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He looked at her and then back at me, and nodded, then he asked, “The fuck is up with your brother?”

I chuckled, then shook my head at where Garrick was leaning against the wall, close as fuck to where they were sitting but out of eyesight.

“Got no fucking clue. Can say, never seen him like this,” I told him.

“Well, he’s your brother, so, know he’s a good man. Long as it ain’t Alec,” he said with a hint of disgust in his tone.

I laughed, “I agree with you there, man. Love Alec to death, but something is seriously wrong with him. It’s going to take a special kind of woman to shape that kid up.”

***

Dominik was out in the yard with Garrick and Granger, getting the fireworks ready.

Harlee was cuddled to my side.

She twisted her head and pressed a kiss over my heart when she said, “Thank you.”

I looked down at her, “For what, baby?”

“For this. You didn’t have to let us use your house.”

I leaned back, brought my hand up, placed one finger under her chin, lifted her head.

The moment I had her eyes, I said, “Plan for this house to be our home, Darling. Why wouldn’t I be okay with it?”

I watched as a slow smile formed on her face, and then that blinding one that always caused my heart to stutter.

Just then, they lit the fireworks.

And since it had cleared up just enough with the rain, we all moved out from under the porch, hanging and watched.

Something caught my eye, and I watched as Dominik moved, but where he moved shocked the shit out of me.

Hmmmm.

He moved directly behind Talia and stood there.

***

To say I loved our friends, and our families would be an understatement.

But I had waited all day to have Harlee where I wanted her.

And the reward, as she moved up and down on my cock, on top of me... had been worth it.

So goddamned worth it.

***

I had just stepped onto the chopper that would take us to the oil rig when my phone vibrated.

Darling – Be careful.

Me – Always am.

We were on day four of being on the oil rig, and I had just come from the deep and was resting in my bunk with Granger in his when my phone vibrated.

Curmudgeon Text Threat

Alec – I need some help.

Me – What did you do?

Alec – Who says I did anything?

Talia – It’s you.

Ethan – What Talia said.

Garrick – Fuck. Me.

Alec – I want different siblings, y’all are assholes.

Me – Fine with me. You drive me insane.

Garrick – Bat shit crazy.

Ethan – I’m with them.

Talia – What they said.

Me – What do you need bro?

Alec – Well, I might have pissed someone off, and umm, I woke up with my dick and my balls glued to my thigh.

I read that and I froze.

The entire group chat was silent.

No one said anything.

Alec – Umm, I need help.

Garrick silenced notifications.

Talia added Mommy-kins to the chat.

Talia – Mom, you keep asking why we ask you if you dropped Alec on his head as a child. Just read up.

Mommy-kins – He’s not that bad. Really, all of you....

I was pretty sure she gasped as she got a look at what had occurred and hit the send button.

I pocketed my phone and sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.

“You, okay?” Granger asked.

I looked at my best friend and shook my head.

He was on alert immediately, “Harlee?”

I shook my head, “Nah, she’s fine. It’s my idiotic brother.”

He groaned, “What did Alec do now?”

“He pissed a woman off, and she glued his dick and his balls to his leg while he was sleeping.”

My phone buzzed.

I pulled it out and read it.

Alec – I called her by a different name while I was inside of her.

Mommy-kins – You are on your own. Jesus Christ, Alec. What the absolute fart in space is the matter with you?

Ethan – Ummm.

Talia – Now you get it.

Me – You deserved what she did.

Alec – It gets worse.

Talia – Oh god. How much worse?

Ethan – It gets worse?

Me – Fuck. Me. What. Did. You. Do?

Talia – Shouty capitals. Shit.

Mommy-kins – Not even going to get onto either of you for your language.

Mommy-kins – Alec? Start talking.

Alec – I called her by her mother’s name.

Silence.

Fucking Silence.

Granger looked at me and asked, “Why’d she do it?”

I sat there for a moment. Stunned.

Then I told him, “He called her by another woman’s name while he was inside of her.”

Granger lifted a brow, “The woman’s name he used?”

“Yeah?” I asked, not wanting to repeat it.

However, Granger didn’t waiver.

“It was her mother.” I dropped that bomb.

And then I watched as Granger did the same thing as I had. Sat there and thought about it. Stunned.

“He deserves everything she does to him for that shit. Fuck.”

Need For Speed Text Thread

Harlee – So can y’all confirm a rumor I heard?

Talia – Shoot,

Me – Let’s hear it.

Garrick – I don’t mind this chat at all. What’s up?

The need for speed group chat was started by Harlee when we were at our parents’ house for Sunday dinner, and we had all jumped up from the table and raced into the living room when the opening song of our favorite movie of all time started playing.

Harlee – Did Alec really get his pecker and balls super-glued to his leg?

Talia - *snickering* oh yeah.

Garrick – Fucker deserved it.

Me – He sure as shit did.

Harlee – Wow.

Harlee – Why?

Talia – He was fucking his girl. Called her by another woman’s name.

Harlee – He didn’t. *groaning*

Garrick – Sure as shit did.

Garrick – It was the girl’s mother’s name.

Harlee – wait.

Harlee – Are you serious?

Harlee – It’s you, so I know you're serious.

Harlee – Ewwwwww.

Harlee – Yeah, fucker deserved it.

I chuckled.

Me – What would you have done, Harlee Belle?

Harlee – I would have probably done the same thing and then called the girl’s father and told him where he could find Alec.

Garrick – Vicious.

Talia – I love you rotflmao.

Me – Remind me to never piss you off.

Harlee – You won’t. You know better.

Yes. Yes, I did.

Me – Yes, ma’am.

Garrick – Any other rumors?

Harlee – Not yet.

Forty-five minutes later...

Talia – Garrick, why’d you tell Dominik about that guy?

Garrick – He asked.

Harlee – Oh shit.

Me – Wait. What guy?

Darling calling.

***

“So, who bought Miller’s old place?” I asked her.

She grinned, “Who does the world refer to as Beast?”

It took me a minute. My brain tried to think about it. And then I gasped like a woman.

Well, like this particular woman.

And I fucking loved it.

Because it caused her to giggle.

“No fucking way!” I exclaimed.

She nodded, “Yes, way. And I can definitely say that the cameras didn’t do the man justice.”

I quit smiling and then narrowed my eyes, “Is that right?”

She nodded, “Oh yeah, the man is fine.”

I flipped her over onto her back, then nipped at her bottom lip, “Take it back.”

She shook her head, “It’s okay for men to talk about other women, but not for women to talk about other men?”

“You’re playing with fire, Harlee Belle. Take. It. Back.”

She lifted a brow, “What are you going to do if I don’t?”

“Well, first, I’m going to fuck you so hard that you forget you ever laid eyes on that fucker. Then second, I’m going to leave you sated in my bed while I go beat the dog shit out of him so you don’t think he’s good looking anymore.”

“My god, I watched him take his shirt off the other....”

She didn’t finish her sentence.

I reached down and ripped the threadbare shorts from her body, lined my cock up to her entrance, and threatened, “Last chance.”

She smirked, “And the way his abs flexed when he...” She didn’t finish.

I plunged my cock into her tight heat.

And did as I promised.

We were panting, hours later, when Harlee rolled over into my side, tangling one of her legs with mine, her head pillowed on my chest, where she said, “Happy Early Birthday, Carter Car.”

I narrowed my eyes at the top of her head, “You pricked my temper to give me an early birthday present?

She nodded.

I sighed, this woman.