nice? Really?” Ashleigh draws out her words, showing her apparent disbelief in my assessment.

“Yeah, she’s nice. Seems like a great mom and friend. She’s tough too. She held her own against Pauly.”

Thinking about the video reminds me of what I put in motion tonight.

“By the way, I’m getting a self-defense class set up for all the Reapers staff and WAGs. We’re going to offer it to the public once a month too. All the guys are going through a session on how to treat women. I’m looking at sponsoring shelters or resources for battered women, too.”

“That’s good stuff, bro.” Jules smiles and lifts his drink to me.

“Which reminds me.” I turn my attention to Ash. “I want you in that class before you leave. And if it’s scheduled after you go home, I’ll set up private lessons. Have you ever had to protect yourself from unwanted advances?” Because if she has, so help me, I’ll track him down and promise he’ll never force himself on another woman in his life.

She wilts a little under the scrutiny of both of us. Julian’s usual playfulness is erased when we’re discussing Ash’s safety.

“No, not really,” she mumbles.

I uncross my legs and lean forward. “What does not really mean? It’s a yes or no question.” I can feel tension fill my shoulders. My eyes don’t leave hers, and she finally answers.

“I mean, guys are guys. No one’s forced me to do anything or physically hurt me, but I’ve been in situations where I needed to get bailed out. At times, there were persistent guys, especially when t hey knew who I was. They saw me as their meal ticket, I guess.” She shrugs. “That’s what made Cole so different. He loved me when he only knew me as Leigh, some college girl who was good with social media.” She gives us both a sweet smile, her love for Cole seeping from her pores. The guy is growing on me, I guess.

“Fuck,” Jules mumbles under his breath.

“I’m getting you a personal security instructor this week.” There’s no arguing with me, and she knows it, but she tries one more time.

“That’s not necessary, guys. I’m fine. Really. It’s the way of the world. I’m smart, and I watch my surroundings. I can take care of myself.” Her sweet demeanor switches to a tough girl in the blink of an eye. I admire her fighting until the bitter end. That’s the Decker in her. We don’t give up.

Jules sets his phone on the table. “Hey, what’s up? Is Leigh okay?” Cole’s voice comes from his phone, his tone on edge.

Ashleigh rolls her eyes and lets out a frustrated sound. “I’m fine,” she grits out through her teeth. “My brothers are going all bodyguard on me.”

“Why, what happened?” His voice is clipped and full of concern.

“Tell her she needs to meet with a personal safety instructor this week,” I say, my eyes never leaving hers.

“Nothing happened,” she says at the same time Jules goes inside. His contribution was to call Cole. Good move, but he’s not getting in the middle. That’s why he’s her favorite, but she won’t forget his part in this discussion.

She looks at me and says, “I’ll think about it.” She grabs Julian’s phone and takes it off speaker. “I’m fine, but I miss you. How was your game?”

She goes back inside, leaving me stewing. Is that how women have to function? Is that the way of the world? I hate that Ashleigh and Dani have to worry about being safe.

Dani. She’s a juxtaposition. Soft and tough. Sunshine and sass. Strict and loving with Tyler. Instead of either/or, she’s more like both/and. She’s an interesting shade of gray, or even color, in my black and white, yes or no world. I’m not usually one to color outside of the lines, but with Dani, I might try.

Julian joins me back on the balcony.

“Smooth move calling Cole.”

“Sometimes, the best way to get what you want is not head-on, but through a different route. You watch. Cole will have her meeting with that trainer before we will. Let’s face it, brother, we are no longer the primary influencers in her life anymore.”

I lean back into the cushions and admire the view. He’s right. I tend to come on strong and hit things head-on. It’s the most efficient and direct way to get me from point A to point B. Maybe, when dealing with the fairer sex, it’s not about being direct.

“He’s a good guy, right?” Julian spent more time around Cole than I have, and my dad seems to like him. I don’t dislike him. It’s just that I’m not sure anyone is good enough for my baby sister.

“He’s perfect for her. That’s what matters. But yeah, he’s solid. Loyal, family focused. He’s a little hotheaded, but that’s more about his passion for the people he loves. And he loves our sister. I mean, hell, have you heard the latest gooey love song he wrote for her? Duncan Keller’s new song? So damn sweet, I practically got a cavity just listening to it.” He kicks back and gets comfortable on the recliner.

“I can’t believe he writes love songs and plays baseball. I would think the guys would rag the shit out of him for that,” I chuckle.

“Oh, they do. Until their girlfriends find out. Then the guys are asking him to help them out with sweet gestures. That boy can woo with the best of them. Maybe he can help you woo that gorgeous woman you met today?”

His comment catches me off guard. How did our conversation go fro m Cole to Dani? “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, you don’t? Let me guess. You’ve already got someone looking into her?”

“Why would I do that?” I ask defensively. Fuck, I hate he knows me so damn well. Of course, I’ve asked Jack to find out what he can about her.

“Because you need the facts to approach her head-on.” He sits up. He swings his legs to the side of the recliner and looks directly at me. “Maybe you need a different tactic here. If you want to know about her, ask her.” He gives me one of his half-smirks that makes me want to pop him upside his head. That smirk is usually accompanied by him being right and me being wrong. It doesn’t happen often, but I hate that damn smirk.

“I just want to make sure she’s okay. She had a traumatic incident, and I want her to have the resources she needs to, um, recover.” That’s partially true. I don’t want to be that guy that doesn’t know how to take no for an answer.

“She didn’t look traumatized to me. Jenny told me she was more worried about Tyler being a witness to the entire thing. She’s very protective of him.”

“I noticed.” She practically ripped my head off when I invited him to batting practice. “As she should be. She’s an amazing mother. It can’t be easy doing it all by herself.” Tyler said he didn’t have a dad. What does that mean? He’s obviously not in the picture. “Did Jenny mention Tyler’s dad at all?”

“Nope, didn’t come up. Maybe if you want to know, you should, oh, I don’t know, get to know her more. Novel idea, right?” His smirk is still there. I’d love to get to know her more, but she didn’t act like she wanted to see me again. I’m not sure how to win her over, but maybe the background check Jack is running will give me some insight. With the information Jack gathers, I’ll figure out the strategy to approach Dani Franklin. What does Julian know anyway? I’ll do this my way. It’s always worked before. Why not now?