6. Brian
6
brIAN
S everal minutes later, my anger was under control as I entered the state-of-the-art gym to grunts and a sight to behold.
Grace Hart was sparring with Duke in the ring while a redhead watched from the sidelines in quiet fascination.
I couldn’t blame Red for fixating on the duo in the ring—my body was having a good old time watching Grace. Her sports bra hugged her nice tits, thigh-high leggings accentuated her defined muscle tone, and the hummingbird tattooed on her neck only added to her beauty. She was looking badass as she threw jabs at Duke.
A frenzy of butterflies was going wild inside my stomach. The same damn feeling every time I laid eyes on her. Duke would have my balls on a platter if he knew I was thinking of his baby sister naked at this very moment.
“It’s going to take me forever to be as good as you, Grace,” Red said from her chair along the wall.
Grace’s movements were sharp, precise, and as fluid as a cat stalking its prey. Each jab was delivered with a calculated force as she danced gracefully on the balls of her feet, her focus unbroken and fierce.
Duke bobbed one way then the other before he held up his gloved hand. “Grace, let’s take five.” He flicked his head in my direction.
She regarded me with a brilliant smile, as if she had been waiting forever to see me. “Brian, why don’t you take Duke’s place? He’s been going easy on me for some reason.”
Duke narrowed his eyes at her. “Easy? You’re out of shape, sis.”
I didn’t agree with him. Then again, when it came to working out, he was a drill sergeant and expected perfection.
“Plus, the last time Brian was in a ring, I kicked his ass.” He flashed me a grin.
I threw him the finger. “Care to test out that theory?”
He and I were the same height and muscular but not to the point that we looked like we lived on steroids, and even though I was broader in the chest, he was a better fighter. But I could give anyone a run for their money.
Grace sized me up as she removed her gloves. Then she looked at Red. “Andie, do you remember Brian?”
“Is he the guy you?—”
“He was at Thanksgiving dinner two years ago,” Grace interrupted as she shook her head at Andie.
“Oh, yeah. But I was leaving as he came in.”
I got the feeling that Grace had talked a lot about me to her friend. Interesting, to say the least.
Duke coyly eyed his sister and her friend before he strode my way, wiping the sweat from his face with the towel in his hand. “It’s great to see you.” After we exchanged a quick bro hug, he said, “I have a last-minute appointment with a contractor. He’s coming in to fix the showers in the men’s locker room. Can we meet for a drink tonight?”
“Is that why no one is in the gym today?”
“I closed for the day. It might be late tonight for that drink after I put Emma to bed.”
“How is your darling daughter?”
Shock had reverberated through his family and me when Duke fell for an ATF agent. Fallyn Williams was one lady no one wanted to fuck with. But the two were the perfect match. I was envious of him. As of late, my daughter had been encouraging me to put myself out there. While I had no trouble attracting the opposite sex, I only wanted one woman.
Duke’s smile was blinding. “Emma is growing, learning new words every day, and loves trains. Fallyn’s dad bought her a train set.”
“Not dolls?”
“My niece is going to be a tomboy.” Grace sashayed toward us.
The closer she got, the more my jaw dropped. “Do you want to tell me who gave you black eyes? I’ll rough him up for you.”
Duke pushed out a loud groan. “Too late.”
I jerked back. “Please tell me you didn’t kill the bastard,” I said to Duke.
I wouldn’t put it past him if he had. Hell, I probably would do the same thing. I’d always promised him that I would protect his sister if it came down to it.
He raised his hands. “Grace put a bullet in him.”
Andie shuffled up, turning as white as a ghost.
As for me, my jaw, which hadn’t been on the floor yet, was now. “The fuck?”
I shouldn’t have been dumbfounded. Grace Hart had been through hell and back in that sex-trafficking ring she’d gotten tied up in. Her trust factor was nonexistent, and she wasn’t afraid to take care of herself. Duke had always worried that if it wasn’t his enemies hurting Grace to get back at him, then it would be Grace inflicting pain on anyone who dared to fuck with her.
“He’s not dead,” Grace said with no remorse in her voice.
A phone ringing echoed in the vast space, and Duke excused himself as he hurried over to the front desk near the entrance.
She watched her brother for a long second before she gave me a hug. “It’s good to see you.”
Her vanilla scent mixed with sweat invaded my nostrils and raced through my veins, lighting parts of me that shouldn’t have reacted to her.
Take it down, man.
“What happened?” I asked.
Andie turned ashen at my question and started biting her bottom lip furiously.
Grace’s response was, “So, are you officially in Boston?”
I studied her for a long second, getting the vibe that whatever had happened involved Andie. No sense in pushing the topic. I was sure Duke would fill me in later.
“I have to return to Nashville tomorrow night and close the sale on the restaurant. But by next week, for sure.”
“Grace, I’ll meet you in the women’s locker room,” Andie said. “We have a class in two hours, then we both have a shift at Yvonne’s.”
“I’ll be a second,” Grace said to Andie.
Once Grace and I were alone, I asked, “That boy you shot hurt your friend?”
She bobbed her head. “Roofied her drink, and you can imagine the rest.”
What the fuck? I wasn’t a perfect man. I’d broken the law several times over, but I would never touch a woman without her consent.
A modicum of fear zipped through me at the notion that my daughter would be in college sooner rather than later if she stayed on track to graduate a year early. I would rip the limbs from any guy who touched her without her consent.
Grace waved a hand in front of me. “Brian? It’s okay. I took care of him, and I’ll make sure he doesn’t try to rape again.”
I had no doubt she would. The Harts were notorious for their ruthless protection of those they loved, going to any length necessary. But as much as I admired that trait, it also sparked a deep sense of concern within me. The thought of Grace following in Duke and Denim’s footsteps, facing a stint behind bars, would cripple not only Duke but me as well.
“How much trouble are you in?”
She frowned. “Not sure yet. Enough about this. When I talked to Fran last week, she sounded excited about her upcoming science project on fuel cells.”
“‘Excited’ is an understatement. This project just might open a door for a scholarship to a school of her choice. She’s leaning toward Harvard.”
“She told me. You must be so proud of her.”
I couldn’t even begin to describe the pride I felt about my daughter and her brilliant mind. “Sometimes, I question if she’s my daughter,” I said, teasingly.
There was no doubt Fran was mine by her looks alone. But I’d never been book smart. Hell, I had barely graduated high school. She got her brains from her mother, Shayla, who had been an ER nurse. I met her mother at twenty-one when I was taken to the ER with a stab wound. Shayla and I hit it off, and one thing led to another, and we slept together. One damn night and a mishap with the condom and suddenly my life had changed drastically.
“Oh, Fran is yours. You two have those sea-green eyes that stand out over your blond hair,” Grace said on a sigh before she eyed her brother, who was on the other side of the gym behind me. “Why don’t we have dinner when you return for good?”
My eyebrows came together. “Dinner? Are you asking me out, baby girl?”
Her tongue darted out to lick her lips, and for fuck’s sake, my body went into overdrive. “Is that a problem?”
I could hear Duke talking, but if I knew my friend, he had a way of multitasking and listening to two conversations at once. So I leaned into her ear. “You’re playing with fire.”
She giggled. “Are you afraid of my brother? He doesn’t have a say in who I see or have dinner with.”
I was flattered and pleasantly surprised she had an interest in me. I’d never gotten the vibe she did, or maybe I had been too into her to notice.
Nevertheless, I begged to differ, at least when it came to myself. No way would Duke accept me dating his sister. Ha, dating . That word wasn’t in my vocabulary.
I straightened. “What’s this about?”
I got the feeling she was as interested in me as I was in her. The silent interaction between Andie and Grace, as well as Grace cutting off her friend, was confirmation. Yet there must be something Grace wanted. She’d never been forward with me and had hardly even flirted with me.
“Can’t two friends have a bite to eat?” she asked.
I guided her chin upward. “I’m not just any friend.”
Her sparkling brown eyes flickered with mischief. “Fine, I need help with something that I don’t want my brothers, especially Duke, to know about.”
And there it was. “Does this have anything to do with the guy you shot?”
She flashed a ball-squeezing smile at me. “No, totally unrelated.”
Despite the way my body heated, I still wasn’t convinced. “Are you in danger?”
She shook her head. “Of course not. I need advice on something.” She waved me off.
“Forget I even asked.”
I could see by her cheeks reddening that she was embarrassed, but I also detected something I couldn’t put my finger on. What if she was in more trouble? Duke had told me on the phone that Grace was off her game and he would explain in more detail when he had time. If I brushed her off and something happened to her, I would feel like a fucker. Not to mention, Duke would hold me responsible.
She was about to pivot on her heel.
“Wait.”
She beamed like she’d won this round. Fuck. She had. She was playing me.
“It’s just advice?” I asked. “Nothing more?”
“What else would it be?”
I cocked an eyebrow. “I’m good at reading people and situations, Grace.”
“Fine,” she huffed. “Is it wrong that I like you?”
Hell, no. I was rejoicing inside. “In what way?”
Her cheeks reddened as she shrugged. “Never mind.”
We locked gazes for one, two, three beats before my mouth was near her ear. “We can never be more than friends. But, baby girl, I will not deny that you’re fucking beautiful and that I could get lost in you. Still, we both know that your brother would chop off my balls.” I felt a sting of pain in my groin just saying that.
Giggling, she whispered. “That wouldn’t be good.”
I straightened. “Look, if you’re truthful about wanting my advice, I want to be clear about something.”
“I’m not lying, Brian.” Her voice dropped an octave. “If you don’t want to listen, then I’ll find someone else.”
Oh, I would hear her out. My thick brain was more than curious about what she had to say. Whatever it was had to be something that would send Duke over the edge. Of that much, I was certain. Otherwise, she would’ve asked him or one of her other two brothers for help, Dillon in particular. She was closer to him than she was to Denim or Duke.
I had to wrap this up quickly because I could hear Duke finishing up his call. Not to mention, my damn groin wasn’t cooperating with Grace so close to me.
“Calm down,” I said. “I’ll listen. But I don’t keep secrets from Duke.”
Before she could respond, Duke called her name, shattering the bubble Grace and I were in. Whatever was happening between Grace and me, I had no doubt I was fucked, especially because of those big brown eyes and curves that would tempt a saint. I needed air and a shot of bourbon or, rather, a few bottles of the amber liquor.
She brushed my arm with her hand as she left me standing as stiff as a board, my mind whirling and the floor beneath me seemingly spinning.
I had to take a minute to gain my composure before I turned around. I was more relieved than ever that Duke had to postpone our reunion until later that evening. It would give me time to process Grace Hart’s intentions, if I even could.
“That was Kelton,” Duke said. “You have a meeting with the judge on Monday next week.”
Their voices droned on as I pulled out my phone to read the texts that had been pinging in my pocket for the last five minutes.
Sabine: We need to talk. Call me.
The second text was from Hunt: I just got word that all the background checks on the students at Oakwood Academy are clean. No need to worry. I should be arriving soon. I’ll update you later tonight.
I slumped my shoulders at Hunt’s text. Thank fuck. Arturo was the type to enroll any kid into the school to watch Fran.
Now to deal with Sabine. I typed out a text to her.
Me: Arturo told me about your night with him. No need to talk. Just make sure you’re present on Thursday when I hand the keys over to the new owner.
I didn’t want to hear about her sexcapades with the head of the Mexican cartel. I was damn happy that I made the decision to move out of Nashville. Then again, maybe I shouldn’t be. Given what had just transpired between Grace and me, I might be walking out of one fire and into a blazing inferno.