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“Let me take care of you.” I reached for her again and she skittered away.

“No! You aren’t thinking properly. It’s because I’m an Omega, and now you can’t control yourself because…” She stumbled toward the door. “Because I’m starting to go into heat. I can’t stay here. There’s no way I can keep working…” Tears sprang free of her eyes. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have let Quill touch me. I’ll go pack my stuff.”

My teeth gritted together. Quill touched her?

Aubrielle made it to the door and yanked it open. She ran from the room and I rushed out the way she went. I made it to the bottom of the stairs before I grabbed the railing and stopped myself.

Dammit. I was probably scaring the shit out of her chasing her through the house. Yet I couldn’t let her think that I was an Alpha asshole or that she would lose her job. I needed to comfort her, to make everything right, but I still had enough wits left about me to understand she didn’t want to see me right now.

But what I could do was make her feel safe. My fucking brother…

I stormed up the stairs to the third floor. Quill. The bastard. He used to always have a woman or two on his arm, taking whatever lover he wanted and just tossing them away when he was done. Aubrielle was not to be toyed with.

He wasn’t in the game room or exercising, and not in his bedroom either.

But the hatch to the roof was open.

I couldn’t stop thinking about Aubrielle in tears. She thought it was all her fault, but she didn’t know Quill.

Once up the spiral stairs, I spotted Quill sitting in a chair with his back to me and a bottle of cognac on the table beside him. Of course he’d be drinking. The fucker couldn’t stay away. Not only did he upset Aubrielle, but he had gone back to his oldways. I told him if he ever did, he was out of the house. I refused to have any such behavior near Lillianna.

He fingered the neck of the bottle as I approached. I spotted that he had his earbuds in and couldn’t hear me.

I grabbed the back of the chair and thrust it forward, launching him forward to his knees.

Quill twisted to look at me. “What the fuck?”

Something broke free inside of me. I didn’t even give him any warning as I punched him in the face.

Aubrielle in tears. Mother-fucker.

“Kon! Fucking hell!” Quill scrambled back and got to his feet. He rubbed his jaw and gestured to the bottle. “I wasn’t drinking. Shit. You can see for yourself the bottle hasn’t even been opened.”

I took another swing and he dodged. “You’re out of the fucking house. Bastard.”

“Jesus, Kon! Listen to me.” Quill held up his hands. I didn’t want him to talk. I wanted to fight. “I’m not drinking. I just needed it for a bit. A reminder that I beat it. That I’m strong enough to resist.”

Not strong enough to resist a sweet Omega though.

“Aubrielle.” My next punch clipped his shoulder. His body went rigid, standing straighter and more solidly on his feet.

Quill scowled at me. “What the fuck are you talking about? I didn’t do anything.”

“You touched her,” I growled and pushed him.

He pushed me back. “I offered her my hand to help her onto the roof. That was it. I didn’t know we were compatible. When she didn’t want to talk about it or be near me, I let her go. I didn’t do anything. But man, she’s perfect. I want—”

My next shove had him stumble closer to the edge of the roof. She wasmine. “She was upset. Crying. She thinks it’s herfault and wants to leave. But you’re the one who is going. Never go near her again.”

Primal fury shook my fists. I wanted to kill him. Never had I wanted to harm anyone, but I wanted my own brother dead.

“She can’t leave!” Quill attempted to go around me toward the stairs, but I blocked his way. “It’s not her fault. Neither of us knew. We can’t let her fucking leave!”

He tried going by me again, but I refused to be moved.

I imagined his body shattered and broken on the ground. Aubrielle would be safe from him.

“What’s gotten into you?” Quill’s eyes widened, realization settling on his face, and he nodded once. “I see. You too, huh?” He stepped back and clenched his hands into fists as he stood ready to fight. Finally. “I’m not giving her up. I’ll fight for her.”