Her Best Men

It made me sick.

We stood there for a while before I heard the front door open. I recognized the heavy footfalls of Chance and, not too far behind, the light and scurrying feet of Ethan. I’d had just about enough of this. If no one wanted to address the massive elephant in the room that was sparking all these fights, then I was gonna. It was time Kyra got some reprieve so she could rest and if that was all I could give her, then so be it.

“Come with me,” I said as I took her hand.

“Where’re we going?” she asked.

I lead her downstairs and into the living room.

All my brothers were in there, with Chance and Ethan still badgering each other. Ethan had groceries that he set at his feet and Owen was just now walking in with more. I shook my head while the two of them still delivered underhanded attacks and I could feel myself finally beginning to lose it.

“Would the two of you shut the fuck up?!”

I roared so loudly Kyra dropped my hand and I turned to her to apologize before I continued.

“What?!” Ethan asked.

“Kyra thinks she’s to blame for you and Chance fightin’,” I said.

“Oh, no,” Harper said. “Kyra, you’re not the reason they’re fighting.”

“Seriously, these two have been at it practically since Ethan was born,” Rowan said.

“I second that,” Owen said.

“Ethan, Chance,” I said, pointing at both of them. “You’re behavin’ like spoiled fuckin’ brats. Kyra’s father’s in the hospital and she’s got a lot weighin’ on her mind. The last thing we all need is for you two to try and make this about yourselves.”

“I didn’t do a damn thing like that,” Ethan said.

“Shut up,” Chance said.

“Fucking make me,” Ethan said.

“Enough!” I could feel myself trembling as I gripped Kyra’s hand tightly. She walked around behind me, trying to shield herself from everything as Ethan and Chance’s faces finally fell. They were finally realizing the toll it was taking on Kyra to watch them fight and Chance was the first to apologize.

As always.

“Kyra, I’m sorry. I promise you, we aren’t fightin’ because of you,” he said.

“Yeah, Tink,” Ethan said. “We never mean

t to make you feel this way. I’m sorry.”

“Nothing’s your fault,” Chance said.

“Nothing at all,” Ethan said.

I turned around and snaked my arm around Kyra, pulling her close to me before I snuck a kiss to the top of her head. I waited for her body to calm down, her breaths coming in short pants while she pressed into my body. My glasses were slipping down my face and I wanted to shove them back up onto my nose, but I wasn’t willing to let go of my grip on her until she was ready.

Then, when she took a step back, I threaded my arm around her and turned her toward my brothers.

“There will be no more fightin’, arguin’, and no more pressure when it comes to Kyra. Our Tinkerbell doesn’t belong to anyone but herself. If she chooses to go back to Landon, we’ll be there for her and support her along the way. If she chooses to share herself with us, then the only thing we should do is count ourselves to be the luckiest men on this planet. Anything more is an offense and anything less is undeserving of our Tink. Got it?”

I watched as all my brothers nodded, their eyes wide while they tried to process all I’d just said. None of them wanted to address what we were gonna do after we all had her that night. None of us had decided if one of us would have her, or all of us. I knew, either way, there would be consequences, but in my mind, I’d rather share her than not have any piece of her at all.

I didn’t know if any of the other brothers felt that way but, in this moment, I needed them to back the fuck off and let Kyra be Kyra. It was her life, it was her father’s life, and it was her decision on her future. No one could make it but her and any added pressure would only serve to take years off the life of the beautiful woman we all cherished.

The woman I knew we all loved.