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Calm yourself, Ethan. This is Liam’s birthday party.

“Come on, it’ll be fun,” Gavin murmurs cajolingly, his fingers grazing her face.

I see red.

You fucker. Screw calmness.

“Hands off, asshole.” I shove him away from her and insert myself in between them. “Didn’t you hear what Liam said? Touch one hair on her head and you’re dead. She’s a teenager, practically a kid. Back off.”

I hear Alexis’s shocked gasp and I wince. I’ve hurt her with the last remark.

Gavin arches his brow and looks me over, clearly seizing me up. “Anderson, right? Does Liam know you have the hots for his sister?”

“Watch what you’re saying.”

His eyes gleam. “It’s obvious. This fake brotherly shit is fooling no one. You want a piece of that ass too. Teenager,riiight?See you around the cell block. But I don’t blame you. She’s fucking hot. Maybe we can share.”

Blood. Violence. Murder. Fury unlike anything I’ve ever felt before thrashes inside me and I grip his collar and snarl, “Shut your mouth before I shut it for you.”

Gavin chuckles, his eyes defiant. “I’m—”

“Ethan! Ignore him. He’s baiting you.” Alexis yanks my arm, drawing my attention to her. Her eyes are frantic. “Let’s go.”

I twist his collar in my grip, watching in sick fascination his face becoming mottled. God, it’d be so satisfying to smack him across the face and hear the bones crack.

“Come on, Ethan. Please.” Then she turns toward Gavin and narrows her eyes. “Yo, asshole! I’m an adult and in case I wasn’t clear before, I. Am. Not. Interested.Capisce?”

Alexis’s sweet voice tethers me to sanity. Shoving Gavin back, I growl, “Don’t let me catch you looking at her, or Liam will be the least of your problems.”

Spinning around, I place my hand on Alexis’s back and usher her through the partygoers overflowing into the living room, the dining room, to the main hallway where a few couples are making out in darkened corners.

After leading her into my bedroom, I close the door. The clicking of the lock is loud as we’re finally cordoned off from the riot outside.

I set the drinks and the bags on top of my dresser.

Rage is still burning hot in my veins. Liam and Gavin’s words hammer inside my brain—brother, trust, teenager.

She’s not even twenty yet.

But I can’t imagine her with anyone else. My dreamer, the girl with words that touch my soul, the muse to my poet, the one person who’s ever made me feel enough just by being me.

“I got you a steak from Carlisle’s. Rib eye. Medium rare. That’s your favorite, right?” Alexis says. I can hear the smile in her voice.

Turning around, the oxygen escapes my lungs when I see her staring at me in the dark, the moonlight streaming in from the window behind her, her glorious fiery tresses loosened from her braid. Even in the dimness, I can make out her chest heaving, the fluttering of her pulse on her neck, her lips parting before curving up into a sweet smile.

Mine.

I don’t think there’ll be anyone else for me.

Chapter 22

My heart throws itselfagainst my rib cage, and I’m hit with a desperate urge to touch her, kiss her, to feel her joined against me. I’m dizzy—this must be what it feels like to be high.

Everything is more incandescent with her.

Was this how Dad felt with Mom? How Maxwell felt with Sydney? Is this why generations of Anderson men fall in love even though our love stories end in tragedy?

Reaching her in a few strides, I cup her face and hear her sharp intake of breath before I seal my lips over hers.