Page 92 of X's and O's

“Nooooo,” I wailed, peering into the mirror. “That is not a—”

The doorbell rang again.

I dragged myself out of my room and to the front door. Toby must have locked himself out. Nobody else would be here at this time of the morning.

I yanked it open. “Tobes! Would you look at this hickey on my neck—”

Bliss and Rebel stood on the other side of the door.

Bliss covered her laughter with her hand, but Rebel, all five foot nothing of her, pushed up onto her toes and let out a low whistle beneath her breath.

“Damn. That’s impressive.” Then she winked at me. “Your brother is going toloveseeing that.”

I covered up the gigantic hickey with the collar of my shirt. “Fang’s only been my brother for a few hours. I don’t think he’s suddenly going to go all big brother protective on me.”

Rebel leaned back against the doorframe. “Oh, you underestimate him. I can guarantee he’s actually going to be more overprotective than a regular brother would be. Because in his head, you’re still the little girl who used to follow him around everywhere. He didn’t get to watch you grow up into a woman.” She grinned at me. “Don’t worry. You’ll get used to it. But whoever did that to your neck might want to lie low for a few days.”

Bliss’s eyes sparkled. “Was it Reaper?” She leaned in,like we were sharing secrets. “We heard about what happened at Sinners the other night.”

I shook my head. “No. Levi and I…it’s complicated. We definitely are not making out. Or even talking to each other, actually.”

Rebel clapped her hands together in excitement. “Whip then? That man is so fine. And he’s got that older, ‘let me teach you all the hot, sweaty, sexy things’ vibe going on.” She pressed her lips together and hummed.

Bliss eyed her. “The three men you have aren’t enough?”

Rebel winked. “They were open to three. Maybe they’re open to four?”

Something inside me actively repelled the idea of Whip with another woman. Especially one as cute and perky as my new sister-in-law. I kinda wanted to pick her up and throw her across the room. She was small enough I probably could have.

Oddly, I also recognized I felt suddenly protective of Fang. He clearly loved Rebel more than any one person should love another. I’d seen it in the way he’d watched her when we’d all been at Psychos. If she hurt him…

Rebel’s eyes widened as she took in my expression. “Oh, girl, no. I was one-hundred-percent joking. I have zero interest in a fourth man. Even one as fine as Whip.” She waved her hand at me. “So spill. Was he all kinky and dominant? He seems the type.” She grinned at me. “We’re sisters now, so you gotta give me all the dirty, dirty details.”

My face heated, though I was definitely relieved to hear she wasn’t actually interested in cheating on my brother.

It was a weird thought. I had a sibling. Someone who would look out for me. Which seemed like a ridiculous notion when we barely knew each other.

And yet hadn’t I just felt sisterly loyalty toward him?

Was it really so hard to believe he might feel the same way about me?

A warmth settled over me. I’d never had a proper family, but I’d spent my entire life wanting one. Wanting to belong.

I’d never really had female friends either, and now there seemed to be two hanging on my every word, just waiting for me to tell them all the details of my hot romp with an older man.

Except that wasn’t what had happened at all.

“Actually.” I bit my lip awkwardly. “It wasn’t Levi or Whip. It was X.”

“Shut the front door!” Rebel squeaked, then squinted at my apartment. “Like, literally. Can we come in?”

I laughed and opened the door wider, ushering them inside.

Bliss grinned knowingly as she settled at the breakfast bar. “I wondered how long it would take you to succumb to his charms. The crazy ones are hard to resist, huh?”

“You’d know.” Rebel elbowed her friend playfully.

I lowered my voice, like someone might hear us, even though there was nobody else in the apartment. Toby would have left for work ages ago. “He gave me aknife. Actually, he made me hold it to his throat. Told me to go ahead and cut him.”