Page 111 of Crash

We walked back toward the car in silence.

“I know you mean well.” I softened my tone, watching his shoulders slowly unknot.

Blake grabbed the back of his neck, looking uncertain. “I do, but you’re right. I’m sorry. The last thing I want to do is sabotage your life, Cupcake.”

A smile crept across my face, and just like that, my anger toward Blake melted away like morning frost. I wrapped my hands around his neck, reminding myself that Blake was, well, less than seasoned when it came to relationships. He was my pit bull, barking and snapping at the fingers of anyone he perceived as a threat.

I reached up on tiptoe and planted my lips to his, getting lost in the kiss as his mouth opened, my fingers exploring his back while his found my hair. The world narrowed to just us, just this moment?—

“What the fuck?”

A car door slammed like a gunshot, making me jump. We pulled apart and turned toward the sound, only to find mybrother, Ryker, storming toward us, his face a thundercloud of rage.

Before I could even process what was happening, Ryker’s palms slammed against Blake’s chest, sending him wobbling backward.

55

TESSA

Ryker charged like a freight train, his shoulder connecting with Blake’s stomach with enough force to send them both sprawling into my landlord’s prized hydrangeas. The flowers never stood a chance.

“Ryker!” I yelled.

My brother’s tattooed fist connected with Blake’s jaw, the crack echoing off the brick townhouses. The same fist that used to threaten my high school dates was now trying to rearrange his best friend’s face.

“I told you to never touch my sister.”

“You knew I was protecting her,” Blake snapped.

“Protecting. Not fucking.” Another punch.

“RYKER JAMES KINCAID!” This time, I channeled our mother’s voice, which was about as effective as trying to stop a hurricane with an umbrella.

I lunged forward, wrapping my arms around my brother’s torso, trying to restrain six foot two of pure rage. But it was like a miniature dachshund attempting to tackle a Great Dane, and as an added bonus, my timing couldn’t have been worse. As I grabbed him, Ryker was already pulling back for another punch.His elbow caught my temple, sending me stumbling backward onto the grass.

Blake’s eyes darkened dangerously as he watched me fall. He shoved my brother with enough force to flip their positions, landing a solid punch that was definitely going to leave Ryker with a black eye that’d be hard to explain to his clients. You know, criminals who were on trial for violent crimes.

“And here I thought, board meetings were violent.” The dry voice cut through the chaos.

I looked up to see Jace standing at the edge of my lawn, impeccable in a charcoal suit despite the early hour, one eyebrow raised in amusement. He must have been in the car with Ryker?

“Gentlemen,” he said, voice deceptively calm as he strode toward the brawl, “I believe this is what we call a PR disaster.”

With shocking efficiency, he inserted himself between Blake and Ryker, using his considerable height and strength to separate them with one arm each. They continued struggling against his grip like rabid wolves, but Jace held firm, the only sign of exertion a slight tightening around his jaw.

“Lockwood, get the hell out of my way,” Ryker snarled, trying to maneuver around him.

Jace’s grip only tightened. “You two realize there are at least seven people filming this right now?” His voice remained conversational, but something in his tone made both men pause. “And that at least three of those videos will be on social media within five minutes? Tell me, Ryker, how will your clients feel about their attorney being filmed assaulting a doctor? And, Blake, I’m sure the hospital board will be thrilled to see their chief of emergency medicine applicant participating in a lawn-wrestling match.”

They stopped struggling, though the murderous glares continued.

“Now,” Jace continued, “as entertaining as this is—and believe me, watching two grown men destroy their careers over testosterone is truly fascinating—perhaps we could continue this discussion inside? Unless you’d prefer to complete your mutual destruction in public.”

My head throbbing, I scrambled to my feet.

“I told you what I’d do if you ever touched my sister!” Ryker growled at Blake, ignoring Jace completely.

“This isn’t some random hookup!” Blake shot back, dodging another attempt by Ryker to get around Jace. “I’m in love with her, you fucking idiot!”