6 Mountain Brothers for Christmas

I whipped around just as Kyra went to open the door of our house and I saw Ethan

jump off his motorcycle. I saw that look in his eye. That wild look that told me he was no longer thinking straight. Kyra tried to come back over to me but I held my hand out, signaling for her to stop while my eyes connected with Ethan’s.

“The fuck’s your problem, man?” he asked.

He shoved his hands into my chest and I almost toppled backward.

“What the hell?” I asked.

“Why the fuck are you always barging in on mine and Kyra’s time, huh? You just swoop in, rip her away and think you can edge me out because you’re the oldest?”

“You’re being fucking ridiculous,” I said. “None of that bullshit’s going on.”

“I saw you kissing her,” Ethan said as he stood close to me. “I see how much you want her. How often your lips connect with hers.”

But all I did was throw my arms out while a cheeky grin crossed my face.

“That bother you?” I asked.

Before I knew it, Ethan threw a punch. Had I not been so in tune with him already, he might’ve actually landed the fucking thing. He’d been practicing, probably just so he could knock me on my ass. But he’d have to be faster than he was. I blocked his punch before I grabbed his wrist, twisting his arm behind his back. Ethan threw his head back, hitting me square in my forehead and that was when I heard it.

Our peacemaker coming to the fucking rescue.

“What the fuck’s wrong with you guys?” Blake exclaimed as he slammed his car door. “This isn’t even about you two right now! Kyra, get in the house.”

“What in the hell are you guys doing?” Kyra asked.

“They’re being selfish fucking idiots,” Blake said, his voice dripping with irritation. “Go on in and get settled Kyra, I’ll handle these two Neanderthals.”

I heard the door slam behind me and felt anger bubbling up into my gut.

“What the fuck’s wrong with you two?” Blake asked as he stepped up beside us. “Why can’t the two of you just stop for one fuckin’ day?”

Ethan tried to rear up his foot and stomp down onto mine but I scooted back. When I did, I wrenched his arm farther up his back, signaling to him that if he made one more move, I’d fucking dislocate the damn thing. Ethan yelped and I smirked. It was finally time for someone to put this shitty little brat in his place and I was more than willing to do it.

“This isn’t about you two,” Blake said harshly. “Not by a longshot.”

And there it was again. That anger I felt earlier before Ethan had moved.

“He’s right,” I said as I let my temper subside. “This isn’t about you. Or me. This isn’t about your jealousy or how much of a spoiled fucking brat you are. This isn’t about how you didn’t get enough attention from Dad or how you didn’t get the best years of Mom or whatever the fuck makes you so damn angry. This is about Kyra and how she almost lost her fucking father.”

I let go of Ethan’s arm and he caved to the ground, panting while on his knees as he massaged his aching shoulder.

“Grow the fuck up, Ethan,” I said. “Dick measuring is for high school kids. You graduated a long time ago.”

“You’re the selfish one, not me,” Ethan said.

“You’re both actin’ like children,” Blake said. “Doesn’t matter who’s older or who’s got issues or whatever. You both do but now’s not the time to settle them. Start a fuckin’ fight club if you wanna pound each other to death.”

“And there’s the book reference,” Owen said as he walked up.

“About damn time,” Harper said. “Been awhile since he made one.”

Owen and Harper leaned against my truck while Ethan slowly rose to his feet. I didn’t enjoy the disapproving looks my brothers were giving me, especially since I was the oldest. I was supposed to set the standard, not them. I was supposed to look out for them, not the other way around. All I wanted to fucking do was keep Ethan’s nose out of trouble and it was like he went out of his way to fucking cause it.

I was over it, him, and his games.

But even then, as I watched my brothers all gather around Ethan, I began to feel like an asshole.