Porterhouse (Grade-A Beefcakes 4)

“Your truck was supposed to be fixed,” Duke said, coming into the kitchen. The room was small and crowded already.

I rolled my eyes, “It is.”

“Then where is it?” he asked.

I rolled my eyes. “God, someone get him some coffee.”

“Well?” he replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Well, what?” I snapped, matching his stance, but it was hard to stand up to him when he was close to fifteen inches taller.

“Where have you been?”

I tipped my chin up. “With Bennett and Cash.” I had no intention of lying and Bennett had been right. If Duke had his panties in a bunch over me being with them, it was his problem, not mine.

“Duke, leave her alone,” Mom quietly scolded.

“With them?” he asked, ignoring her. His dark gaze roved over my hair and latched onto my neck. His jaw clenched.

I spun on my heel, refusing to answer that question. “Who wants a danish? We have cherry, nut and lemon. Dad? What kind do you want?”

“Lemon,” he called from the other room. I grabbed a napkin from the pile someone had set on the counter and placed a lemon pastry on it. Duke was blocking the way to the living room, so I arched my brow, waited.

“If you’ve got issues with us being with Julia, don’t take it out on her. Let’s go outside and talk about it,” Cash said, settling his hand on my shoulder. I liked the weight of it, knowing he had my back.

“Says the guy arrested for rape,” Duke replied.

I sucked in a breath and spun around, stared up at Cash, wide-eyed.

“You didn’t tell her?” Duke asked. “You bring my sister late to brunch at her own house and you kept that

a secret?”

“Back off,” Bennett warned.

Liam stood and Colton took a step toward all of us. I didn’t think there was going to be a brawl in my small kitchen, but Duke often behaved like the bulls he used to ride.

“This was what you wanted to talk about?” I thought of the times Cash had tried to tell me, but it hadn’t worked out. It all became clear. “This was why you walked out yesterday.”

He looked to me, his face grim, his dark eyes lacking all of the warmth or heat I was used to. “Yes. You see how your brother is reacting. Others will, too.”

He’d been arrested for rape. Rape! He hadn’t denied Duke’s words.

“I’ll go,” he murmured. He flicked his gaze to Duke, then back to me. “It’s clear I’m not welcome.”

He turned and, with long strides, walked out the front door. I stared after him, stunned.

“Cash!” I called, but he didn’t turn or stop. All was quiet as I turned back to Duke. “What is your problem?” I yelled. He stepped back. I got in his space again. “He was arrested for rape. Fine. Arrested doesn’t mean convicted, right?”

Duke held up his hands, but I punched him in the stomach anyway. He was too big for it to do too much damage, but his breath whooshed out, and it felt damned good.

“I don’t know why Kaitlyn’s marrying you. Seriously, you are an idiot.”

He angled his head toward my front door. “He left, didn’t he?”

“Because he’s honorable! He didn’t do it,” I stated plainly. “He didn’t.” I knew it. Felt it deep down. Cash wasn’t like that. He’d never hurt me, even going to the extreme of walking out on me to save me from himself. Not just yesterday in his shop, but now, too. “I love him.”

His eyes widened at the surprise statement. I hadn’t expected to say it because I hadn’t realized until right then it was true.