Page 31 of Nauti Intentions (Nauti 4)

“Only if Natches decides to make me his business. ” He stared back at her implacably.

“Janey’s his business,” she warned him. “I heard him and Dawg talking, Alex. He’s not stupid. He knows something’s going on. ”

“Crista, go home with your husband. ” He picked up his cup and moved to the sink, rinsing it out before laying it in the bowl. “Take care of Dawg and that little niece or nephew of mine and stay out of this.

Natches and I can deal with each other without your interference. ”

“You’re all my family now, Alex,” she whispered, hurt filling her tone. “I know you and Natches both.

He’s just got Janey back in his life. He’s like a father with her. He’s already so full of guilt that he couldn’t make things easier for her that it eats at him. And we both know you’re not in love with her. If you have an affair with her and walk away like you always do, then you’ll deserve the fight he brings you. ”

“Crista, go home. ”

He wasn’t fighting with his pregnant sister, and he damned sure wasn’t going to let the anger building inside him erupt against her. When the hell had the Mackays decided he had nothing more to do than use a tender, vulnerable virgin and then toss her aside like garbage? When had his own fucking sister decided to go along with it?

“Alex . . . ”

“Do you think I haven’t tried to stay the fuck away from her?” The words tore from him as he faced her, watching her eyes widen in surprise. “Do you think I got up one morning and planned to have a king-sized hard-on for that woman, Crista? What the hell is in your mind? Since when do you take me for some bastard that doesn’t give a damn who he hurts?”

Her lips parted. “You are sleeping with her?”

“I’m not sleeping with her, Crista,” he bit out. “Do you want me to swear I’m not going to sleep with her?”

She breathed out slowly. “Could you?”

“Not in this lifetime. ” He shook his head, knowing it was only a matter of time. “And Natches will just have to deal with it if it happens. Won’t he?”

She stared back at him in surprise. “Are you . . . in love with her?” she asked hesitantly, then grimaced at the scathing look he tossed her. “Ah yeah. Forgot. Love doesn’t exist for Alex Jansen. ” Then she grinned. And that grin was enough to make a smart man run for the hills.

Unfortunately, Alex was too pissed to be smart. It was bad enough the Mackays thought he was some bastard without morals, but his sister?

“Crista. Look. I have things to do, and making my pregnant baby sister cry isn’t one of them,” he assured her in irritation. “So why don’t you go home with your husband, and stop worrying about Janey. ”

Her expression, surprisingly, brightened. She straightened from the counter, walked around the room,

and before he could stop her she grabbed his wrists and burrowed against his chest.

Hell. He hugged her. Because she was his sister and she’d got him used to her hugs while she was still in diapers. Sometimes he even missed them.

“You know I love you, Alexander Jansen,” she whispered as he let his arms tighten around her, just a little bit. “And you are the best brother in the world. ”

He grunted at that. “Yeah, well. You’re not bad for a sister either. ” He kissed the top of her head and let her go, shaking his head at her moods as she left the house and moved along the walk to where her husband was cooling his heels at the truck.

Alex watched and almost chuckled. The fierce, devil-may-care Dawg Mackay was a fool for his wife.

And it was a damned good thing; otherwise Alex really would have killed him.

Crista let Dawg help her into the truck, snapping her seat belt as he loped around the front of the vehicle and then stepped into the driver’s side.

“Well, at least you’re not crying. ” He sighed as he started the truck and pulled out of the drive. “You still should have let me go in. I could have at least made him mad before we left. ”

Crista chuckled. “He has enough problems. ”

“How do you figure?” He cast her a wary glance. “What kind of problems?”

“I’m not telling you. ” She laughed.

“Why not?” He glowered back at her. “We don’t have secrets, Crista. Remember?”

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