Caveman (Wild Men 1)

“So you’re staying?” I ask.

“I don’t know.” She sighs. “You keep saying you’re fine, so maybe you don’t need me.”

I’m not prepared for the sudden panic that hits me. “Please, Ev.”

She shakes her head, then laughs. “Are you kidding me? Of course I’m staying. As if I’d move from your side after what happened. Besides.” She’s quiet for a few moments. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

/> I resist the urge to clutch her to me, bruised ribs and all, make sure she won’t go. She’s here and I have to finally believe she’ll stay around.

Only the best for me. The strongest drugs. The most loyal friends.

The sexiest, prettiest, bravest… The absolute best girl in the whole fucking world.

My girl.

“Someone here to see you,” Seth says, appearing at my bedroom door and leaning on the frame.

“Someone, huh? Where is she?” Strange how just thinking of Ev makes my heart race.

“How do you know it’s a she?”

“Screw you, man. I swear, if you left her out in the rain…”

I try to see past him but he blocks the whole opening. It’s been a week since the attack, and the bruises on his face have faded to blue-green. The stitches still mar his jaw, a line of dark cross-hatching. He moves stiffly, but all said and done, he got off easy.

Voices. A female and a male voice, coming from the living room. Ev and a guy. Who is he?

Seth turns and beckons, and a tall, muscled guy fills my door.

“So which one of you is Micah?” he demands, glancing from me to Seth and back.

“Joel…” Ev appears behind him and tugs on his sleeve. “Stop it.”

“I’m your big brother. Whoever touched my sister will pay for it.”

Ev rolls her eyes. “Yeah, yeah.”

I get up from the bed, trying to keep my face neutral. My ribs send blinding jabs of pain through me, but I ignore them. “I’m Micah. Got a problem with that?”

Joel looks me up and down, eyes narrowed. “Depends.”

Now I can see some similarity with Ev, but not much. The guy is big-boned and more muscled than me. Ev is slender and graceful and goddamn pretty.

“Depends on what?” I’m as tall as he, and we are at eye level. I don’t have to fake the glare I’m giving him. He may be the brother of my girl, but he’s standing between us right now and all I want is to grab Ev and crush her to me. It’s been a long day without her.

“On whether you’ll swear to look out for her and protect her.”

“Joey!” Ev sounds horrified.

I don’t see any problem with that. “I swear.”

“Will you respect her and belong only to her?”

“You can count on it.”

“Will you…” He sighs and rubs a hand over his mouth. “Will you make her happy?”

I nod. “I’ll do my best.”