Breaking The Bro Code (Hawthorne Brothers 3)

Behind me, I hear the plop of something being thrown into a trash bin. I hear a rustle of clothes and zipping.

“Are you okay?” Ryker asks.

I manage to recover enough strength to push myself off the counter. I pull my panties, which have reached my knees, back up. Then I turn around and face Ryker with a grin.

“I guess you do like the lingerie.”

He says nothing, nor does he smile. I don’t even know if he’s looking at me or somewhere beyond me. Something sad flickers in his eyes.

Renewed frustration? Dissatisfaction? Regret? Is he regretting the fact that he was a little too rough with me?

He shouldn’t. I don’t.

I step forward and lift my arm to touch his cheek. “Hey. It’s all good. It was good. Very good. And I’m fine. More than fine.”

Still, he says nothing. I frown.

“Hey.” I cup his face. “I’m sorry about what I said earlier. I didn’t mean it.”

I give him a quick kiss.

“And I’m sorry for coming here without telling you, but I promise, everything is okay. Everything…”

I stop as I hear my phone ring. I didn’t turn it off?

I ignore it, and eventually the ringing stops. I focus my attention back on Ryker.

“Come on. Say something. I…”

Again, my phone rings. Shit. Who can that be?

Ryker plants a kiss on my forehead, which makes me smile in relief. Then he takes my hands off his face.

“You should answer it. It might be important.”

I nod and run to where my phone is. Where is it again?

Ah. On the coffee table.

I look at the screen as I pick it up. It shows Natalie’s picture, so I answer the call.

“Hello.”

“I told him,” Natalie tells me.

Judging from the sound of her voice, she’s been crying. My chest tightens in concern.

“What happened?”

“I told Joel.”

I stiffen. Told him what? That I bought lingerie? That she suspects I’m sleeping with someone?

Wait. She doesn’t suspect that I’m with Ryker, does she? Did she tell Joel that? If so, I’m in deep shit. Both Ryker and I are.

I swallow the lump in my throat. “What did you tell him?”

“What you told me to tell him. That I’m tired of doing everything by myself and I need his help.”

“Oh.” So that’s what she told him?

Thank goodness. No. Not thank goodness. Natalie is crying. There’s a crisis going on here.

“Let me guess. He didn’t take it well?”

“No. We…” Natalie stops and sniffles.

“It’s okay,” I tell her. “Everything will be okay. Just take a deep breath.”

“We said things to each other and then he left. He stomped out the door with just his coat and his keys and he left.” She sobs. “Oh, I knew this was going to happen.”

And I guess she’s partly blaming me for it because I’m the one who told her to talk to him.

“Don’t worry,” I tell her. “I’m sure Joel just went out for a drive. I’ll call him. I’ll talk to him.”

“No,” Natalie says. “I need you here or I’m going to fall apart. I don’t know what I’m going to do. Where are you?”

“I’ll be right there,” I assure her as I look around for my clothes.

I see them folded on the couch where I left them. I reach for my jeans.

“I’m on my way. Just… stay put and try to stay calm. I’ll be right there.”

I end the call and toss the phone on the couch. As I slip into my pants, I notice Ryker watching me.

“I’m sorry,” I tell him. “I have to go.”

“Who was it? Natalie?”

I nod. “She and Joel had a fight.”

I button my pants.

“I have to go and make sure she’s alright. If Joel calls, will you…?”

I don’t finish my sentence because the doorbell rings. I freeze, but Ryker looks even more terrified. His face is pale.

He doesn’t think that’s Joel, does he?

A second later, I hear a voice.

“Ryker? You in there?”

My jaw goes slack.

Fuck.Chapter TwelveRyker

It’s Joel.

I know it is. I’d recognize that voice anywhere. He’s probably here because of the fight with Natalie.

“Ryker?”

What do I do? I can’t just ignore him. He’s my best friend. He came all the way here. He needs me right now.

I look at Claire, who still has that naughty red chemise on over her jeans, which aren’t even zipped. Her hair is all over the place.

If I answer the door, Joel might see her. No. He will see her. And he’ll know what Claire and I have been up to, that I’ve been sleeping with his little sister.

And this is not how I want him to find that out. In fact, this is the second worst possible scenario for him finding out, only slightly better than him walking in on Claire and me actually having sex.

Joel knocks on the door. “Ryker? Are you there? Can you hear me?”

“Give me a minute!” I answer.

At least that should give me some time to think. And keep him from breaking down the door.