Chapter 16
ASHER
Barrett fucking Marx is standing in the doorway, his eyes wild with fury as he takes in the scene. At first, I start to relax because at least it isn’t Jude or Ronan, but then, he lurches forward with a murderous glare, and I realise there’s a big fucking possibility that I’m about to die.
“No!” Lily cries. “Barrett, wait!”
He skids to a stop a mere foot from reaching us, and my cock slips free from Lily’s heat, having shrivelled the fuck up real damn quick.
“What the fuck am I looking at, Lily?” Barrett hisses, his Australian accent thick with anger as Lily shakes her head before meeting my eyes.
There’s an apology in her blue gaze as she tries to right herself, her eyes going wide when she remembers she’s not wearing any pants.
“You wanna turn the fuck around for a minute?” I hiss over my shoulder at Jude and Ronan’s uncle, and he curls his lips in a snarl before giving us his back.
“Sorry,” Lily whispers, and I glance at her to see a world of worry etched across her face.
“Hey.” I lift her chin, and her eyes lock with mine. “It’s okay.” I try to reassure her, but all I see is something that looks a helluva lot like shame in her gaze.
Fuck.
Knowing that conversation will have to wait, I right my pants, my cock already hiding away in fucking terror, and I dash over to Lily’s pants strewn on the floor, snapping them up and tossing them her way.
She catches them easily and shoots panicked eyes to Barrett as she slides off the bench and steps into them quickly.
She doesn’t have knickers on, because that piece of fabric is tucked away in my pocket, and I have to fight to hide my grin, knowing my cum will probably start running down her leg soon.
There’s just something about that idea that is so fucking hot.
“What are you doing here?” Lily snaps at her cousin, her cheeks blazing with embarrassment as she swipes a hand over her copper locks, smoothing them out.
Turning slowly, Barrett shoots me a glare before aiming it at Lily.
“Wanna tell me what the fuck I walked in on?”
“No, actually,” Lily snaps. “That’s none of your business. You lost that privilege when you betrayed me!”
My brows shoot up. “What the fuck?” I snap, but they both ignore me, glaring at each other.
“I didn’t fucking betray you…” He trails off when Lily growls, and he holds calming hands up. “Look, Devon was there with me. He saw it was you calling. What was I supposed to do?”
“Not take the fucking call!” she yells, and I take a step back, trying to piece all of this together.
“Who’s Devon?” I ask, and Barrett’s furious eyes snap to me.
“Why the fuck were you fucking my cousin?”
“Whoa.” Lily steps between us, shoving at Barrett’s chest. “Back the fuck up, Barrett. Who I fuck is none of your damn business.”
“It fucking is when it’s one of your kids’ fucking mates!” he roars, and that’s fucking it, I’ve had enough.
“Hey! Fuck you!” I try to round Lily, but she turns on me, her furious blue gaze nearly black with anger.
“No, Asher. This is between me and Barrett.”
My fucking jaw ticks.
My eyes flick over Lily’s shoulder to Barrett, who still looks ready to kill me.
I’m fairly certain if I challenge him, I’d lose, and that’s not fair to Lily. I don’t want her having to choose between me and her fucking cousin.
But fuck, something is going on between them. In all the years I’ve been around, I’ve never seen them fight.
“I’m not going to stand back and let him talk to you like that,” I grit out, and Lily’s expression softens.
“I know,” she says quietly, linking her fingers with mine before she turns and addresses her cousin. “Barrett was just leaving.”
“Not a fucking chance,” he snarls, balling his fists. “I’ve flown for fucking hours to get here to sort out the misunderstanding from last night, and I walk in to find a fucking guy balls deep in my cousin. I want to know what the fuck is going on.”
Lily scoffs. “I think it’s pretty obvious.” She drops my hand, storming past Barrett and turns to rest her arse on the back of the couch, folding her arms over her chest. “What gives you the right to barge into my house?”
His brows shoot up. “I went to knock and heard you fucking scream. I thought—”
“You thought what?” she snaps and Barrett frowns, his dark eyes dancing back to me.
Barrett is the epitome of a lady’s man. Every time I see him, he’s dressed in suits that probably cost more than the couch Lily is perched on. His dark hair is never out of place, and his facial hair looks like it’s combed into place on the regular.
Did I aspire to grow up like him when I was a kid?
Absolutely. He oozes money, power and charm, but I know I’ll never be like him.
I’m not distinguished. I’m not a gentleman.
And I’ll be lucky to ever have a bank account that isn’t on its last dollar on a weekly basis unless I keep fighting and making my money illegally.
Barrett sighs, shaking his head. “We need to talk. In private.”
“If you’re going to give me a lecture on what you just walked in on, then you can save your breath.” Lily drops her arms from her chest as her hands ball into fists at her sides.
“Seriously, Lily?” He points to me. “He’s the twins’ age. Their best fucking friend.”
“I’m a year older than the twins, actually,” I say unhelpfully, which is made obvious when both Barrett and Lily shoot me a glare. “What? It’s true.”
“Fucking hell. Do the twins know about this?” Barrett drags his glare from me to turn it on his cousin.
I’ll give it to Lily. She’s tough. She doesn’t shy away from his wrath.
“No.” Lily straightens from the couch, her face red with anger. “And they aren’t going to find out.”
And there it is. The reality of my situation.
I’ve been showing Lily exactly how I feel. Admitting how I’ve crushed on her for years. Yet is there ever really a possibility of there being more between us than hot sex and stolen moments?
I’d like to think so, but let’s be honest. Is she ever really going to embrace this thing between us and tell her sons?
And do I see them ever accepting it?
My heart sinks.
Fuck. The truth hurts.
“What if it was them walking in just now?” Barrett snarls, pointing to the front door. “How do you think that would’ve gone?”
The fight drains out of Lily’s face and her shoulders slump.
“Hey! How about you mind your fucking business?” I hiss, coming to stand between Lily and her cousin, and Barrett smirks down at me… tall motherfucker, he is.
“Lily is my business, kid. She’s a Ma—, family, and we look out for our own.”
What was he going to say?
“Oh, please,” Lily scoffs, pushing past me and Barrett, heading to the kitchen, where she takes a bottle of wine from the rack, opening it before she starts chugging it straight from the bottle.
“Lily, stop!” Barrett rushes her, and her eyes widen before he tugs the bottle free.
“What the hell!”
“You need to stay clearheaded.”
I frown at Barrett’s words and watch him and Lily stare at each other like they’re having a silent conversation.
“Has something happened?” Lily asks quietly.
“Yes. That’s why I’m here.” Barrett nods, his face etched in concern. “Well, that and last night’s misunderstanding.”
That’s the second time he’s mentioned that.
Was that why Lily had been crying last night? Because of this prick?
“What’s happened?” I ask, but they both ignore me.
“We need to speak in private.” Barrett’s deep voice is even quieter this time, and Lily gives him a nod before her eyes land on me.
“Would you mind staying in this part of the house? I need some privacy with my cousin.”
I eye Lily warily, trying to figure out what the fuck is going on right now, but I give her a nod, not knowing what else to do.
Barrett turns, shooting me a glare as he walks past, heading towards the front of the house to Lily’s bedroom.
“Hey.” I reach out and grab Lily’s arm as she goes to pass by, her stunning blue eyes meeting mine. “This thing between us… Don’t let him talk you out of it.”
Her expression softens, and I lean in closer, hoping she’ll rise up and kiss me, but she doesn’t. She just offers me a small, forced smile and leaves the room.
Fuck.
This isn’t good. Barrett springing us screwing isn’t fucking good at all. He’ll be in her ear, trying to convince her to stop seeing me. Probably even kick me out.
I don’t care about that part. Sure, I came here for a place to stay until I figure my crap out, but the fights will earn me enough coin to get my own place. I’m no longer here because I need a roof over my head. I’m here to be close to Lily.
If Barrett wants me gone, then he’ll have to fucking kill me to get me out of the picture, because I’m not leaving Lily. Not for anyone or anything.
Pacing the living room, I’m not able to sit still for a moment while Lily is locked away in her room with Barrett. A few times, I hear their muffled raised voices, but I can’t make out what they are saying.
After about five minutes, Lily comes rushing out of her room, her eyes wild as she darts to the coat stand by the front door, and I step forward, peering down the short passage to see what she’s doing.
She’s rummaging through that big fucking Mary Poppins bag she carries. Things go flying out of it, falling to the floor as she digs through it, and a moment later, she pulls out the envelope that I handed her this morning.
What is she doing with that?
I’m about to call out to ask if everything is okay, but she dashes back into her bedroom and closes the door again.
What the hell are they talking about in there?
It’s nearly impossible for me to stay in the living area and not hover outside her bedroom to eavesdrop. I want to so fucking badly, but I need to be smart.
If Barrett is in there trying to convince her to ditch me, then I need to figure out how I’m going to change her mind again.
After another ten minutes, Lily’s bedroom door opens and I quickly move to the kitchen bench, pretending to wipe it down with the washcloth I’d used earlier.
Both Barrett and Lily step into the room, their postures tense as they stand awkwardly, and Barrett shoots me a glare as he speaks.
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t walk in on my cousin fucking her sons’ best mate.”
My brows shoot up, but before I can retaliate or at least defend our actions, Barrett turns and leaves out the front door, slamming it behind him.
My eyes dart to Lily, and the look of sympathy she gives me makes my heart sink.
Fuck. I think I’ve already lost her.