Page 2 of Guarded Love

I had already done enough of that, anyway. Nearly fifteen years’ worth.

It was the love that helped me stay on an even keel. “I’m fine. I really am. I want everything to be perfect for you, that’s all.”

His concerned expression turned to a bright smile I was getting used to seeing. “Everything is already perfect.”

“I have to admit. It’s still kind of strange seeing you like this.” I folded my arms, looking him up and down before offering an approving nod. “It looks good on you.”

“Do you want to know something, sis?” His gaze drifted over to where Lourde chatted with her friends, Pepper and Olivia. “There are still days when I want to pinch myself.”

“No, don’t do that,” I warned him with a grin. “You wouldn’t want to wake yourself up from the best dream you ever had.”

“Good point.” Satisfied, he wandered back to his fiancée. It was like he could only be away from her for so long before the need to touch her again was too much to resist.

Lourde and the other girls went out of their way to make me feel welcome and wanted in their tight group. It meant everything after spending so much of my life on the outside. Observing. Rarely taking part.

However, I knew something they didn’t know. No matter how much time we spent together or how kind they were, I would always feel separate. Like there was an invisible wall between us, I could always observe how they floated carefree through life. That was how it had always been. Even beforethe incident—my name for it—I always felt different. I’d do my best to be cheerful around my friends and classmates to cover the constant uncertainty and unhappiness of my home life. That’s what happens when you have a parent who makes it their mission to remind you how worthless, ugly, and stupid you are. I used to sit in school and wonder if everybody could see it on me like a brand or a tattoo.

The shame.

The pain.

“We’re going to have to go without him.” Lourde shrugged and gave my brother an apologetic look, tugging her dark locks and twisting the ends like she was anxious. All thanks to the selfish jerk Barrett loved like a brother for some odd reason. “Sorry. You know I don’t want to exclude him, but we only have the yacht for so long.”

“Then let’s move,” I suggested. “I know I would love nothing more than to kick back on a yacht right about now.” Preferably without an impossibly handsome jerk ruining my sense of peace with his crummy attitude and chiseled jaw.

Barrett caught sight of something over my shoulder, a bright, relieved smile spreading over his face. I knew exactly why. “Finally! It’s about time.”

“Yeah,” Connor teased as he slung an arm around Pepper’s shoulders. “It’s not like we don’t have an itinerary or anything.” The amount of sarcasm that laced his voice made me smile. At least someone had said something.

His presence lifted the hair on the back of my neck in the most unfortunate way. I turned around to find Magnus sauntering through the lobby, a man with not a care in the world. “What?” He had the nerve to look surprised at the attention he was getting, though I would’ve imagined he was accustomed to it. He had to be at least six-foot-five and had the chiseled, flawless face of an angel. If angels made it their business to mess around and screw anything that moved.

“What do you mean, what?” Connor laughed, shaking his head. As my brother’s best friend, who was also close to everyone else, it probably came as no surprise that Magnus would behave this way. “We’ve been waiting for you, that’s what.”

“Sorry, everybody,” he half-assed apologized, but he didn’t look very sorry as he held up his hands in a defensive gesture. “I got a little held up.”

Ari laughed, rolling his eyes. “I think we all know what that’s code for.” Sure enough, a statuesque blonde appeared out of nowhere and wrapped her arms around Magnus from behind.

There was no excuse for the rush of pure heat that ran through me at the sight of her—of them together. She was beautiful, half-dressed in what was probably what she wore last night when they met, and obviously smitten. “I almost missed you,” she purred while pressing her body against him. “Why did you run off?”

Meanwhile, the guys were busy trying not to choke on their laughter while the girls rolled their eyes, giggling softly at Magnus’s horrified reaction. Clearly, he was not planning on seeing her again. Definitely not here, in front of everybody.

“Help him,” Lourde whispered to Barrett, who only shook his head and snorted at his friend’s discomfort.

“No way,” he whispered back. “This is too entertaining.”

That was not the word I would’ve used. Not even close. Sure, I couldn’t stop watching, but it wasn’t because I found anything particularly funny.

“You should invite your friend,” Ari offered, and Olivia elbowed him in the ribs while choking on a laugh. He only said it loud enough for us to hear as Magnus’s little friend was still too busy making eyes at him and pouting her inflated lips to notice our presence.

“I told you. I have activities to do today. I have to go now. Everybody’s waiting for me.”

“That matters now?” I asked nobody in particular, but Lourde’s friend, Grace, giggled.

To my mixed horror and amusement, Magnus patted her rump. “I had a lot of fun. Maybe I’ll see you around this week.”

“Ouch.” Barrett grimaced while the other men groaned. “What is she, a racehorse? Next thing you know, he’ll be calling her a good girl.”

Finally, I could take no more. Let them think I’m a bitch. I cleared my throat loudly enough for the blonde to stop humiliating herself. “What’s the deal? Are you going to keep holding us up forever?”

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