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The what-ifs chase after the unease like a tidal wave. What if this thing between Alexis and I don’t work out? What if I can’t give her the love she deserves? What if…what if…what if. Cold sweat forms on my back and a wave of nausea stops me in my tracks.

“Hey, Ethan!” Liam calls after me.

A group of friends pulls him somewhere to do God knows what. One punk who looks like an extra for some superhero movie is giving Alexis the elevator glance. I want to punch him in the gut and rip his eyes out.

He grins and extends his hand. “Hey, Gavin here, I work with—”

Liam shoves his face away. “Back off, leech. You touch one hair on her head and you’re dead.” He pushes Gavin and their friends toward the living room as he hollers at me, “Take care of my little sister, okay? You have my blessing to be her older bro and boss her around for the night.”

“Hey! I’m almost twenty!” Alexis yells, and Liam flips her off, leaving us standing in the foyer.

“Honorary brother, my ass,” she mutters before sauntering to me, her lips tilting in a teasing smile.

The niggle of guilt makes a reappearance, but it’s quickly quashed when she walks her fingers up my chest.

“Feeling brotherly, Ethan?” Her voice is raw sugar, a sultry rasp sending all my blood rushing south.

I swallow and let the fly of my pants brush her belly. “What do you think?”

Her eyes widen when she feels my hard on.

“Maybe I should reevaluate my whole ‘sensitive poet’ idea of you.”

“Oh yeah? I’m definitely sensitive…sofucking sensitive for you,” I rasp and watch a blush creeping up her face in fascination.

“Who knew my keeper had this side to him?” The blues of her irises are eclipsed by her dilated pupils. “Maybe I should add visiting The Orchid Rose floors to one of my Twenty by Forty lists.”

My dick twitches at the mention of the sex club floors of the crown jewel of my family’s business. “How do you know about that?”

She doles out a knowing grin. “I have ears and Liam and Charles aren’t exactly discreet with their ‘activities.’ I wanted to visit, but they always shot me down.”

“You aren’t going to the Rose floors without me.” An unfamiliar wave of possession tightens around my lungs. I can’t have my Nova on those floors without me protecting her. The sleazebags will eat her alive.

“Bossy. I should’ve known. You were bossy in your journals. Snarky too. All the red flags.”

“And yet, you’re here with me. So what does that say about you?”

She winks. “Well, someone once told me I have bad taste in men.”

I chuckle. My hummingbird—dazzling, awe-inspiring, the perfect balance of impishness with sweetness.

Dipping my head down, I watch her lashes fan over her cheeks as she closes her eyes. I want to count the freckles on her face, to kiss each of them, to write poetry about how they’re constellations in the skies. I rake in a deep inhale of her sweet lavender.

Liam laughs in the background, his voice shocking me back to reality. We spring apart, and I look around, thankful the place is so crowded, no one seems to notice the two of us hovering in a dark corner.

We shouldn’t be doing this,I tell her with my eyes.

I don’t care,she responds with a defiant glare.

The seconds stretch on and I keep Liam in my peripheral vision to make sure he doesn’t see us because that fucker will notice. It’s a miracle he hasn’t caught on yet. Alexis is guileless, easy to read, and has desire stamped all over her features.

Suddenly, the blond asshole, Gabriel or whatever, props his arm over Alexis’s head and leans over her. “Sweetheart, when Liam told me he’s finally bringing his precious little sister around, I never expected he’d be bringing a goddess.” He unleashes a slimy smile. “How about I show you a good time? A real party, just you and me?”

“Uh, no thanks, Gavin.” Alexis tries to wiggle out from under him but the bastard cages her in again.

Flames lick my insides and I’m gripped with a violent need to wrench him by the collar and hurl him against the wall before pummeling the daylights out of him.

Insane. I’m going insane. That’s the only thing that can explain any of this.