Page 34 of Forbidden Ride
William straightens with an unflinching stare.
This is not good. The two alphas face off eye to eye. The only sound I hear is my heartbeat thudding in my ears. Holy hell. I don’t want to think about who would win in a fight. They’re both the same build, same height, both fierce as fuck. I couldn’t bear it if either one of them got punched.
Eyes glaring, Chase stays silent. He shifts his gaze from William to me, and hours seem to tick by.
“Ah, hey, Chase,” I say airily, and cautiously step between them. Since my brother is obviously not taking William up on his offer to come in, I move out to the porch. Chase doesn’t return my hug and growls.
“So you’re okay then?” My brother flinches. “This fucking asshole hasn’t hurt you, has he?” His cold scowl passes me as he eyes William up and down.
“Do you always call people who invite you into their homes fucking assholes, asshole?” William hisses.
Chase changes his stance, bolting upright like he’s about to wind up for a punch.
“Please don’t do this.” I send William a silent plea and then turn back to my brother. “Chase,” I ask softly. “Why are you here?”
“Why the fuck am I here is a very good question.” He glares at me, but I’m used to my alpha-cavemen brothers and don’t back down. I’m not about to let him intimidate me. Then my heart slams as another thought rushes over me.The kids.
Maybe this is an emergency. My instincts tell me it isn’t, because Chase seems far too focused on William. Still I have to ask. “Are the kids okay?” I barely get the words out.
“They’re fine.”
“Thank God.” I let out a deep breath and rub my neck, trying to loosen some of the knots. “Then what brings you all the way up here?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” Chase’s ice water–blue eyes choke with sarcasm. “Maybe it’s because my sister drove her fucking car off a goddamn cliff? Or maybe it’s because the sheriff had to come out and check on you and wouldn’t give me much in the way of an answer except to say that you were okay. But then you never called, so how would I know?”
“But I talked to the kids. You were right there at the house. Didn’t Jessie tell you?”
“Obviously not. And now I know why Gunner didn’t give me the whole story.”
“God, Chase, I’m so sorry you were worried. But see? I’m good.”
He grinds his teeth and raises his brows. “I went to our cabin first, and find it empty even though your car is in the fucking driveway,” he steams. “So I scope out the goddamn place and don’t find a fucking clue as to where you are. Then I see your fucking tracks in the snow. And, Christ, with all the wildlife up here, I expected to find your carcass. Then, I follow your tracks all the way... here? What the goddamn fuck, Jenny?” He shifts, seething at William. “Has he forced himself on you? Is he threatening you?”
“No,” I snap, turning back to William. “He’s wond—”
“Tell me the truth.” Chase scans the cabin, and I see he has his gun shoved in the waistband in the back of his pants. “Are there any other inbreds about to pop out of the woodwork?”
“I’ve had just about enough of your fucking attitude,” William growls. He’s been standing at the door the whole time, listening. My heart drops when he steps out of the house and joins Chase and me on the porch. “Slow your goddamned roll, Hollywood.”
“Fuck you.” Chase juts his chin out, getting closer to William’s face. “I ought to kick the shit out of you for coming anywhere near my sister.”
“Okay, gentlemen,” I say calmly, because my heart is about to break and I don’t know what else to do. “There’s no need to get upset. Everything is fine here.”
Neither of them back down. They’re still eye to eye in some alpha standoff.
“Chase, could I talk to you in private?” I gesture to the area below the porch. “Sorry, William,” I say softly. “I’ll be right back.” If there’s to be any hope of me defusing the situation, maybe keeping them apart will help.
“Fine with me,” William grunts.
“One sec.” I hold my hand up to Chase and run to the door. I quickly jam my feet into my boots and then, my pulse racing, I nudge my brother, who grudgingly follows me down the steps.
Shit, this is the last thing I needed and pretty much the worst scenario I could ever imagine. Who knows? This confrontation might even be enough to make William think twice about ever seeing me again. We haven’t been together long enough for this kind of mess.
I knew it wouldn’t be easy to explain William to my brothers, but I was hoping to do it on neutral ground. Not here. Chase and I tread into the snowy yard William and I just passed through. Our footprints are still there, along with Chase’s fresh tracks.
My brother folds his arms over his bulky chest. He’s stone-cold silent, staring me down, waiting. I’m not prepared for this and have no other explanation than the truth.
I take a deep breath. “William was the one who saved me the night my car went down the embankment.”
