Page 23 of Book Boyfriends
“Georgia? Why’s the door locked?” Jackson’s muffled voice filters through my front door.
CHAPTER SIX
YOU MADE HER CRY, FUCKER!
“Crap! Jackson,” I yelp, jumping to my feet.
“Who’s Jackson? Uncle? Cousin? No…” Head shaking, Lars sniffs the air. “Brother.”
“Yes.” Pulse ticked up, my gaze jumps between them and the door.
How am I going to explain the appearance of these three men? If I tell him the truth, he’ll think I’ve truly lost the plot this time. Jackson may be the more understanding of my brothers, but he leans more into Camp Rem territory at times. Unlike Rem, he’s actually read my books, even if he worries about my financial investment in my writing.
Lying is always an option. Merely smile and say, “These are old friends that you’ve never met nor heard about” or “Hey, you’re super worried about me having a date for our cousin’s wedding, well here are three contenders,” but neglect to mention they are fictional characters.
Ugh.I rub my brows at the realization that none of this will work. Jackson is a bloodhound. He may play finance bro meathead at times, but he’s the most perceptive of the Lane siblings.
“Georgia, are you okay?” Jackson knocks again.
“Totally.” I cringe at my high-pitched tone. “Hide!” I whisper-shout, making a shooing motion toward the bedroom.
“I’m not hiding like a scared pup.” An incredulous expression twists Lars’s features.
“For once, I agree with the mongrel,” Lord James drawls.
“Mongrel? I am pure red wolf,” Lars spats out, moving toward Lord James.
“Not the time.” Owen jumps between them. “We also agreed no fighting and no wolf slurs.”
“Yeah. Stop being speciesist, Lord Fuckwad.” Lars flicks Lord James’s nose, who slaps him away.
“Who are those voices? Are you okay? Do you need help? Can you open the door? I don’t have my spare key?” Concern coats Jackson’s words.
“Audiobook!” I yell and shoot aplease help melook at Owen.
Shaking his head, he grabs both men’s shoulders. “We’re here to help, so let’s help.”
“Let me just turn off my audiobook,” I shout, my eyes flicking to where Owen ushers my annoyed duke and now-grumpy werewolf into the bedroom.
“Keep them quiet, and… don’t let them kill each other,” I hiss.
Once the bedroom door shuts, I stand for just a moment. With a deep inhale, I smooth down my hair and move to the door. On the other side, stands my younger brother. Despite the bill of the OC Soccer Club cap shading his eyes, the annoyance in his gaze is evident in the firm line that anchors his jawline.
“Youneverlock the door.” It comes out as more of an accusation than a statement of fact. “You even sometimes forget to lock it when you leave. Rem checks most mornings before he heads to the office.”
A furrow lines my brow. In my defense, a six-foot-tall stone wall encircles the property, including my carriage house apartment.
“Was the door locked because you were listening to a smutty audiobook?” The corners of his mouth flex into a lascivious grin.
“If I were, that’s none ofyourbusiness. Why are you here?” I sigh, moving so he can enter. “Shouldn’t you be at your intramural fight club or whatever you do on a Saturday afternoon?”
“Fight club is on Tuesdays,” he jests and strides to the sofa, picking up the baseball bat and holding it up. “Why’s Justice’s Arm out?”
“I’m rearranging things.” I stride over and yank the bat out of his hand.
His lips twitch into a cheeky grin. “What kind of audiobook are you listening to?”
Mouth tight, I just glare.
