Mark (Mallick Brothers 3)

If all went to plan, there would definitely be some feeling. And I needed to do a good exfoliating and shaving and lotioning session in preparation for it. While I wasn't going to whore out myself for anonymity, I was more than willing to whore myself out for my own damn enjoyment.

Twenty minutes later, there was a soft knock at the bathroom door. This knock was followed by a pause. Which told me exactly which brother it was. Because Nixon, Atlas, and Rush would have just charged in after the knock, completely negating the social customs following a knock.

Kingston always tried to make sure he gave his only sister the privacy she always desperately wanted in a sea full of men.

"Come in, King," I offered, wiping the condensation off the mirror as he came in, closing the door, then leaning back against it. His chest expanded wide as he took a deep breath, head ducking to the side, watching my reflection.

See, the thing about Kingston was, he could see right through me. It was something that insured I never got away with shit once I was fully in his care. No sneaking out. No skipping school. No dates with boys. Nothing.

Even as I aged up, I never could figure out how to keep him out.

"Level with me, kid."

"King, I don't want to keep..."

"Look, I get it, okay? Trust me, Scott," he said with a smile, "I fucking get it. This life has had some good times, but it has just as much, if not more, sacrifice and disappointment. I think, in a lot of ways, you have been the one who has needed to give up more. These fucks," he said, waving a hand out to indicate the living room where our brothers were still talking loudly, likely hyping each other up about the upcoming interrogation of Mark Mallick. "They don't want things like picket fences and wives and kids. Yet. They're young guys. They like the action, the connection-less sex, the ability to up and leave when life gets stagnant. They're not there yet, but you are. And you have been for a while. And it sucks that you haven't been able to have it yet."

"King, no one is forcing me to..."

"No, not forcing. No one is forcing any of us. But I think you, like all of us, have this need to see it through. And there's nothing wrong with that. But it's taking longer than any of us has ever planned. And you have been putting everything you want on a back burner and it's been there long enough that it's starting to finally fucking burn. You think you've been hiding it well, kid, but I've been watching those smiles become harder, the laughs become forced, and the frowns become more prominent. And it's been fucking eating at me."

"Kings..."

He shook his head at me, watching my eyes carefully in the mirror. "A couple minutes ago, that was the first real light I've seen in your eyes in months, Scott. I don't know this Mallick guy, though I think you know me well enough to know that I will be getting to know him and well..."

He wasn't wrong.

Kingston put most dads to shame with his 'scaring away the guys' game. It wasn't that he didn't want me to date. He was progressive enough to understand that I was going to date, that it was healthy for me to date. But that being said, I was his little sister, and he wanted to make sure that I was safe in the hands of whatever man I left with.

"I get that, King."

"But I know that he put some life back into you with this offer. That means something to me. And I am not going to try to deny you something that has you excited. I'm not going to tell you that it's risky. You're not stupid. You know what the risks may or may not be. I'm not even going to say that it is dangerous because if you're this excited this early on, that you might get over your head only to have to leave. You know that. Instead, I'm going to say this instead," he went on, giving me a small smile, "I want you to have a good time. And I hope he's even the least bit worthy of you, kid."

With that, he pushed off the door, opened it, and disappeared.

And that, well, that whole thing left me a little teary-eyed.

Whenever I thought I had all them pegged, one of them always came around and surprised me.

So as I went back to my hair and makeup and clothing choices, I felt even more excited for the day, having permission from someone who was, for all intents and purposes, my only parental figure.

Sure, I didn't need any of their approval, but it was nice to have it regardless.