Page 44

He pushed up on his arms and stared down at her, his eyes shone with golden heat, warming her core. “It’d better be the best morning, period.”

She laughed and pleasure spread through her stronger than every orgasm he’d given her. Just being with him, being free, and not having to give a damn what anyone thought was the most liberating moment in her life.

Buzzz, buzzz, buzz…

Her eyebrows snapped down but before she could protest, he catapulted off her.

“Shit!” He half rolled off the bed, grabbed his phone, and yanked on his pants. Anxiety creased the lines of his face and worry clouded his eyes. He picked up her clothes from the floor and threw them at her. “Hurry, get dressed, he’s here.”

Her heart thundered in her ears as she scampered out of the bed. “Who’s here?” She stepped into her sweatpants and ran her hand through her hair. Where the hell was her bra?

Thump, thump, thump!

The hotel room door shook with each bang, the metal chain rattled against the wood. Nate roughly pulled his shirt on, her bra tumbled out of it, and he tossed it to her.

“Ethan.” A dark shadow crossed his face and her stomach flipped over.

“He’s here? How did he find us?” She squeaked.

He dragged a hand through his hair as she hooked her bra and fed her arms through the straps. “I called him yesterday when I couldn’t find you and confessed everything.”

Maddie rose to her toes and tugged a T-shirt on. “You what? Are you insane?”

He pressed his fingers to his temple. “I didn’t know he was going to come here right now. He messaged me before we—” His voice broke as if he couldn’t say the words.

Thump, thump, thump. Thump, thump!

She glared at him and made her way to the door. He’d cursed when he’d looked at his phone but then she’d insisted on telling him about Carlos. Then they’d lost track of everything. She extended her hand for the door, but Nate stepped in front of her.

“I got it.” A muscle jumped in his throat, but she stepped back. So much for her wonderful morning. He undid the chain, and pulled the door open.

Ethan brushed past him and into the room.

His eyes landed on her and a deep red stain colored his neck.

Dark circles lined his eyes and his hair darted around as if he’d been in a wind tunnel.

His mouth tensed and he shifted his gaze to Nate.

His hands closed into fists. He took two long strides and grabbed Nate by the shirt.

Maddie cringed and her hands twisted together. The urge to step in almost overtook her, but she had to give them a chance to work things out. She’d already come between their friendship.

“You dirty sonofabitch,” Ethan growled. He slammed Nate’s back against the wall. Nate held his hands up in surrender. With the men this close, Ethan’s build seemed to swell. He was easily an inch and a half taller than Nate, but right now he grew bigger with every passing second.

“Dude, calm down. Let’s talk about this, okay?”

Ethan let out a loose laugh. “You want to talk? All right, sure. I’ve only been travelling sixteen fucking hours.” He let Nate go and took a step back, but his voice pitched with his wavering temper.

“Let’s talk about when you started fucking my sister? I should have expected that from you,” he snorted. Then he turned to Maddie, pinning her with his ice-blue stare. “But you should have known better. He’ll be done with you in a week.”

Rage surged through her and she crossed the room, her finger stabbed in his chest. “Don’t talk to me like that,” she hissed.

It fell miles short from what she wanted to say, but her brain couldn’t think through the fog of fury. She took a deep breath and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ll have you know this started at Dana’s wedding. We almost slept together, but he walked away because of his friendship to you.”

Ethan snorted. “Didn’t last very long, did it?”

She seethed. Her tongue pressed to the backs of her teeth. Her palm itched to slap his smug face, but that wouldn’t serve anyone any good.

Nate came up beside her. “To be honest, it started long before that. I’ve been crazy about her for years. And I’m pretty sure it was mutual.”

His arm circled her waist and she covered his hand with hers, taking comfort from his presence. “Mostly,” she laughed.

He gave her a squeeze and for a second, she forgot Ethan was towering over them.

Ethan turned his back to them and stepped a few paces away. The loud crack of his knuckles reached her ears and the bottom of her stomach dropped out. He’d never be okay with her and Nate. But it didn’t matter.

“I’m sorry you’re upset, Ethan. But I’m happy. You can accept it, or you can make yourself miserable over it.” She lifted her chin. “The choice is yours.”

He spun around sharply. “I’m trying to help you, for god’s sake. He’s with a new woman every night. Is that what you want? You think he’s going to be monogamous with you?”

Nate stiffened. “You’re a dumb fuck,” he breathed.

Maddie reached over and pinched his arm. He didn’t flinch. He opened his mouth, but Ethan spoke over him.

“You almost got her killed!” His voice boomed around the room. “Clearly her welfare isn’t a priority to you.”

“She just took out the biggest drug lord on the west coast. You should be proud of her dammit! The FBI has been trying to nail him for—”

Maddie stepped between them before they tackled each other.

She tried to steady her voice, searching for a calm that completely evaded her.

“I brought him here. I went after Carlos because of Leila. If it weren’t for you, I’d likely be working with the FBI and wouldn’t have had to coerce Nate into helping me. But no, you took that from me too.”

The color drained from Ethan’s face and tension creased his eyes. “I—”

“No,” she said, her voice dropping several degrees.

“I had to weasel my way into Carlos’s circle.

You think you didn’t have a hand in that?

If anyone almost got me killed, it was your nosey ass.

You need to stop interfering with my life.

I will do what I want, screw who I want, and be who I am. Or you can go fuck yourself.”

She pointed a finger at Nate, while keeping her eyes on her brother.

“He blew me off every chance he got. Because he was too scared to cross you and ruin your friendship. But if you choose to let that happen, it’s your loss.

And you’ll be pretty damn lonely.” Her body shook, but she forced herself to step out of his personal space.

Ethan dropped into the chair across the room, his head in his hands. Nate’s hand rested on her back, coasting his way down. She turned and he pulled her against him.

“You’d better only screw me from now on.” His eyes darkened possessively and she hid her smile behind her hand. Shit, had she really just said that to her brother?

“You forgot one thing though,” he said softly.

She looked up at him and frowned. “What?”

He led her over to Ethan and stopped a few feet short of his knees.

Ethan didn’t lift his head, but his shoulders flexed.

Nate cleared his throat and slowly, Ethan raised his chin.

Fire still burned in his deep blue eyes, so much like hers, but it was more like the glow of an ember rather than the raging fire of barely-checked violence he’d shown before.

Nate pulled her closer to his side. “I love her, Ethan. I’ve never felt this way about anyone in my life. She’s right, I tried to fight it, but all I did was lose myself.” His voice turned rough and tears sprang to Maddie’s eyes. “Your blessing would mean the world to me.”

Her fingers stiffened on his pec. He lifted her hand and pressed his lips to her knuckles, assuring her that whatever Ethan’s response was, it didn’t matter.

Ethan made a low guffaw and pressed his back into the chair. His eyes came to her first. “Is this true? You love him too?” Disbelief wrinkled his brow and spiked her temper.

But Nate had managed to keep his in check, so she could too.

“Yes, I love him.”

He blew a long breath from his lips and his body sagged along with it. He shifted his feet under him and stood. “You don’t need my blessing. You didn’t have it when all this started.” His eyes shifted to Nate and his lip tucked in.

“Just take care of her, okay?” He leaned forward, cupped the back of Maddie’s head, and pressed a kiss to her brow. “Call me when you get home.” He turned and strode to the door.

Nate’s hand dropped hers and he followed him. “Dude, wait.”

Ethan’s steps slowed and he turned around. His face had lost the hard glint, but his body remained tense.

“Are we cool?” Nate rubbed his hand over the back of his neck.

Ethan surveyed him, his expression unchanging and unreadable even to her.

He lifted his shoulder. “Like I said, you don’t need my blessing.

You’re adults.” A twitch started at the corner of his eye.

“If you hurt her, I’ll fucking kill you,” he ground out.

His mouth twisted as if he debated whether to continue.

“But if you make her as happy as she says she is… we’re cool. ”

Nate’s teeth flashed in a big grin. He threw his arms around Ethan’s unmoving form. “I love you, bro… But I love your sister more.”

Ethan’s frown deepened as he slapped Nate on the back. Ethan had finally come around, and it hadn’t even ruined their friendship.

Maddie’s heart soared, but all she wanted right now was to kick Ethan’s ass out the door and throw herself into Nate’s arms.

“You’ve got nothing to worry about,” Nate assured him. Ethan grunted, lifted his hand in a wave, and slipped out the door.

Her cheeks stung as her smile spread wide. She went to Nate, locking her arms around his neck and lifting her legs to his waist. He pulled her up, settling her comfortably in his arms.

“That wasn’t so bad,” he said softly. His eyes sparked mischievously at her.

She swatted his chest. “I told you. We could have started this months ago.” Her tone was chastising and playful, but what she’d said was true. They’d wasted time. Time that could have been spent together.

Nate’s face grew somber, his eyes softened. “True, but I’m just happy we’re here now. And when we get home, I hope you know you’re moving out of that fancy ass condo and into my shabby one.”

Maddie laughed, and Nate tossed her on the bed. She squealed as she hit the sheets and he tumbled down after her.

“Well, maybe we could move into mine. It does have underground parking, a hot tub, and there’s that huge glassed-in shower we could get a lot of use out of.”

Nate’s eyebrows rose. “Damn. You had me at the underground parking.” His teeth nipped her ear and she turned into him. It didn’t matter where the hell they lived. All that mattered was that they would finally be together.

Forever.