Page 4
CHAPTER
THREE
CONAN
Fuck but I love her sassiness and what-the-fuck-ever’s.
They make me hard as granite.
I slyly reach down and readjust myself beneath the zipper of my jeans.
When she raises her eyebrow at me, I realize I wasn’t as inconspicuous as I thought I was with the measured movement.
Her cheeks don’t pinken in embarrassment like most women tend to do when it pertains to me, which humors me tenfold, and has my smile toward her turning more cunning.
I lift my eyebrows at her in challenge and she harrumphs, basically waving me off.
Her blase attitude doesn’t offend me, instead, it amps up my competitive nature.
It’s not as if we don’t burn hot between the sheets, because no doubt we do and we still do the deed on nearly a daily basis, but it’s mechanical with her and that’s what needs to change.
I don’t want to be her hookup, I want to be her man.
Watching Luna and Kodiak together deepens that desire. Plus, I’ve always longed for a family of my own and the heart wants what it wants and that organ that keeps the blood pumping through my veins has set its sights on her.
The prickliest woman I’ve ever encountered.
But her prickles tickle instead of causing me pain. I don’t mind being stabbed by her hard exterior, she is who she is and she’s survived obstacles than would have many cowering in a corner.
But not my demoness, she’s a fighter, a survivor—a warrior.
“What are you doing here?” Demi asks, breaking me out of my musings.
“What? I can’t come sit on a deck I helped build and enjoy the evening?” I ask, taunting her. One of my favorite pass the time activities. “You wound me, Demoness.” I mock grab my chest as if my heart is failing me and fall back a couple of steps.
“Unlike you, Conan, we’re working,” she sasses.
“I work,” I vow. “My duties are done for the day. You two started this a couple of hours ago, what’s taking so long?” I drag the chair out beside her and settle my ass on the seat, leaning over and putting my eyes on the screen.
I’m nosey and I make no apologies for being so.
“Your job is pretentious,” she accuses, shaking her head in faux disappointment.
“And besides that, we’re going over her schedule for upcoming books, as well as the signings she’s attending so we can make sure to have sufficient inventory and swag for the readers.
That’s not a twenty minute conversation, Conan. ”
“Don’t make a mockery out of what I do, Demi,” I lightly scold.
She does not want to jump into this rabbit hole with me because I will defend my lifestyle and that of my brothers until I’m blue in the face.
“I wasn’t trying to. Sorry, Conan. It’s been a day,” she huffs, making excuses. “Emotional shit and all that.”
When she flails her hands through the air, her nonchalance doesn’t fool me.
Not one bit.
I can see her puffy eyes and the slight flush to her skin, which tells me the two of them have been crying. Seeing her this way has me fighting to storm to wherever my fucking brother is and insist we do this today, right now, because it guts me to see how badly all of it has impacted her.
She’s struggling to deal with the emotions Luna brought out in her but she’ll never ask for help swimming her way through them. Her barbs are showing and I’m not sure how to navigate a path around them without them drawing blood.
“Kodiak,” Luna calls his name.
“What’s up, my moon?” my brother answers, his voice dropping an octave. Which I mentally remind myself is only done with her, the rest of us get his growly animal.
“I’m hungry,” she informs him, patting her rounded belly that’s just recently popped out.
“What’s my baby craving today?” he asks, leaning in and patting said swollen belly while kissing her temple.
It takes all of my might and will-power not to gag at his display of affection. She’s got my brother’s balls tucked away in her purse and I swear no matter how deep I dig into that dark hole I cannot locate those fuckers.
Who the fuck am I kidding? I’m envious as hell right now at their relationship. On one hand, I’m thrilled for my brother because if anyone deserves a little slice of happiness, it’s him, but on the other, I wish it was me.
It will be, though, because no matter how much Demi may try to fight our attraction to each other, she will be mine.
“Hamburgers, loaded down with pickles, a scoop of mayonnaise, a dollop of mustard, chopped not sliced onion, bell pepper, banana peppers, and cheese,” she lists, her eyes glazing over.
“The fuck?” I whisper out my question because that’s quite—disgusting. “So we not only hit up a burger joint but we hit a sub shop for the toppings?”
“If you must,” Demi snaps, giving me a shut the fuck up look before leaning over and whispering, “She’s sensitive and hormonal, watch your tongue, Conan.
” I hold my hand up in innocence thinking I should be happy she doesn’t have us adding something gross to that list like sardines or something just as nasty.
“And fries,” Luna tacks on. “Oh, can you make my burger a double decker? Yes, that sounds marvelous.” Her gushing and salivating has my eyes widening. I’ve never witnessed a woman being turned on by food.
“Kodiak, my man, what the hell are you doing?” I ask, broadening my eyes at him.
“I don’t know what you’re asking, brother. Your question makes no sense,” he retorts.
I shake my head at him, ready to provoke him. After all, it’s my specialty. “She should not be that excited about food, bro. That’s a look I’d normally contribute to the bedroom, not on a menu.”
Kodiak, with no warning whatsoever, reaches around the girls and pops me in the back of the head, enough to have my skull rattling. In other words, it was not an easy love tap.
“You better not have given me a concussion, you asshole,” I grumble.
The fucker.
“Serves you right, you prick. Now, Demi, what do you want to eat?” he asks my woman while I’m moving my head from side to side to get my ears to stop ringing.
He’s always been a heavy handed asshole. “Damn, I think you knocked a few brain cells loose,” I complain, rubbing the spot he got me at.
“I don’t think that’s going to be an issue for you,” Demi tuts. “I’d like a single with cheese, no tomato and no pickle, add onion and lettuce.”
“Oh, I forgot lettuce, Kodiak,” Luna whines, batting her eyelashes at him.
“Already got you covered, Moon,” he replies.
“You. Are. The. Best old man ever,” she drawls.
“I need a spoon,” I complain. “To gag myself with.”
“You are so damn dramatic,” Demi criticizes. “But if you want to gag yourself with a spoon, I’ll go find one for you.”
“Thank you for that kind offer, but I don’t think your services and assistance will be needed,” I adamantly say.
She’d enjoy that endeavor a little too much if the mirthful look on her face is a sign.
I’m all about giving her instant gratification, but not at my expense. I still have a few cells left in my brain after Kodiak’s attack on my cranium.
Again, the fucker.
I think he’s forgotten one of my mottos and that’s the fact that paybacks are a bitch.
I love dishing them out and today, my brother has landed himself at the top of my target list. I still owe him for blindsiding me in church, and the wheels have been turning on how I’m going to make it drastic enough that he’ll never forget the lesson I plan on teaching him.
Do not gaslight me, and do not catch me off guard, those are the two things that’ll set me off. And when they do, I usually react faster than the Tasmanian Devil. But not this time, nope. With this transgression, it deserves some contemplation because it needs to be epic.
And when I strike, my hit will hit him harder than a slap to the back of the head.
I want him to be nervous while awaiting my return assault.
And with the passing looks he’s sending me, he knows it’s coming.
Throughout the years, when I bide my time, it’s because I’m formulating a plan, I’m plotting, and wanting him to relax enough that when I do come at him, it’s unexpected and his guard has been lowered.
As a kid, that usually happened when he was asleep but now that he has Luna, I’ll need to find a different time to dish out my payback.
I don’t want to frighten my new sister or cause her to go into preterm labor.
I’ve put snakes in his bed before. I’ve coated him with honey and broke my ant farm over him, both of which, if I were to take a guess, wouldn’t be appreciated by her.
No. For now, I’ll let him wind himself up and stew. I maniacally laugh while he watches me with a keen, observing eye.
Oh yeah, it’s coming, big brother. I smile at him, deeply enough that my mouth and eyes wrinkle which has him leaning back and squinting his eyes at me.
“Ready to go grab these ladies their food, bro?” I ask, my tone ominous.
“I’ll go. You stay here and keep an eye on things,” Kodiak suggests.
“Nah. They’re good here, aren’t you, Demi?”
“We’re good,” Demi says, waving me away. “Go with your brother.”
“See!” I chirp, clapping my hands. “Let’s hit the road.”
“Fuck,” Kodiak whispers, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Fine, asshole. Let’s go.”
Let the mind games begin.
I’m going to have him so twisted up inside he’s not going to know whether he’s coming or going.
And I can’t wait!