Chapter Five #3
Her bottom lip fell as she stared at the man taking up most of the doorway.
The crown of his head almost reached the top, and his body left only a few inches on either end of the frame.
He was almost as tall as Stone with the same solid girth as T.
His brows dipped in a harsh scowl as he surveyed the room.
Hard, imposing and unconventionally handsome was how she saw him.
But she was getting an entirely new view.
He was shirtless, an array of tattoos on his chest, fully on display.
The only thing more distracting was his six pack.
The reality of Jonah far surpassed her imagination.
Roxanne watched him tighten his lips as his gaze landed directly on her.
Heat rose from her chest to her cheeks under his stare.
His inspecting eyes scanned over her face, down her body.
It was brief and she saw the moment recognition set in.
Yeah, I’m the last person you expected to see in your living room, huh?
What were the odds that when she eventually ran into him again, it’d be at his house? This was so strange and weird and … Oh, my God!
Bogs’ voice played in her head. “It’ll be fine. Rox can handle herself.”
Clarity struck her at the worst possible moment.
Her entire body flamed with heat as her heart pounded against her chest. I’m going to kill him.
It all made sense why Bogs had been on her side and was so adamant she went on her own.
All the bullshit he spewed about her independence and being a self-sufficient adult and handling her own shit?
He knew exactly where he was sending her. Bastard!
She drew in a breath, aware of his unwavering stare. Roxanne straightened her shoulders, forced a smile and gave a small wave.
“Hi, Jonah.”
****
Jonah pulled off his filthy shirt, tossing it into the washer when he heard Holden’s panicked shout.
He’d heard his name called twice in the past five minutes but ignored him.
Knowing his youngest brother all too well, the desperation in his voice was a result of wanting to know what was for dinner.
This time, Jonah jerked toward the hall and rushed forward. Did he say she’s got a gun? Who?
He made an abrupt stop in the doorway, taking in the scene. His brothers were huddled close to the wall, Cord blocking Holden. He followed their gaze about ten feet across the room.
What the fuck?
His chest tightened and he sucked in a harsh breath. Of all the scenarios he’d imagined, and there’d been plenty that involved her, not one included her standing in the middle of his living room.
Roxanne Barrett.
He didn’t remember her being so small. If anything, she always seemed a lot taller, model-esque or maybe that was just her looks.
Hands down, the most beautiful woman in any room he’d ever been in.
Her silky black hair hung down over her shoulders in waves.
Against her blue top, it was striking. Hell, everything about her was striking.
But nothing more than her blue eyes currently pinned on him with the corner of her mouth curving upward.
It wasn’t a smile or a smirk, just an easy, relaxed quirk of her full lips.
Too full. And perfect. God, why the hell is she in my fucking living room?
He’d done his best to steer clear of her. He’d kept his distance for his own self-preservation. A woman like her was not meant for him. Now, she was making it impossible for him to avoid her.
“Hi, Jonah.”
He could control his interaction with her but not his body’s reaction to the sound of her voice. He did not need her anywhere near him. Especially in his damn house.
He slowly walked deeper into the room, lifting his chin. “Roxanne.” He glanced at his brothers who looked just as confused as he was feeling. Jonah, of course, was hiding it much better. “What’s going on?”
Holden pointed at her. “She’s got a frickin’ gun.”
What the fuck?
Jonah caught her sharp feminine gasp. “It’s a misunderstanding. Can I explain?”
“I’d appreciate it.”
Roxanne drew in a breath. “Yes, I have a gun but at no time did I take it out or threaten them with it. I promise you. My phone rang in my bag, and I was reaching for it.” She sighed.
“Your brother, Holden, assumed I had a gun and was going for it,” she turned to the boys, “which I didn’t.
” Her face softened, letting go of some of the stress in for forehead.
“He asked if I had a gun and I didn’t want to lie so I was honest.” She licked her bottom lip, and Jonah ground his teeth fighting back his reaction.
The woman needed to keep her tongue in her mouth.
“See, see?” Holden waving his arm at her. “She’s got one though.”
Jonah stepped forward into the room and addressed his brothers who remained close to the wall. “Yeah, I see. And I’m sure she’s got a carry permit to go along with it.” He glanced back at Roxanne.
“I do.”
Jonah turned to his brothers. “Perfectly legal, Holden.”
“B-but how do you know she’s not some crazy lunatic?”
Jonah grasped the back of his neck. “I can vouch for her sanity.”
He heard a soft muffled chuckle but resisted the urge to look at her.
“Wait, do you know each other?” Cord asked, shifting his stare between him and Roxanne.
He cocked his brow and nodded. Holden pushed passed Cord with an undeniable glint in his eyes.
“Like how?”
Jonah knew where his little brother’s mind was going. All thoughts of guns and fear had left his mind. Instead, he was focused on him and Roxanne. Holden’s head swung back to Roxanne, his gaze travelled the length of her body and he widened his eyes. “You guys like date or something?”
Why did everything Holden thought of always relate to dating or sex? Because he’s eighteen. Remember eighteen? Jonah could remember, however, instead of girls and getting laid he was taking guardianship over his younger brothers at that age.
He folded his arms, catching the way her eyes drifted over his biceps. It hadn’t been the first time he’d caught her checking him out. And he found himself enjoying it now as much as he had in the past. The attraction was definitely not one-sided.
“Your brother knows my brothers,” she said.
“Yeah?” The tension in Cord’s voice eased slightly and he sighed in relief. He was reading this wrong. For whatever reason Roxanne was standing in his living room, it would not be resolved just because he was friends with the Garrison brothers.
“Well, then see, we’re all friends here. No need to lay us out.” Holden chuckled and Jonah jerked his head. What the hell was he talking about? Holden gestured to Roxanne and laughed. “She said she would lay us out if Cord didn’t pay her.”
Pay her? If he wasn’t already confused by her presence, now he was dumbstruck.
Why would Cord owe her money? He turned to Roxanne for an explanation, but she had her focus on his brothers.
She slowly narrowed her gaze, squinting.
“No, what I said was I would lay your asses out if Cord touched me again.”
What. The. Fuck?
There was a slow burn building in his stomach.
A fiery anger swelling up through his chest and the tension rising every passing second.
Jonah dropped his arms to his sides and balled his fists.
Why the fuck was Cord touching her? He stepped forward, his glare aimed at Cord.
His brother read him right and backed up into Holden with his hands flared out in front of him.
“I just grabbed her arm. Lightly.” He turned to Roxanne. “I didn’t hurt you, right?”
Her answer had better be no or Jonah was going to beat the shit out of his brother. He may not have been the best role model, but he taught his brothers the basic right from wrong and one of the most important lessons he’d drilled into them—you never lay your fucking hands on a woman. Ever!
“He didn’t, Jonah,” her answer was rushed which left no doubt on whether he was hiding his anger well. He wasn’t.
Roxanne stepped forward and stood a few feet away from Cord. “He didn’t hurt me. He was trying to get me to leave and grabbed my arm but not hurtful or even aggressive.”
Jonah eyed Cord. His little brother was a lot of things especially when it came to women. A player and a horndog but never mean or aggressive. He drew in a deep breath, resting his hands on his hips. “What the hell is going on here, Cord?”
“Well …” He dragged his hand over his mouth. “Uh, yeah so …”
From the way he was stalling and his constant fidgeting, Jonah knew he wasn’t going to be happy. “So, remember how my car got jacked?”
Jonah nodded slowly. “It got hit in the lot at work.”
“Well,” he scrunched his face, “so that might not have been the whole truth.”
Roxanne snorted. “He hit my car at the marina.”
Jonah felt his temper rise again. “Oh, this shit just keeps getting better and better.”
Lying was the one thing he had zero tolerance for when it came to his brothers and Cord was the king of it.
“It was an accident,” Cord said, flustered and rushed. “And it wasn’t entirely my fault. I mean, she stopped short.”
“I was stopping for the stop sign,” Roxanne said then laughed without humor. “How is that my fault?”
Cord shrugged. “We’re both to blame.”
Before he could say a word, Roxanne stepped closer to Cord, completely riled up.
“This is all on you.” She scoffed. “You hit me!” The rise in her octave was a sure sign she was losing her patience with his brother. He couldn’t blame her, but he needed to defuse the situation.
“He’ll pay. How much?”
Her glare remained on Cord for a few seconds before turning to him and softening. “Twelve hundred dollars.”
Oh, fuck me. Cord was forever borrowing money from him. He blew most of his paychecks in the first couple days. There was no way he had the cash to cover the bill.
“I’ll pay half,” Cord said.