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Hayden said that with such complete confidence, but I barely resisted the urge to shake my head. He thought he knew what he was getting himself into, using his own family as a map to guide him forward.

But my family?

There was no blueprint of a happy, healthy family that would help him navigate these obstacles, something he was about to find out.

Chapter 38

Hayden

“So all three of you are dating my daughter?” Jamie’s dad asked in a deadly tone.

“She went from no boyfriends to three?” Steve said. “Damn, Jamie.”

“Why the hell would you let yourself be put in that position?” Steve asked me before turning to Dave. “There’s no way I’d be putting my dick where yours had been.”

“Probably because she wouldn’t feel a damn thing if you went after me.” The man shot his brother a smug smile before crooking his little finger.

“You f?—!”

“Enough.” Jamie’s dad silenced his sons with a sharp look. “So you’re Hayden.” I nodded. “I’m Jamie’s dad, Arthur.” He crossed his arms and stared me down. “And what do you do for a living?”

“I’m a carpenter?—”

“A carpenter?” Dave’s eyebrows shot up. “Well, at least that’s useful. Better than the other dickhead. What did he do?” he asked Steve. “A wannabe race car driver? So where do you work, mate?”

People thought Australians were all friendly, bandying the word mate around, but a lot of the time it was entirely ironic. There was a strange kind of hostility to it, just like there was now.

“My brother and I subcontract for a company that’s building those new estates in the north of the city,” I replied. “We build all the framework?—”

“The brother that’s also dating my daughter,” Arthur said. “How the hell does that work?” He turned and looked at his sons. “If you two liked the same girl, I’d have to separate you with the hose, like a pack of fighting dogs.”

“It does create some tension,” I replied. “My twin, Hunter, would’ve liked to have been the one to come today rather than me.” I watched them eye me, knowing exactly what this was. They were suspicious of me, just as I would be of anyone trying to date Millie, but that insight would get me through this. “But right now all we’re focussed on is Jamie. We could squabble amongst ourselves or we could put that shit aside and do our damnedest to make clear to her which one is the best guy for her.” I nodded slowly. “That’s what I’m doing.”

“Hmph.”

Arthur wasn’t giving anything away, but the boys did. Dave looked at Steve and then they both spluttered.

“So what? You coordinate things? Create a family calendar and schedule in time with my sister?” Steve said with a shake of his head.

“Work out which night you’re sleeping over,” Dave snickered. “Don’t want to go walking into your girlfriend’s bedroom and find your brother balls deep in your girl.”

“Boys!” Arthur snapped, his face going a dangerous shade of red.

“Daddy! Daddy!” a couple of little voices cried. I turned to see a couple of little girls playing under a sprinkler, dressed in brightly coloured swimsuits. “Come and play!”

“In a minute, love,” Dave replied.

“We’re just joking, Dad,” Steve said. “Jesus, lighten up.”

Arthur had more to say, but he had to get in line. I stepped up then, facing these two idiots down.

“If you spoke about my sister that way?” I said, staring into one man’s eyes, then the other, “I’d punch your teeth so far down your throat you’d be able to eat your own arsehole from the inside. But Jamie…?”

I shook my head, hearing the sounds of the little girls squealing and wondering what the hell was wrong with their fathers. Would they denigrate their girls’ achievements when they grew up, then make disgusting comments about their love lives?

“I’m prepared to go a whole lot further.” Steve watched my hands form fists, a cruel smile twisting his lips. “You don’t have to worry about how we navigate an unusual relationship dynamic, just that we’re treating your sister well. We are.” I shook my head, knowing that the disgust I felt was plain in my expression, but I didn’t care. “Better than she’s ever been treated, I’ll bet. The way she should’ve been all along.”

The criticism there was clear, and I didn’t give a fuck when her two idiot brothers started to stiffen. I’d belt the two of them into next week if that’s what it took and then sweep my girl out of this place, because now I understood. The need for fake boyfriends? Jamie needed a meat shield to protect her from the not-so-loving embrace of her family.