Chapter 6 – Luke
LUKE
My blood runs cold as Eden’s brothers stare us down.
They haven’t introduced themselves, but they don’t have to—I’m smart enough to put together the pieces.
The three overprotective brothers Eden and Brinley always complain about.
The well-worn work boots on three pairs of massive feet.
The traces of Eden’s face echoed in each of theirs. I know who these men are.
And I just walked out of a hotel elevator with their little sister.
I’m not afraid of big guys. Hell, I just threw a punch at Beau a few months ago, and if I’m built like Captain America, then he’s built like the fucking Hulk. I’m not a guy who’s scared of a physical confrontation.
These three big guys, though? They’re fucking terrifying, boogeymen with a country twang. I believe every single one of them could kill me and bury my body somewhere not a soul would ever find it. And if they’re here, I’m guessing they know that Eden’s a camgirl meeting up with a client.
I’m guessing I have about three seconds to figure out how to survive the beating they’re planning to dish out.
Then Eden steps in front of me, her feet planted firmly on the hotel floor, her arms crossed. I can practically see the rage simmering off her.
“How did you find me?” she spits.
The tallest, rangiest brother raises his chin. “You might be acting more foolish than a headless chicken, but at least your friend here has a lick of sense.”
Next to him, Brinley’s face turns red. “I still have your location on my phone, Eden,” she says quietly. “We were worried.”
The tall guy growls at me. “And who the fuck are you?”
I don’t have a plan. I just open my mouth and the first lie I can think of spills out.
“I’m her boyfriend,” I say. “We’re seeing each other. It’s new—like, a week. We were just heading to dinner.”
The brothers blink at me, their rage temporarily taken over by confusion. I look hard at Brinley, trying to silently communicate that she needs to go along with this. Her eyes widen, then she nods. That old sibling telepathy all kids seem to have is somehow still there.
Eden grabs my hand and squeezes it. Her hand feels soft and cool in mine.
The brother with the broadest shoulders steps forward. His jaw clenches, and I can practically see the wheels turning in his head as he carefully chooses his words. “What the fuck?”
It’s simple, but it pretty much echoes what all of us are thinking.
Instead of answering him, Eden turns back to me. “Luke, these are my brothers, Wade, Reed, and Jasper.”
I barely have time to catalogue the names, but Wade is the broad-shouldered one, Reed the tall rangy one, and Jasper the one with dark, assessing eyes.
Wade looks me over, then grunts, like I’m not worth considering at the moment.
“I don’t care about your damn boyfriend,” he mutters. “I just flew across the country because my sister has been on the internet taking her clothes off and ignoring her phone. Now I need to know what the hell you’re thinking by turning into a camgirl.”
He says the words camgirl in a voice that’s not raised but not quiet either. Across the lobby, I spot the concierge snap his head over to look at us. When I meet his eyes, he conveniently finds something fascinating on his terminal to look at.
Eden goes perfectly still. “We’re not having this conversation in the lobby of the St. Regis, Wade.”
“Where would you like to have it, then, Edie?” Reed snorts.
“Colt Allred at the feed store saw your videos,” Jasper says in a low voice. “And now, so have we.”
Eden flinches at that, but before I can even squeeze her hand reassuringly, she recovers. “I already stopped. Last week. When Luke and I started seeing each other.” She looks each of her brothers in the eye. “I'm done.”
“Really?” Wade says, disbelieving. “You’re just done?”
“Now that I’m seeing someone, it doesn’t make any sense.” She shrugs. “Now, was there anything else?”
Wade’s mouth opens, then shuts. The brothers flew here to stop something that’s already over.
In eight seconds, Eden just robbed them of their reason to drag her home, and their dramatic rescue mission starts looking a bit silly.
He just stands there for a minute, casting around for something to say.
My pulse slows down for the first time all night. Maybe we all really made it out of this disaster scot-free. The six of us can all head our separate ways and process our embarrassment and confusion with our own personal whiskey bottles.
Then Jasper’s eyes settle on me.
“Wait,” he says. He looks at Wade, then back to me again. “Wade. This is the rope guy.”
I want to turn around and walk right back into the elevator.
Of course that stupid Peppermint article would make it all the way to the Locke Ranch, even out in the middle of Alberta.
It’s not enough that everyone in Toronto thinks I’m all about whips and chains—now my fake-girlfriend’s cowboy brothers know it, too.
“You're telling me my sister is dating the internet rope guy,” Wade says slowly.
“Wait,” Brinley interrupts. “Those articles were my fault, not Luke’s. None of it was true. I wrote them—it's a long story I'll tell you another time—but I'm telling you now, Wade. The things in that article were made up. By me.”
Reed snorts. “Yeah, right.”
Brinley just repeats his words back without sarcasm. “Yeah. Right. I was running a lucrative gossip blog and at the time, I was pissed at Luke. So I did more than a little editorializing. It’s all made-up, but unfortunately, the rumors traveled faster than my guilt about writing them.”
Wade raises a brow at her. “And you're okay with this? Your best friend dating your older brother? You're telling me, with a straight face, that you're okay with that?”
She hesitates, and I swallow. If Eden and I really were in a relationship, there’s no way Brinley would be cool with it.
Yes, we’ve reached some kind of fragile peace, where she forgives me for my devastating high school prank while I let go of my anger over secretly dating my best friend.
That doesn’t mean Brinley would ever think I was good enough for Eden.
But she won’t say that. Not when she’s standing on the St. Regis’s marble floor with the three Locke brothers staring at her and Eden looking pleadingly at her.
Brinley lifts her chin. “Of course I am. Luke’s a good man. He's the only person I'd ever trust to turn my best friend into my sister.”
Eden scoffs. “We’ve been dating a week, Brin. We can hold up on the wedding plans.”
“I’m just reminding you of the possibilities.” Brinley links her arm through Eden’s in a show of support. Now, it’s the three of us facing off against the three of them.
Judging by their triplicate scowls, the brothers don’t love that.
They also have no way to argue with us. Jasper looks at the floor, while Reed crosses his arms and glances out the window.
Wade looks between the three of us again.
If he’s not the oldest, he’s definitely the leader of the group, I’m guessing.
“Sorry to cut your date short, but we need a private word with our sister,” he drawls. “I've got a few words for you, too, rope boy, but those can wait till tomorrow.”
I don't reply. I don't want to accidentally say anything that could lead to a fight.
“That’s fine,” Eden says quickly. “Maybe over whiskey at Twisted Devil? I'm sure Luke would give you a tour.”
Jasper’s brows shoot up. Half a beat later, Wade seems to register his sister’s words. Reed shakes his head, like he already knew this was coming.
Eden turns back to me, smiling brightly. “Twisted Devil is Wade's favorite whiskey. My brothers have been drinking it on the back porch of the ranch for two years. I'm sure they'd love to get a tour from the owner.”
I have to hand it to her. Eden played her trump card perfectly. She just tangled a juicy carrot in front of Wade, knowing that Reed and Jasper would fall in line.
Wade coughs. “Fine. Tomorrow. Nine.”
The tasting room doesn't open until noon on Sunday, but I'm not about to risk this lifesaver over technicalities. “Perfect.”
Reed grins openly, apparently delighted with the way Eden wrapped his other brothers around her little finger. Jasper shakes his head and nods at Eden.
“Why don’t you take us home now?” he asks her. “Brinley invited us to stay the night.”
I try not to look too relieved by the prospect of the Lockes leaving my face un-punched. Eden must be thinking along the same lines because she releases her hands and gently urges her brothers toward the exit.
“We’ll see you tomorrow, Luke!” she says, glancing back over her shoulder and mouthing, thank you.
Brinley shakes her head. “I better go with them. Eden will need the back up. But don't think for a minute that means you’re getting away without a sisterly interrogation. You were not supposed to be here.”
I nod. I expected as much, but I’m happy to have a temporary reprieve from being interrogated. I’ve dealt with enough of that today already.
As Brinley rushes out the door, the concierge clears his throat. “Is there anything else you need this evening, Mr. Windsor?” he asks. Presumably, he’s one of the people I’m cutting a check for after my elevator stunt.
“Yeah,” I say. Then I walk straight back to the bar.