10. Chapter 9 Soren
The fresh-paint smell of the entrance being repaired, thankfully, doesn’t reach my office. I’m studying tomorrow’s football schedule while looking at my computer forecasts of what it believes the outcomes will be. Most of my behind the scenes is the computer thinking for me, but I like to double check all its work. One fuck up could cost us millions, at best.
I glance over at my security screens that continually rotate through the casino floor and my phone vibrates beside me, lighting up with my brother’s name.
Cyrus: Eva is up to no good again. I’m positioning two of our men outside the house.
What is that girl up to now? A picture loads and I put my phone down to continue on my task. A few seconds later, I recheck and I’m left staring at the picture he sent me. My eyes can’t leave Gin. She looks breathtaking. She and Eva are standing together at our parents’ entrance door.
Soren: Does Eva have a death wish? She’s not going out.
Cyrus: she’s not the one leaving.
My molars grind, but what can I say back? Gin’s not my sister. Thank the fuck.
I drum my fingers on the phone, staring at it for longer than I’d like to admit. I try putting it down to continue working out which prop bets I’m allowing for the next football game, but my mind can no longer compute numbers. They scatter before my eyes, unable to be focused in my mind. I glance at the phone, the picture taunting me. Obviously, my brothers need help to manage the girls or they wouldn’t have bothered me.
I watch my security feed; everything is in order here. I have nothing I have to do tonight. Fuck it. I shut down my computer and head toward my parents’ house. They’re out of town and us boys get the job of babysitting.
I pull up within a half hour of them sending me the message. It doesn’t occur to me that Cyrus might be fucking with me until I’m in the driveway. What if the girls are sitting there watching a movie? My hand slides through my hair as I contemplate driving back home.
Fuck it.
I nod to the men stationed outside and walk in. My brothers are sitting in the living room, but neither Eva or Gin are with them.
“Where’s Eva?”
Atticus nods up the stairs. “Her room.”
“You sure?” I ask.
Cyrus waves her phone toward me. “She’s not going anywhere without this.”
I walk into the room and swipe my sister’s phone, opening the messages. There are no new messages. I’m tempted to see who all she’s talking to, but I don’t want to invade her privacy too much.
“How mad was she when you took this?”
“She was typical Eva, went upstairs to pout. We thought we’d give her an hour or two to calm down before we bribed her with ice cream to like us again,” Atticus responds.
“She’s not ten years old.”
Both brothers shrug. “It works every time,” Cyrus adds without his eyes leaving the movie they’re watching.
“Make yourself comfortable,” Atticus says, and I take a seat beside him. The entire time, my fingers itch to bring my phone out and look at that photo they sent me.
“Who did Gin leave with?” I try to ask casually, like it’s a second thought. My brothers shrug. “Did you vet them?” My fingers dig into my thigh as I try to stay still. My chest tightens with this insatiable need to protect Gin. I try to push the new feelings away. Protecting her is Jude’s job…and he’s disappeared.
“Nope,” Cyrus responds before asking, “Anyone for popcorn?”
Neither Atticus nor I respond, and he gets up to make himself some. We watch the rest of the movie, but I can’t tell you what it was about. I’m too distracted thinking about Ginevra. Is she being safe? Is she having fun? None of these things are my concern, I know that. I shouldn’t be thinking about Gin or care about how her night is going. But I can’t stop.
The credits roll down the screen and Cyrus goes upstairs to make amends with our sister. Neither Atticus nor I follow because we know it will be a shit storm before she calms down. I’d rather be the good big brother and make her popcorn once she’s back to being her old self.
“She’s gone!” he yells from the top of the stairs.
Eva’s phone buzzes at the same time with a message from Gin.
Gin: I’m having the worst time. Can you please pick me up? And there’s a creepy dude that won’t stop looking at me.
My heart stills before it takes off like a racehorse after seeing the message, and this intense need to protect her grips my chest. I have to go. She has no one else.
Using Eva’s phone, I type out: Send me your address.
Less than a second later, I have her location dropped to my sister’s phone.
“Let’s go,” Atticus is grabbing his coat; Cyrus has his keys in his hands.
“Ginevra just texted her, she needs a ride.” I lift the phone before putting it in my pocket.
Cyrus smiles with a low chuckle. “You go get her.”
I hop onto the motorcycle I’m using while my car is in for a new paint job. I knew I should have left the scratches Gin made on it. My foot kicks the stand up and I rev the engine, leaving to get Gin. I stop at a red light, seeing a few more messages from Gin to Eva.
Gin: I should have stayed home. This isn’t my scene.
Quickly, I type out a message: I’m coming as fast as I can.
I shove the phone back into my leather jacket.
Gin: That’s what he said
Gin: Creepy Guy has just approached me.
I reread her last two messages. I’m going to have to deal with one problem at a time, and right now, Ginevra is priority number one.
I’m shocked to see Ginevra’s location is at a club. I shrug off my jacket, and lean against my bike while I type out, I’m here at the front while I wait for her to come out.
I cross my arms, wanting to race in there to find her, but try to play it cool, at least for now.
She comes out a second later, looking even more gorgeous than she did a few hours ago. My breath gets caught in my throat and I’m unable to call her name. I watch in silence as she scans the street, her gaze finally landing on mine. She does a double take, not expecting me, before she hesitantly comes toward the road.
“What are you doing here?” she asks.
I gesture to my bike. “Looks like I’m your Prince Charming tonight.”
Her eyes grow wide and she takes a step back. “There’s no way I’m getting on the back of that death trap. Why isn’t Eva here?” She narrows her eyes at me. “What did you and your brothers do now?” she demands, taping her foot.
I take my sister’s phone out and wiggle it in front of her. “Cyrus and Atticus took it in an attempt to keep her locked away. Do you want me to go in and beat up the creep guy?”
“Oh, my God.” She closes her eyes and I wrap my jacket around her shoulders.
“Put this on. It will help protect you on this so-called death trap.” I hand her my helmet.
“No, no, no.” she raises a single finger. “I am not getting on that.”
“You have no choice.” I try to keep the smirk off my face, but she’s so damn beautiful when she gets feisty. I step forward to slip my helmet over her head, but she backs away.
“You don’t have to trouble yourself. I’ll order an Uber, no big deal.”
“Gin, get on the bike,” I growl.
“Soren.” She places her hands on her hips, but the way she says my name has my dick growing hard.
I step forward again, and this time she lets me slip my helmet over her head. “Safety first,” I reply, happy she isn’t fighting this further.
She watches me straddle my bike before she hesitantly gets on the back. Her ass is on the edge, nearly falling off. It’s almost as if she’s scared I’ll bite. I reach backwards and pull her entire body closer to mine, but she still refuses to hold on to me. The tips of her fingers grip the back of my shirt. This isn’t going to do. I press the throttle, and then the break, causing her to fly into my back and her hands naturally hug me.
I press the throttle again, keeping the speed up, needing her to hold me tight. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself. I expect her to curse me out about the speed, but she stays silent, her cheek resting on the back of my shoulder blade. I take the long way home, but she doesn’t comment on it. Before I can help myself, I make the split decision to take her back to my parents’ place instead of her home. I doubt anyone there will notice she’s gone.
The moment I park my bike, she’s off the back before I can turn around. My leg is part way over the seat when she pulls the helmet off and tosses it at me. “What the hell?” she screams.
She races up the stairs and I chase after her. I grab her arm, twisting her to look at me while caging her in with my other hand that rests on the entrance door.
“What do you want, Soren? All you do is make my life miserable.” She tries to push me away, but I stay rooted in my stance, towering over her. This is why I can’t make her marry me.
I stare into her green, viper-like eyes. “Where’s my thank you?”
“Oh, thank you, my savior. It was so nice of you to try to kill me on the back of your bike,” she sarcastically replies with a fake sweet voice that she must reserve to kill her enemies with. I hate it.
“Everything I have ever done is to protect you. I’ve never been anything but kind to you. Why do you hate me so much?”
“Oh, please.” She rolls her eyes at me and I step in closer.
“Seriously, Ginevra. When have I gone out of my way to be mean or rude to you?”
She opens and closes her mouth a bunch of times as I wait for an answer. “You’re you. You have no boundaries. I’m not your little sister.”
I take my time looking her up and down and my blood burns hotter just thinking of what could have happened if I never showed up. Our heartbeats crash against each other.
“No, Gin. You are not my little sister.”
A flame ignites in my stomach, and I’m suddenly happy Eva decided to deceive us, otherwise, I wouldn’t be here with Gin. Her bright red lipstick stands out, begging for me to nip at her pouty lips. I want to ruin this perfect composure she always strives for.
“That’s not what I mean.” She shoves at me again.
“Use your words, Gin.”
“Well, you used to make fun of me…in front of your friends,” she stammers.
“I did no such thing. I can assure you.”
We glare at each other. Her chest is rising and falling faster than it was before and I can feel my dick growing harder the more heated our altercation becomes.
“Everyone knows you’re not a good guy, and that you’re ruthless to everyone.”
“Huh, that’s what you think of me?” A dangerous current entwines around my soft words and my thumb brushes across her bottom lip, smearing her perfect lipstick.
Gin’s throat ripples with a swallow and she turns her head to look away. My two fingers force her chin back up to look at me. The weight of tension coiling our bodies together silences the surrounding street. One spark and the air is about to ignite.
I lean in closer, smelling a hint of roses, cigarettes, and another man’s cologne on her. I watch her eyes flutter open and closed and she sucks in a breath. We’re so close I could easily press my lips to hers. I can’t get a read on her and it frustrates me. I want to be the one who knows what she’s thinking.
My nose brushes her cheek and my lips line up with her ear. “Maybe you just want me to be the bad guy.”
“Stop being an asshole,” she whispers, her voice breathless, but she makes no attempt to move me.
“I think we both know, if you were my girl, I’d treat you like the goddess you are. I would be too good for you, and that, Ginevra, would scare the hell out of you.” I nip at her earlobe, loving the way she sucks in another breath.
The door opens and Gin almost falls right into the vacant space, but Eva is there, catching her. My sister has mascara running down her face in thick lines and her eyes are red.
“Oh, Gin,” she sobs, and they both immediately hug.
I’m forgotten as Eva drags Gin up the stairs with her. My brothers stand in the background, giving me arrogant smiles.
“I’m going home,” I call.
“You owe me a hundred bucks,” Atticus cheers, and Cyrus hands over a bill.
“I thought for sure you’d stay the night.” Cyrus chuckles.
I slam the door, needing to get my head back on straight.
I rev my bike and speed off. Ever since Cyrus suggested Ginevra as my wife, the idea has been growing in my mind, now it’s all I can think of. She would be perfect for me. She’s loyal. I see it in how she treats her family and how she is willing to make sacrifices for them. I love that she has a career. She’s a workaholic like me. As far as I can tell, she’s too busy trying to make a name for herself at work to even bother with love. She wouldn’t even notice that I’m incapable of love. I could fake it, if I had to.