26. Knight
Chapter twenty-six
Knight
I waited up all hours for Hunter and Casper to return home, and by the time they stumbled into the house at three a.m., I was ready to call it a night.
Thank God I waited a little longer because Casper is completely passed out.
I make it my duty to take care of these two especially, and when I help a barely functioning Hunter drag my younger brother into the living room, I finally snap.
“For fuck’s sake, Hunter. What the hell did you do to my little brother?”
Hunter can just about stand upright himself as he helps me lay Casper down on the couch, checking all his vital signs.
Still alive, but he’s the color of, well…Casper the Ghost.
Hunter lounges into a nearby chair as I make sure my brother is in the recovery position, and the poor, wee thing…
This all started at breakfast. He could barely stand to be in Snow’s presence, and I knew this would happen.
Casper has a good heart, so of course he would fall hard.
Even I can’t rid the sensation of her warm skin from my fingers, and a part of me wishes that I had an excuse to get close to her again.
Under different circumstances, of course.
I do not wish for her to be victim to Prince’s ire again.
It's time we all had a discussion as a family, setting some ground rules once and for all.
We’re all invested now, and it’s time I said my peace with Prince.
I do not think he is handling this at all well, and I worry for his mental stability. He’s hanging on by a small thread, and we’re going to lose him if we’re not careful.
Hunter smiles up at me hazily as I check him over now, shaking my head with a tsk.
“What were you thinking, Hunt? You know how he gets.”
Hunter snorts, reaching up to grab my cheeks. “Fuck… I love you so much. Always looking out for us… I wish you were my brother instead of Prince.”
He's slurs every word, and even the pungent odor of booze on his breath is enough to make me flinch.
“Your breath smells like a fucking toilet.”
He laughs, then lounges back in the chair again. “And yet, I still love you, even if you are being an asshole right now.”
I move to the kitchen to fetch them both water and aspirin, and a bucket, too.
They’re going to need it.
“I’m surprised you haven’t brought a bunch of girls back with you.”
Thank God, too. Prince always has them sign an NDA every morning before they leave.
No one needs that shit when they’re hungover, and I feel for the girls, which is why I offer to make them breakfast and treat their headaches.
But he’s just so protective of us all, and the last thing he wants is our enemies getting wind of any aspect of our lives.
Hunter for once isn’t covered in lipstick smudges. He doesn’t smell like cheap perfume, either, and it looks like he gave the strippers a miss tonight.
Did they even see any girls tonight?
Hunter opens his eyes, and I meet those green slits. “No. No one caught my eye...”
I understand.
They’re both so hung up on Snow, but they must know that we can’t have her.
Prince is very strict about that fact.
Yet I can’t help think about her warm skin, and those perfect breasts in that tiny, torn-up bra, and fuck…
Maybe I should have gone out with them tonight.
But one of us needs to be responsible.
I pass him his water. “Drink this and take the aspirin.”
My cousin grins, taking the glass, and when he downs the tablet, he shows me his tongue.“There. Happy, doctor?”
For the millionth time, I shake my head then return to Casper. He’s way too out of it, but that’s okay.
The glass and aspirin will be there waiting for him when he wakes in the morning, as well as the bucket.
Looks like they’re both camping here tonight.
Hunter soon falls asleep on the chair. I fluff his pillow beneath his head, making sure he is comfortable, then I grab them both a blanket.
Seriously. What would they do without me?
It's only when I have tucked Casper in, brushing his curls from his face, that I hear the door creak.
Turning around, I spy those wide, brown eyes, blinking in surprise.
I heard that Angel had been keeping her bedroom door unlocked at night, even though Prince had given him and Saint strict orders that it was to be locked at all costs.
Her face pales when she spies me, her gaze falling on the drunken idiots. “S-sorry… I was… I’ll go back to my room.”
I heave a sigh. Thank the lord they’re both passed out. They’d be dead of embarrassment by now.
She’s the reason why they got so shit-faced.
“It’s okay, Snow. You’re good. I won’t tell Prince.”
I smile, hoping she knows I’m genuine. The last thing I would want to do is stoke my cousin’s wrath.
She doesn’t deserve it.
“Is there anything I can help you with?”
Snow’s big eyes land back on Casper and Hunter as she bites her plump lip.
My dick reacts to the sight of her teeth as they leave indentations on the red of her lips. If she’s not careful, she’s going to make herself bleed.
That’s okay. I’ll be happy to fix her up again.
At least her cheek is healing up nicely, and the bruises have almost faded.
“Are they okay?”
She keeps peering at Hunter and Casper. Hunter snores, his drooling mouth wide open, and I’m embarrassed for him.
“They should be. But enough of them. Are you having trouble sleeping?”
She nods shyly, rubbing the skin of her arm. “Yes.”
I think for a moment, then head to my medical drawer. I have one in every room.
“Here, these should do.”
I hand her sleeping tablets and a glass of water, and she smiles up at me gratefully. “Thank you.
I scrub my face, smiling. “You’re welcome, Snow.”
“And…thank you. For stitching my cheek the other day. It’s healing nicely.”
Again, I give her another kind smile. “Any time.”
The girl grins at her feet, then scurries back to her room with the sleeping tablets.
My heart hurts watching her.
She’s afraid of us, but I don’t want her to be afraid.
At least not of me…
My job is to save people, not hurt them.
And those I do choose to hurt…
Well, they deserved it.
“Snow, if you ever need anything, don’t be scared to ask.”
She stops, gazing over her shoulder. “Okay,” she whispers, hurrying back to her room, and I stare at the spot where she vanished for some time.
It's not right that she should be sneaking around at night. She shouldn’t be locked in her room like a prisoner, and I think it’s time we all had a talk.
I have a few ground rules I would like to make with Prince myself.
As the second oldest, it is my duty to look out for the family.
Otherwise, we may just fall apart.
Time to mend my brothers before we all break.