Page 77 of Second Sets Omnibus

“Anyway, we’ll stand guard, Little Brat,” Asher says with a shrug, sitting back on the stool. Looking over his shoulder, his eyes connect with Van’s in a challenge like a dog staring down a perpetrator ready to bite.

“We got you, Pretty Girl,” Rad says with conviction, turning around and grabbing three beers from the fridge, opening them, and handing them out to the boys. “Now, can you make me a Pina Colada? I’m aching for some sweetness, which I’ll get from you later, but I need liquid sweetness,” he says, punctuating his words with a butt slap and grab.

“Sure, just help yourself,” I quip, throwing my arms in the air and promptly shoving my new bodyguards out from behind the bar before they destroy something—like my sanity.

“I got it,” Ode says with a sigh, mixing his drink for him and bringing it back. Rad grins when she sets it down in front of him and hums when he takes a sip. “So, are you boys stepping up and protecting my girl here?” she asks with a grin, throwing her arm over my shoulders and squeezing me into her side. Leaning her head on mine, she sighs.

“Anything for her,” Kieran proclaims with a slight smirk, bringing his beer to his lips.

I flush, sweat breaking out on every inch of me. No matter how often they tell me they’re my boyfriends or get that funny, protective look in their eyes, I have a hard time thinking they’ll stick around. Every important male in my life has walked away without looking back. So, what makes them so different? They can have my body over and over again. But my heart is a different story.

“These ones?” Ode whispers directly in my ear like she’s seen inside my brain and knows exactly what I’m thinking. “These are the good ones. That one over there? He’s bad news. Should we kick him out?”

My eyes stray to the man himself, sitting back in the booth, discreetly watching me with interest. Should I kick him back to his side of town? Probably. But he hasn’t done anything to warrant these feelings tumbling inside me. There’s just something about him blaring warning signals in my mind.

“He’s been steadily buying beers for himself and his friend for the past two hours. He’s not really doing anything wrong,” I murmur nervously, twiddling my damn thumbs.

“You say the word, and we’ll destroy his existence,” Asher says in a—fuck with me and find out—tone, pulling my eyes to his. “No one fucks with what is ours.” He raises a brow, daring me to argue.

Fuck with what’s ours? This again? I swear to God I’m going to wake up with a tattoo on my forehead that says Property of Whispered Words, and then I’m going to start throwing hands and breaking balls. Sinking my teeth into my tongue, armed with a retort, I sigh, deciding better of it. They came all this way to help me, and I should be grateful they dropped everything—which I am. So damn thankful they dropped everything to be with me. But sometimes, when they chip away at my independence, I want to bite their heads off. Is it irrational? Fuck yes. But I’m a strong, independent woman who just happened to need her men to fight her battles.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you,” I say, blowing out a breath and earning a satisfied smirk from the jerk in question.

“Looks like your little stalker needs a refill. I got them,” Ode says with reassurance, clapping me on the shoulder. “I’ll be back.”

“You’re not allowed to go over there,” Kieran demands with narrowed eyes, following Ode’s every move as she speaks with Van, who smiles up at her, lazily swirling his finger over the edge of the glass beer bottle.

I blink a few times, staring at him. “Did he just say that?” I ask Callum, who nervously grins at me and nods in confirmation, scooting back in his seat. “Look, I’m grateful as hell you guys came, but you can’t put me in a damn corner. I have no intention of walking over there. But you can’t tell me what to do.” I raise a brow when Kieran whips his head toward me and gapes in surprise.

“What the fuck?” he growls, discreetly moving his free hand over his dick for protection. “Then don’t make me tie you to the damn bar because I will,” he growls, shifting in his seat. “And then throw him out with the trash.”

“Sounds like a plan, Big Guy. I like the part where we throw him out with the trash,” I quip, rolling my eyes. “But the controlling part? I’m a big girl.” Leaning forward, I snarl in his face. “Don’t tell me what to do. Got it?”

“If you’re such a big girl, Little Brat, you wouldn’t have texted us to come here and save the day,” Asher snarks, raising a brow and sipping his beer when I whip my snarling face toward him.

“Not-not helping,” Callum warns with a shake of his head.

“I am a big girl. But I don’t need someone telling me what I can and can’t do. You’re not my daddy,” I growl, inching closer to Asher, who grins wider.

“Yeah? And who says I’m not?” he huskily asks, knocking me back to my feet. I swear my face heats ten million degrees, and then he fucking winks at me. “Call me daddy, Little Brat, and see what happens.” His reply is laced in a threatening manner, but an edge sits in his words, warning me that if I do, in fact, call him daddy, he’ll explode. Most likely in his damn pants.

“Now, what about the tying down part? I’ve got rope at home. We could…” I grunt, putting my hand over Rad’s mouth until he’s grinning behind it.

“Leave it,” I grumble with a shake of my head, pulling my hand back and wiping it down my jeans.

A pounding headache knocks on my skull, begging for entry. Ugh. Could this night get any worse than it already is?

“Incoming alert,” Ode hisses, hurriedly coming toward me and nodding toward Van leaning against the bar, watching me with a mask of indifference lining his face. In reality, he’s anything but. His beady, dark eyes catalog the guys’ interactions with me, down to the wink Asher sends me again.

I spoke too soon.

Awesome. Here we go. Just what I needed. Kieran growls, aching to jump to his feet. Release the damn psychos. Next time I’ll rethink this whole River needs help scenario and maybe do it all myself. Who needs overbearing boyfriends, anyhow? Wait! Not fucking boyfriends. Just boys I fuck on multiple occasions and spend lots of time with when I’m off work.

“You’re our girlfriend, whether you like it or not.”

Shit. I think I am.And it’s totally against my will. When the fuck did this happen? And why the fuck am I halfway okay with it? Not that I’d ever admit that to them. That’d give them way too much satisfaction.

I lick my lips, locking eyes with each of the boys for good measure, letting them know who the boss of the situation is. Always look the bulls in the eyes to show dominance. Or maybe not. Kieran huffs, flaring his nostrils, attempting to get up. Asher rolls his eyes, clamping a hand down on Kieran’s shoulder as he struggles.