Full Exposure (Independence Falls 1)

“We’ll make this right, I promise.” His voice was a low growl and she moaned at the sound, arching into his touch. He traced small circles around her breasts.

“Georgia,” he murmured, lowering his mouth to her neck. He pinched her nipples between his thumb and forefinger. She cried out, grinding her hips against his thigh. He could feel her growing wet through the fabric of his pants. He wanted to make her come just like this.

“Eric,” she panted. “Eric, I—”

“Get your fucking hands off her!” The command came from the front door, punctuated by a slam.

Liam.

Every muscle in Eric’s body tensed. He heard footsteps rushing from the front door toward the archway leading to the kitchen and debated stepping away from Georgia. But Eric didn’t want her brother’s first punch to hit her. Liam would never do it on purpose. Still, fury could push a person past control. Eric stayed, his clothed body shielding Georgia’s naked one. If he moved, she’d be exposed.

Liam grabbed Eric’s arm and pulled him off Georgia, his anger adding to his s

trength.

“What the hell were you thinking?” Liam demanded. “She’s my sister!”

“Liam, please don’t do this,” Georgia said.

Liam ignored her, delivering a right hook to Eric’s face. His head swung back, and he felt blood pool in his mouth. Eric stumbled back a step and then steadied himself, preparing for the next hit, knowing he deserved every one.

Chapter Eighteen

GEORGIA SCRAMBLED TO find her dress. She had to stop her brother. Eric refused to fight back, taking each hit as if he’d earned a penalty for loving her.

“Stop, Liam.” She slipped her dress over her head, quickly buttoning up the front just enough to cover her chest. “This is not what it looks like.”

She raced forward and grabbed her brother’s arm. Liam stilled, unwilling to risk pushing her aside in order to hit his friend, the man she loved.

“It’s exactly what it looks like,” he said. “I trusted him and look what he fucking did.”

“He didn’t do anything,” she said.

Liam turned to her. “You were naked, Georgia. In the damn kitchen. He had his hands all over for you. When I asked him to give you a job, I expected my best friend to keep you safe. Look after you. Not seduce you.” Her brother’s eyes narrowed. “Is this why you wanted to leave last night? Did he force you?”

“What?” Her eyes widened. “No! It’s not like that. It’s never been like that.”

“Never?” Liam turned to Eric, baring his teeth like an angry animal intent on tearing something to shreds. “How long has this been going on?”

“A couple of weeks,” Georgia said. “Not that it is any of your business. And we were planning to tell you after the investigation.”

Her brother didn’t look at her, instead focusing on Eric. “You’ve been sleeping with my sister for weeks and you didn’t think to tell me because of some problem at work? What the hell? You’re my fucking best friend. I respected you, Eric. How could you lay a hand on her knowing what she has been through? She’s been back three months! Before that she was living in a war zone. And this is your way of helping her? I thought I could trust you to take care of her. But stripping her down and screwing her against the wall in broad daylight before she goes to pick up your kid? That’s how you repay decades of friendship and trust?”

Georgia stepped between them. She’d had enough of the anger and accusations from her brother. And Eric still hadn’t said a word. His face was a bloody mess and his eyes were downcast, as if he believed Liam’s words.

“Eric didn’t strip me down. I took off my own clothes, thank you very much,” she said, meeting her brother’s fury head-on.

“Georgia—”

“No. It’s your turn to listen. He did nothing wrong. We fell in love.” She pressed her index finger against her brother’s chest. “And don’t you dare tell me I can’t handle that. I know what I’m capable of.”

“No, Georgia, you don’t,” Liam snapped. “You had a nightmare just last night.” Her brother looked over her shoulder at Eric. “Did she tell you about how she wakes up terrified? How she is afraid to sleep?”

“He knows, Liam. He’s the one who woke me up.”

Liam stepped around her, grabbing the front of Eric’s shirt. “You know and you still thought, ‘What the hell, I’ll fuck her’?”

“Because he loves me and trusts me,” she said. “Right, Eric?”