Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 21850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 109(@200wpm)___ 87(@250wpm)___ 73(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 109(@200wpm)___ 87(@250wpm)___ 73(@300wpm)
"Ignore it," Todd mutters from his side of the bed. The banging gets louder, angrier, and the fog clears enough for me to get a suspicion that the entire town—including my brothers—knows about Todd spending the night with me last night.
"Shit," I say, pulling on a t-shirt and mismatched pants.
My brothers are the world’s most annoying alarm clock. You can't hit snooze, and you can't throw them across the room. The only thing you can do is open the door and pray they shut the hell up before the top of my head blows off. “Stay here. I’ll see what the assholes want.”
I get to the door with all the composure of a sleep-deprived toddler and swing it open. "This better be good."
"Good morning, Magpie," Tanner says. "We wanted to check on you, and it’s a good thing we did."
Hudson’s eyes are narrowed slits, focusing past me. I turn around and see Todd strolling up like he doesn’t have a care in the world. Before I can tell him to stay put, he strolls up beside me with a smirk glued to his handsome face.
I give him my best ‘you're not helping’ stare. "I told you to stay in my room," I hiss. He wraps an arm around my shoulder and smiles at my four nosy brothers.
"I wasn’t letting my woman answer the door to God knows who," he says, like he's daring my brothers to take their best swing.
For a split second, everything goes so silent you could hear a pin drop. Then all hell breaks loose. Hudson rushes in with the other three meatheads right on his tail, and I find myself swarmed by Carrington testosterone. "Your woman?" Tanner barks.
I brace myself, knowing things are getting bad. "This is none of your business," I say, stepping between them and Todd. "I’m a grown woman, and I don't need your help, your advice, or your interrogation."
Hudson folds his arms, setting his expression to Grand Canyon level of sternness. "Well, it will become our business if he hurts you," he tells me, looking at Todd, the words slow and deliberate.
"I’m not going to hurt her," Todd says, with an equally determined look on his face. “I’ve loved her since the first moment I met her. I was stupid enough to let her go because I thought it was best for her, but I was fucking wrong. I learned my goddamn lesson, and I’m not going to let anything come between us ever again.”
That seems to cool my brothers’ jets a little bit. There's more grumbling and eye-rolling and gesturing to Todd like they're gonna hang him from the nearest tree, but none of them move. Hudson stays planted, narrowing his eyes, calculating his next move.
"You're both coming to dinner next week," he commands rather than asks, “so we can see for ourselves how he treats you.”
"No, we aren’t," I say, arms crossed. Arguing with my brothers comes naturally.
"Yes, you are. Both of you." There's a glint in his eye that says there’s no use arguing.
"You’re a pain in my rear." The more I argue, the more I know it’s hopeless. "Fine. Dinner."
When a smug smirk breaks out on my oldest brother’s face, I'm tempted to kick him. I push him and his entourage out the door.
“I’m so sorry about that,” I grumble as I shut and lock my front door. Not that it’s going to do any good if my brothers want to come back in. They all freaking have keys.
“They’re just worried about you.” Todd wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me close. My brain short circuits as his warm, masculine scent wraps around me. “I understand how it feels to worry about your sister.”
We arrive at the sprawling white ranch house, where four hefty trucks are parked in the circular driveway. It seems Maggie's brothers are fully committed to their intimidation game. My heart beats like a wild drum solo. I'm not too concerned about facing whatever they throw at me; I just don't want Maggie to be forced into a situation where she has to choose between me and her family. I park the truck, and Maggie flashes me one of her playful grins, the kind that suggests she'll make it all worthwhile if I come through unscathed.
Maggie squeezes my hand and runs her soft fingers lightly over my knuckles, causing my cock to harden. Fuck. This isn’t really the time for the fucker to wake up. I’m tempted to drive away and spend the rest of the night showing her just how much I love her. But first, I have to win over her four asshole brothers.
“We’ve got this, Todd,” she says, with her cute Texan lilt wrapping around my name. Her blue eyes lock on mine, all mischief and promise.
I nod and try to steady my nerves. Hell, a woman like her is worth the gauntlet. I reach behind the seat and pull out the bottle of whiskey I found at the very exclusive liquor store in town. It’s pricey, and I’m hoping it’ll buy me enough goodwill that her brothers won’t throw punches before they give me a chance.