The Fight In Us: A Brother's Best Friend College Romance (The Four Book 4) by Becca Steele (little readers .txt) 📕

I already knew that. The way he’d been with me last night blew me away. He’d made me feel special, cherished, and that was something that no one outside my family had ever been able to do.

When he walked back inside with Zayde, my stomach flipped. It took everything I had not to go to him, to drag him out of the room, to prove to him that he was the only one I wanted. The only one I’d ever wanted.

But everyone was in the lounge with me. Winter was on the sofa, curled up on Caiden’s lap, and my brother was in an armchair. We’d been playing a game on the Xbox before Weston and Zayde walked in, but the moment they’d appeared, it had been forgotten.

So I did the one thing that in hindsight probably wasn’t the best idea.

I opened my mouth and told them what I’d done last night.

“Martin Smith.”

Everyone turned to look at me.

“I was in his flat last night.”

After I’d said the words, dead silence fell in the room. I sat up straight, defiance in my eyes, waiting for the judgements to rain down on me.

“Explain yourself.” The first person to speak was Cassius, and he wasn’t happy. I chanced a glance at West before I replied, and he was staring at me with blazing eyes. Anger, hurt, concern, lust…how did all of those things coexist in one person at the same time? It made me falter for a moment, and with effort, I tore my gaze from his and focused on my brother.

As I explained what had happened, the room fell silent again, disapproval and worry heavy in the air. It was stifling.

“I need a break.” Before anyone could say anything, I rose to my feet and got the fuck out of there. I ran blindly through the hallway and into the kitchen, yanking open the doors and stepping outside onto the deck. Fresh air filled my lungs, and I inhaled deeply.

Everything was out of control.

I knew it had been a stupid idea to go there on my own, but no one would have agreed. Now, the entire house was pissed off with me, and for good reason. Even though I hadn’t been caught, and even though the chip I’d added to Martin Smith’s phone could lead to the breakthrough we needed, I knew that everyone saw me as reckless, making decisions without thinking through the consequences.

I made it a point to breathe in and out slowly and evenly, gripping the rail at the side of the deck to ground me. Eventually, my breathing slowed naturally, and I stared out across the grass, watching the last rays of the setting sun touch the edges of the garden, turning everything a burnished gold colour.

There was a small sound behind me.

Spinning, I sensed the presence before I even saw him. This time, even though he was angry, there was no panic. I knew I could fight if I wanted to, but I chose to let him pin me against the side of the house. Was it fucked up that I needed this? Needed him.

“We need to talk, Lena.” His leg wedged between mine as he gripped my wrists. Even in the midst of his anger and hurt, he held me lightly, giving me the opportunity to break away from him.

The thing was? I didn’t want to break away from him.

How could I, when he was all I saw?

“I’m so fucking angry at you for putting yourself in danger.” He nipped at my throat.

Almost of their own volition, my hands went to his back, sliding down to his ass. I pulled him closer to me, and he responded by dipping his head to my neck, trailing kisses up my neck while his cock hardened against my thigh.

“Weston.” That was all I needed to say, and then his lips found mine, kissing me like he needed me to breathe. I melted against him. He burned all my hard edges away, all my defences, leaving me exposed to him.

“We need to talk,” he said roughly when we broke apart, both breathing heavily.

“The thing you saw this morning with Z,” I rushed to explain, knowing that it was the source of his anger and hurt, rather than the fact I’d gone off alone. “Please believe me when I say that there was nothing there. I feel nothing for Zayde.”

He drew back to look at me with a conflicted expression. “What about the time you went home with him?”

I instantly knew what he was referring to—the party where I’d chosen Zayde to take me home, even though West had offered first.

I met his eyes, willing him to believe me. “I was trying to make you jealous. I wanted you to notice me.” My hands cupped the back of his neck, pulling him closer. “Don’t you see it?” My voice faltered, but I pushed past it. I had to get the words out. “All I want is you.”

He was silent for so long that a ball of dread lodged itself in my throat.

But when his words came, they were everything.

“I don’t know when or how it happened.” His hand caressed my face, brushing my hair back so he could see me properly. “You’ve flown under my radar for so long. But now…” He moved closer, his lips skating over mine. “Now, you’re all I see.”

Our lips met in the most explosive kiss yet, sparks of sensation flying through my entire body, his hands all over me, as I—

“What the fuck is going on here?”

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

THIRTY

I ripped myself away from Lena, stumbling and steadying myself on the railing, but it was too late. Cassius was staring at us both, and the hurt in his eyes fucking killed me.

“Cass—” I started.

He held up his hand. “I don’t want to hear it.” His voice was low and cutting, like I’d never heard it before. “Save me the lies. You already lied to me when you told me nothing was going