Chapter Eight

HICKS

I smirk as the guys horse around in the pool, but my gaze is drawn again and again to the sexy as fuck next-door neighbor. I'm not sure if I'm a lucky bastard or cursed. It isn't lost on me that the rest of the guys are drawn to her as well.

I'm conscious of her standing at the edge of the pool with a cute as fuck pink skirt that is begging me to slip my hands under it. As I tread water, I can't help but wonder if she's wearing underwear, and it's all I can do not to swim over and check for myself.

I desperately want to ask her to join us, since we have spare suits in the guest room, but the idea of her wearing a suit someone else wore, even if it has been laundered, is repugnant.

Especially with the girls who normally hang out here.

The other reason I hesitate is because if her face is that battered, then I don't think any of us would be able to hold ourselves in check if we saw more injuries. As it is, we're each struggling with our impulse to hunt the fucker down and end him…along with the alien concept of wanting to comfort and take care of her.

The urge is dangerous, not only to us but to her as well.

Despite what Mrs. Killaghan might think, we are not nice or sweet men, especially to the opposite sex. We're ruthless when it comes to relationships. We just don't do them.

None of us can afford to get close to a female.

Fuck, yes.

Friendship, maybe.

Anything more is abhorrent.

Relationships, or lack thereof, weren't a problem until her.

Rue is different for some reason.

My gaze is pulled toward her again and again, and I'm not sure if I'm annoyed by it or not. The tiny smile playing on her lush red lips has my balls drawing up and me struggling to keep my semi from becoming a raging hard-on. No one needs to see that in the pool. Her lips are so plush that it's all I can do not to imagine feeding her my cock as I fuck her mouth.

Her shoulder-length hair is bright pink, the curly strands inviting me to sink my fingers into the locks. The bold color should look out of place on her refined features, but it softens her expression, making her teal eyes pop even more.

Something about the way the light hits the sea green colors makes them shift lighter and darker, and I'm fascinated against my will. Even as I joke around with the guys in the pool, I'm unable to look away from her for long.

The guys are almost worse. Jace nearly drowns James when the dumbass is so busy showing off, he misses the way his brother cut through the water toward him before dunking his ass. He comes up sputtering, then takes off after his brother with a shout of vengeance that has a little giggle escaping our guest.

Each of us smiles at the delightful sound.

Even Gunner isn't immune to her charms, sneaking peeks at her when he doesn't think anyone is looking. Fucking hell, the way she handled him at dinner was nothing short of amazing. We've been telling him the same shit for years, but he finally seemed to hear what we were saying because of her.

The situation would be comical if it wasn't so hopeless.

She's so perfect that it's nearly impossible to resist her allure, tempting me to break my pact with my brothers. Years ago, when we first started noticing tits and ass, we went a little pussy crazy. After months of one disastrous dating experience after another, my brothers and I made a pact to never let a woman come between us.

A splash of water to my face catches me off guard. I blink the moisture away, grimacing when Jameson shoots me a knowing smirk.

The little shit.

The fucker is always pushing boundaries, his own and others'. He loves any type of attention. It's like a drug to him. My brothers and I do our best to make sure that it's the right kind of attention, but it's nearly an impossible mission. Though he might be all smiles and sunshine, darkness festers under the surface. Women and jokes help, but his demons are vicious if he isn't kept busy.

While Jace does his best, keeping his brother out of trouble is a full-time job.

We've been in more fights than I can count because he was bored and got into mischief when we weren't paying close enough attention.

When James' gaze lands on Rue, a manic look enters his blue eyes, and I know it's time to call it quits before he takes things too far. I head toward the edge of the pool and pull myself out. Grimacing when my clothes cling to me, I rip my shirt over my head, then wring it out.

A sharp inhale catches my attention, and my head snaps up. I search for danger, conscious of Rue in our presence—if shit goes down, she needs to be protected—only to freeze when I find her gaze on me, or more precisely, my bare chest.

Thank God for my wet jeans, the tight constriction barely keeping my cock contained when it snaps to attention. It's so fast and brutal that it borders on painful.

I'm fucked.

Despite all the warnings, my brain just shuts down, and I barely rein in the primal need to close the distance between us and claim her. When the other guys pull their asses out of the pool, her attention fractures. James being James, he instantly whips his shirt over his head.

Asshole , I think, but I can't really be mad.

To my shock, Jace does the same. Though he's more reserved around others outside our group, he's not shy. Standing next to his brother, the twins are a sight, if the way Rue is drinking them in is any indication.

While part of me is relieved, another part wants to punch the dickheads for drawing her attention away. Gunner is the last to haul himself out of the pool. He grunts, then stands to his full height, water running off him. When he flicks his head back, his hair goes flying, and he rakes his fingers through the strands to drag them off his face.

It's a move I've seen him do a thousand times. There isn't anything overtly sexual about it, but even fully clothed, Rue is transfixed. Gunner looks up at that exact moment, then he stills when he notices her attention. A flush covers his cheeks, and I realize the bashful fucker has already fallen hard. Though it's contained, lust fills his dark blue eyes.

I'm not sure how I feel about us all being attracted to the same woman. We make it a point never to compete with each other, but they are so infatuated with Rue that they don't even notice.

With a scowl of annoyance, I flip my shirt over my shoulder, then brush past the others. "I'm going to dry off."

"While they are busy, why don't I show you around the house?" Ellis effortlessly smooths over the situation, and my conscience stabs me like a vicious bitch.

I had no right to take out my anger on Rue just because I'm attracted to her.

The guys don't deserve it either.

This only proves my point—she's already changing the dynamics between us just by being here.

I stomp up the stairs, well, as much as you can stomp when your shoes squelch with water. The guys trudge after me, each with their own distinct squeak and squish.

The mansion is large enough that they each have their own rooms, along with spare clothes for such instances. When I reach my room, I realize Rue is following them up the stairs. I don't have to look back to know that James is flexing and goofing off by the way his sneakers squeak on the steps. I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose, barely resisting the urge to bang my head against my door.

If he wasn't so light on his feet—part Gumby if you ask me—he would have broken his neck when we were kids by doing the stupid shit he does. By the time I push into my room, the guys are heading to their own bathrooms. I walk into my closet and grab the first things I run across.

I unbutton my pants, ready to remove them, then pause when Ellis and Rue follow me into the room. While part of me loves having her among my things, I'm not used to inviting strangers into my private space. I don't even allow the women I fuck in my room.

With gritted teeth, I grab my clothes and stride toward the bathroom. I don't close the door all the way, and as much as I tell myself it's because I'm paranoid about having her in my room, the truth is, I'm just nosy. We hardly know anything about the girl, and I'm desperate to learn more.

Unlike most women, she barely talks about herself. During supper, she seemed content to just watch us. I'm not sure if I find it refreshing or suspicious. I can't get over a niggling doubt in the back of my mind that I'm missing something important.

Shucking off my pants, I throw my wet clothes into the laundry shoot and quickly towel off. I yank my pants up and jump a little to adjust myself, grateful my cock deflated enough that it's not painful to shove it back into my pants.

Eager to get back to the others, since I can only hear the low murmur of her voice when she responds to Ellis, I drape my shirt over my shoulder, then push open the door to my room. The decision to leave off my shirt has nothing to do with the slightly dazed, awed look in her teal eyes when she looks at me.

Other women have admired me, but I easily brush them off. Some girls are downright creepy, their hungry looks invasive, but not Rue. When she looks at me with her piercing gaze, she's not trying to judge my flaws or figure out my net worth. Her attention is pure admiration, and I'm cynical enough not to trust it, but for the life of me, I can't figure out what angle she's playing…yet.

I'll figure it out eventually.

I always do.

As I emerge from the bathroom, my eyes immediately lock on Rue, barely seeing anything else. I'm disappointed to find her back to me, wanting to bask in the way her gaze clings to my body, and I deflate a little.

They are hunched over the computer. I step forward and open my mouth to interrupt when she shakes her head. "Don't invest with Granger Industries. The owner is dirty. If you're looking for investments, go with Wilks. They are dependable and reliable."

"Really?" Ellis stoops over the keyboard and pulls up information on the company she recommended. He distractedly drags out the chair and sits down, loosing himself in digital research.

I watch as she points out things on the screen, and I frown as I pull my shirt over my head, no longer wanting to play games. Just who the fuck is Rue? When she mentioned graduating early, I was impressed but brushed it off.

Now she's into investments?

I stalk forward with a scowl, wondering what she's plotting. I trust Ellis to research the company thoroughly, but I don't like anyone poking into my business. I reach between them and shut the lid to the laptop with a snap. "Why don't we head back downstairs to the patio and start a fire?"

Rue startles and leans away, flinching before she catches herself, and I mask my scowl. While I might be a bastard, I don't physically abuse women. Her response was so quick and instinctual that I know whatever happened to her had been happening for a while, and it's a struggle not to demand answers.

Ellis is used to my mood swings and yanks his fingers out in time to avoid getting them squished. He shoots me an annoyed look but obediently shoves his chair back. Ellis isn't weak or a pushover, but he's learned over time that resisting me is futile.

I get what I want.

He picks his battles carefully, but when he puts his foot down, he can be immovable. He's second in charge of our group, and the computer specialist with the ability to pull up anything that has ever been whispered about on the internet. Gunner is the fixer. James is the jokester and charmer. Jace is the spy, able to infiltrate any group or business. I'm the leader and money man.

Together, we make a group that many fear to cross.

Shooting me a warning look, Ellis steps in front of Rue and offers her a smile, easily smoothing over the tension. "I'm sure the other guys are probably wondering where we disappeared."

"Of course." Rue nods, glancing at me over his shoulder, her shuttered expression giving nothing away.

Manners might have been ingrained in her, but she's not stupid. She shut herself down, hiding herself from me, and it feels like something precious is slipping through my fingers. I grit my teeth against the sensation, biting my tongue against the need to apologize.

The moment is lost when she sweeps from the room, the space dull and lifeless in her wake, like something vital has been stolen.

Determined to find out everything I can about her, I stomp after them, ignoring the fact that I'm becoming just as obsessed with her as the others.

My obsession is different.

She's mixed up in some sort of trouble, and it's my job to protect our little family. We'll make whoever touched her disappear. Unfortunately, I have a feeling her life is more complicated than she's letting on.

She's too smart and innocent at the same time.

It's an alluring combination, and the guys chase after her like she's a dog in heat. They are not going to let her go without a fight. We're just breaking away from the nightmares of our past and starting a new life. The last thing we need is for her to fuck up our escape plans.

I'll just have to verify her story and either fix the problem if she's innocent or erase her from our lives if she's the source of the cancer and hope the guys have enough brains left in their heads to know I'm just looking out for them like always.