Gabriella Brooks
Seven Months Prior
Acid lies in the back of my throat, and I slowly open my eyes, but it’s so bright I shut them again.
Where am I?
Why is my head pounding?
“I’ll take her home.”
Why is Ryland talking about taking me home?
“No. Let her sleep. I’ll bring her home when she wakes up and isn’t puking anymore.”
Oh no. Please tell me I didn’t.
Ugh. You’re such an idiot.
Flashbacks of the previous night race to my head.
Javier stood at my front door, with his dimples and cocky grin. I made him remove his shirt, which he did with one hand. My insides throbbed as I stared at his rock-hard torso. And I would have happily licked every inch all night.
Then a Twisted Heart gangster called Triker showed up. I had never seen him before. He knew my brother Beckett from prison and somehow, got into my parents room and was screwing two women. My oldest brother Hudson pulled out a gun, which I didn’t even know he owned. After the incident, a true Brooks style fight with all my siblings erupted, which led me to guzzle Connor’s fishbowl. Since Ryland wouldn’t shut up, I left, already buzzing. Javier drove Connor, Gracie, and I to the bar.
Once I got there, I downed several shots with Connor and Gracie while Javier was in the restroom, since he said multiple times I wasn’t allowed to have any more alcohol.
The true kicker came next. The hole in the wall bar we were in was dark. I made Javier dance with me and proceeded to molest his cock as he repeatedly gripped my hands to stop me.
They don’t even have a dance floor there. Ugh. I cringe and bury my head into the pillow, inhaling the delicious, manly scent of Javier.
Wait. Why am I in his bed?
Oh God. Did I sleep with him?
Think, Gabriella.
I peek under the covers. I’m wearing his T-shirt and nothing else.
The pounding of my brain against my skull continues as I make my way down memory lane.
He was standing in line outside the bathroom door at my party. I placed my hand on his arm. “My room won’t have a line. I locked my door. Come on.”
He reluctantly followed me upstairs.
I unlocked the door to my dimly lit room and pointed to my private en suite. “There you go.”
When he came back out, he said, “Thanks,” and started to leave.
“I don’t buy the story Ryland told.”
He spun toward me and said nothing.
Not sure what he’s covering up, but I’ll find out.
I decided to change tactics. “You live here?”
“Yes. I have for several years.”
“Where are you from?”
“All over. I was a military brat and then joined up right out of high school.”
“What branch?”
“Marines.”
I licked my lips slowly. “My favorite.”
He checked me out. “Is that right?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Why is that?”
I dragged my finger across the stars tattoo on his biceps before gripping it. “I don’t know. It just is.”
He shifted then cleared his throat. “Let me guess—lots of your boyfriends were Marines?”
“Nope. I don’t really have boyfriends.”
“So, you’re the no-relationship girl? Wouldn’t have assumed that, but hey, that’s cool.”
I squeezed his arm before I examined his other biceps. “I didn’t say that.”
“Guess I’m not following you. If you aren’t the no-relationship girl, then why don’t you have boyfriends?”
I took my hand off his arm. “Because I want a real man and not a boy.”
Heat blazed in his eyes. “How old are you?”
“How old do you think I am?”
“I heard you were twenty-four.”
“That’s correct. How old are you?”
“Twenty-nine.”
“Hmm.” I tilted my head up.
“You’re only twenty-four?” He checks me out again as if in disbelief.
“Yes. Why do you make it sound like it’s a big deal?”
“I don’t normally hang out with women your age.”
I laughed. “Women my age? You aren’t even thirty yet. Five years isn’t that big a gap.” I stepped closer to him and traced his lips. “I’m pretty sure you have me pegged wrong.”
“How’s that?” he murmured as I dragged my finger down his pecs and stopped right at the band of his swim trunks.
I stood on my tiptoes and whispered in his ear, “Anything an older woman can do, I can do better.”
He froze.
I brushed my lips on his neck then moved across his clenched jaw, stopping right next to his mouth. “But, I also don’t beg.” I turned to walk away, and he spun me back, grasping my cheeks and sliding his tongue in my mouth so greedily, it stole my breath.
He held me taut to his body as his erection dug into my stomach, and he palmed my ass.
That didn’t happen drunk. That was in my bedroom.
Thank God. Score one for Gabriella.
How did you end up in his bed? Think.
Visions of me puking while Javier rubbed my back and held my hair come racing to my mind.
Oh crap. How embarrassing.
I groan and slap the pillow next to my head.
“You’re awake?” Javier quietly asks, and I freeze.
Time to face the music.
I slowly roll over, wincing at the extra pounding in my head.
“Go slow,” he says.
I sit up, and he joins me on the edge of the bed.
How can a man be so gorgeous? Javier’s chiseled face, deep golden-brown eyes, and thick, black hair send my panties into a twist, and that’s before I take into consideration his body or to-die-for dimples.
Oh jeez. I’m not wearing any panties.
At least I have a T-shirt on.
He strokes my cheek. “How are you feeling?”
“Embarrassed.”
“Don’t be.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t normally drink.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“You didn’t drink at your party until the fight happened. Also, Ryland told me before we left for the bar.”
I cringe. “Is he here?”
“No. I made him leave.”
Thank God. I don’t need to be dealing with Ryland or any of my other brothers’ lectures today.
“Thank you.”
He softly chuckles. “You’ve got quite the protection squad.”
“I’m sorry,” I apologize again. “They mean well but—”
“You’re their baby sister.”
“I’m not a baby.”
His smile falls. “No, you definitely aren’t.”
“I also apologize if they gave you a hard time.”
“I can handle them. And you can stop apologizing.”
He can handle my brothers? That would be a first.
“I don’t remember leaving the bar. Did Connor and Gracie come with us?”
“Yes. They left a little bit ago.”
“Did I get sick as soon as I got here or after we...” Heat creeps up my neck.
His lips twitch. “We didn’t do anything, Gabriella.”
“No?”
“No. I don’t sleep with women who are intoxicated.”
I drop my gaze to the floor, embarrassed again.
“Gabriella.”
“Hmm?” I lift my head.
“That wasn’t meant to sound judgmental.”
“I appreciate you taking care of me. I’ll get out of your hair.” I start to get up.
He puts his hand on my shoulder so I can’t move. “Stay. Rest. I’ll take you home later. Just relax.”
“Don’t you have things to do today?”
“Nothing important.”
I hate to ask. “Did you get any sleep, or was I sick the entire night?”
Silence.
I put my hand over my face. “I’m sorry.”
“Gabriella.”
“Hmm?”
“Not a big deal. I’ll take a nap.”
“Don’t you want your bed back?”
He glances at the bed then back at me. “The bed’s pretty big. I don’t mind sharing. Unless you do?”
I pat the mattress. “Nope.”
“Good. It’s settled. I’ll get you some crackers and a drink.”
“By any chance, do you have an extra toothbrush?”
He points to the bathroom door. “Top drawer. Help yourself to whatever you need.”
“Thanks.” I slowly stand, run my hand in my hair, and freeze. It’s wet. “Did I shower?”
“You were covered in vomit.”
Figures. First guy you actually like, and you ruined it. Way to go, Gabriella.
Moaning, I go into the bathroom. As I’m brushing my teeth at the sink, I look in the mirror. The blue towel hangs on its hook in the reflection.
The image of Javier drying my naked body off with a towel makes heat rush to my cheeks.
I’m horrified at my bloodshot eyes. Another round of nausea flares, but I manage to keep it down. There can’t be anything left anyway. Javier knocks. I face the door. “C-come in.”
He’s holding a glass full of bubbly liquid. “Drink this. It should help your stomach.”
I take a sip and make a face.
“Yeah, not the best tasting thing, but it’ll help.”
“I’m really—”
He puts his finger on my lips. “Shh. No more I’m sorries. We’ve all had too much to drink.”
“But I like you.” My cheeks blaze.
“I like you, too.”
“I ruined your night.”
“Mmm, I wouldn’t call the entire evening a flop.”
“You wouldn’t?”
“Nope.” He takes my hand. “Come rest. Bring your drink.”
I get back in bed.
Javier lies next to me then pulls me into his arm so my head is resting on his chest. “Comfy?”
My heart beats harder, and his sexy scent flares in my nostrils. “Yes.”
He kisses the top of my head. “Good. Close your eyes.”
I fall back asleep for a few hours. When I wake up, my leg is pretzeled around Javier’s, and his palm is on my naked ass cheek. I tilt my head up. His eyes flutter open from sleeping and quickly fill with heat.
“You okay?” he murmurs and brushes my hair behind my ear.
“Mm-hmm.” I slide my hand under his T-shirt and keep it flat against his heart.
Several of his fingers trace the curve of my ass.
His heart beats faster.
I lean into him, and he pulls me to his lips. It’s a slow, lazy kiss, different from the previous night. Butterflies erupt in my stomach, and tingles race through my cells.
“We shouldn’t do this,” he mumbles but keeps kissing me.
“Why? You don’t like me?” I flick my tongue quicker in his mouth.
He kisses me back then murmurs, “Like doesn’t have anything to do with it.”
I roll on top of him, and my knees sink to both sides of his hips.
A song blares from my phone, and I jump.
“That your alarm?” Javier questions between kisses.
“My phone. Don’t worry about it.”
It rings four times and stops. Then it starts again.
“Someone seems to want to talk to you pretty badly.”
I continue to kiss him. “Just ignore it.”
My cell vibrates with several text messages.
Javier reaches over and snatches my phone then hands it to me.
I read it. “Ugh.”
He rubs my arm. “Everything okay?”
I roll off him. “Hudson.”
He sits up. “What’s wrong?”
“He’s called a family meeting at six...a cookout so he can tell us something important regarding last night.”
Javier’s expression changes, and I can’t figure out what it means.
“I’m not going. I can’t deal with Hudson today.”
“You should go,” Javier states.
“Why? I can find out whatever he wants to tell us tomorrow. I’m tired of being bossed around all the time.”
Javier tucks my hair behind my ear. “I think you should go.”
I sit up straighter and crisscross my legs. “Do you know something about what he wants to tell us?”
He opens his mouth but then shuts it.
“You know?”
“No.”
He knows something.
“Are you going to tell me what it is you do? You don’t work for the government.”
“I do work for the government.”
“How do you know my brothers? I don’t believe the story Ryland spun about zoning issues.”
Javier’s face hardens. He gazes out the window.
“So, Ryland is lying,” I quietly say.
He turns back to me. “Go to the cookout tonight. Ask your questions.”
“You aren’t going to tell me?”
He stays silent.
“Why can’t you tell me what you do?”
“Gabriella, I do work for the government.”
“But not in zoning?”
His face turns to stone.
“Why is Chloe here?”
More silence. More stone face I can’t read.
“You’re just not going to answer me?”
“Gabriella, go to the cookout. Ask your questions. I don’t want to get between you and your family.”
I knew you were too good to be true.
I stand.
“Where are you going?”
“Home. Can you tell me where my clothes are?”
“In the washer. You got sick on them.”
I peek down at the T-shirt I’m wearing then back up at Javier. “Are you washing my bra and underwear, too?”
A cocky expression crosses his face. “Yes. And thank God because you can’t go across town in only your bra, panties, and my T-shirt.”
“Says who?”
He stands in front of me. “Says me.”
I snort. “You? What? You’re my keeper now?
He rubs his face. “Didn’t say that.”
“Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do. I get plenty of orders from my brothers.” I step through the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To find the washing machine.”
“Don’t be silly. Your clothes are wet.”
I shrug and survey the main room then stride over to a door that has vents on it. I pull it open. The washer is mid-cycle with soap still in it.
Shit. I peer down again at the T-shirt I’m wearing.
Javier’s torso presses against my back, and his arms circle around me. “Can you take a breather for a minute?”
I take a deep breath.
“You’re shaking.” His warm lips brush my neck, and he holds me tighter. “Go to your family meeting tonight. Then I’ll answer any questions you have left.”
I spin into him. “You will?”
“Yes.”
“Anything I ask?”
“As long as it doesn’t involve any confidential material involving my work.”
“Why would—”
He presses his lips to mine, parting them with his tongue, sending waves of heat through my veins. “No more questions until after you talk with your family.”