Page 67 of Her Brother's Keeper

“You can’t tell me what to do, you’re not my dad. My dad’s dead.” Sage said, challenge in his eyes.

“Sage Hunter Tracy!” Maren shouted, outrage and anger coloring her voice and finally,finally, he’d gone and done it. “You’re right, he’s not your dad butI’mthe parent here. The best you’re going to get unless youwantto go into foster care, and what I say goes! Everything Nox laid down is more than reasonable and that’sexactlywhat we’re going to do, and on top of that? I’m going to see if I can’t get you in with Mrs. Dr. Greene. I can’tevenwith you anymore.”

“I don’t need a shrink!”

“I don’tcarewhat you think you need! I think youdoand so you’re going!”

“I’ll call Pam,” he threatened.

“Too late! I beat you to it and texted her already, she thinks it’s a fine idea and is going to sign off on you seeing a child psychologist.Somethingneeds to happen. I don’t know what to do with you anymore. I don’t even know who youare.” She crossed her arms and kept her back straight when it was easy to see all she wanted to do was huddle in on herself. I was proud of her. She’d just laid down the line and I could see she was going to toe it.

Sage deflated in the back seat and we pretty much made the rest of the long drive in silence.

By the time I pulled into their driveway, Sage was sullen but seemed to come to grips with the fact he wasn’t weaseling his way out of this one, and Maren? Maren was settled into a sleep of the truly mentally and emotionally exhausted.

“Sage, go open up the house,” I ordered quietly.

He glared at me defiantly and I turned my look that’d like to melt blacktop on him. He, predictably, backed down and opened up the cage door. He hauled his backpack out with him and slammed the door. I winced, but Maren didn’t as much as stir.

I undid my belt, then hers, and got out myself. I closed my door gently and opened up hers. She stirred when I lifted her. Eyes heavy-lidded, with sleep, sucking in a sharp breath of icy air, her arms went around my neck so she wouldn’t fall.

“I’ve got you, Angel,” I murmured and kicked her door shut, hitting the button on my keys to chirp the alarm.

I carried her in the front door to her place, the door that Sage left standing wide open. He was seriously grinding my gears and as soon as I lay Maren in her own bed, I had every intention of stripping Junior’s room of anything and everything remotely entertaining.

I set Maren on her bed and lifted one leg, easing the zipper down on her boot, sliding it gently from her foot as she struggled tiredly into a sitting position. She peeled out of her coat and scarf as I repeated the process with her other boot. She was so tired, she just let her discarded outerwear fall to the floor at the side of her bed.

I set her other boot down and sleepily, she reached for me. I leaned over her, laying her back, kissing her gently. Her arms went around me, fingers buried in my hair, holding my face to hers, locking me tight against her lithe body and mine? Well, mine had an immediate response, going from zero to granite in point oh three seconds flat.

I held her back, one arm behind her back, cradling her head, the other hand on her side, just above her hip. She writhed beneath me soft little whimpers escaping her and it damn near killed me. I wanted her, I wanted inside of her, but we had to wait. I knew thatsheknew that, which is why it surprised the hell out of me when she guided my hand that was riding in the safe zone over her soft girly tee, down the front of her skin-tight jeans. She dipped it below the lace hem of her panties and I about had a heart attack from the shock.

Maren was, nine times out of ten, the more responsible one when we edged too close to the line, and dammit, I had sort of come to rely on that. I think I’d used up every last bit of adulting on dealing with her brother tonight.

I groaned into her mouth when my fingers skirted over her damp curls, and I realized how much she wanted me, too.

“Please, Nox,” she begged, voice breathy. “Make me feel good, just this once.”

“Fallen Angel,” I observed, but I didn’t deny her, I kissed her and edged my fingers down, delving between her folds, blindly searching until her hips jerked. I smiled against her mouth and teased her clit gently, with soft little strokes of the pad of my middle finger; swirling gentle, teasing, little circles around the engorged nub of flesh until she gasped and panted. I built her up slowly, and pushed her over the edge, swallowing her light cry, crushing my mouth over hers, stifling her moans by tangling my tongue with hers as her pussy lightly throbbed against my hand.

Fuck, she was going to ruin me. I’m pretty sure I’d just committed at least one felony, and with how hard my dick was? I needed to get out of here before I committed more. I kissed her soundly and murmured against her lips, “I love you, Angel, but I need to leave now before I can’t help myself.”

She groaned and let her head fall back against the pillows, her chest heaving, as I slipped my damp fingers out of her waistband.

“Shit,” she muttered and covered her face with her hands.

I laughed lightly, and murmured, “I’ll see you tomorrow, consider that a preview of coming attractions,” and with that parting shot, I left her room, and went downstairs, and out the front door into the brisk, winter, air. I found myself wishing I had the bike, then, and as much as I shouldn’t torture myself further I couldn’t help it. I raised my fingers to my nose and breathed her delicate perfume in.

Goddammit! That only made the pinch of my jeans even tighter.

Chapter 24

Maren

I opened my eyes and smiled for the first time that I could remember, in a long time… It was Sunday, but more importantly?It was my birthday,and it was a touch bittersweet. One, I was excited to be a year older because it took the limits off of me and Nox being together, but two… never had I ever simply wanted to remain a kid before.

I missed my dad, and I wished my mom were well enough to take care of us; because taking care of Sage, it was no walk in the park, although things were getting better. He’d been to see Mrs. Dr. Greene, who had graciously taken on Sage’s case at something like a quarter of her usual rate, seeing as it was really all I could afford, even with Pam helping me with the state funding for it.

He’d been angry, but the anger had grown somewhat less, even though his tight restrictions remained in place. It was typical that I picked him up from school and that he went to work with me. He got to sit on a high stool in the corner of the kitchen doing homework. The only concession I’d given him, was the ability to listen to music through his phone which he was allowed to keep. Mostly because of the potential for an emergency and so that he could reach me or Nox if need be.

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