Chapter 17
Cooper
Marley swings open her door, face softening for only a second when she sees it’s me before rolling her eyes and waving me in.
“You could have called.”
I cock an eyebrow, walking past her and straight to her couch. Clothes are thrown all over it, and I toss some to the floor with a sigh. She may be my older sister, but she’s the messiest person I know. She’s also incredibly hard to get a hold of. “I did.”
She frowns, picking up her phone on the kitchen counter and then pinching her lips. “Oh. It’s dead.”
She drops it back down without even plugging it in, and moves to the other chair in her small living room.
I’ve been begging her to let me buy a house for the two of us, but she refuses.
Her pride will be her downfall one day, but I know better than to push her.
My eyes glance over the disheveled state of her room, trying to keep my face neutral.
I must fail because she says, “I’m fine. I don’t need anything.”
A sigh heaves out of my chest. “You’re always fine, but you never let me take care of you.”
Marley crosses her arms, resting her foot against her coffee table as she glares at me. “Because I’m the oldest. I can take care of myself.”
Nodding, I tongue my cheek and keep my attention on her instead. “Even after the two new hires? That had to cut down on your tips.”
She shrugs. “I can still manage.”
I glare. “You’re so fucking stubborn. I have more than enough to help take care of you.”
A smirk plays on the corner of her mouth, and she unfolds her arms to pick at the loose seam of her chair. “You sure? You might not soon from what I heard.”
I can’t hold back the groan that rumbles in my chest. This town and its fucking rumors. “What did you hear?”
“That you may have an omega to take care of soon.”
My hand rubs down my face. Fuck. I can’t believe that’s already spreading, and it’s before I’ve even had a chance to speak to Brielle about it.
Marley raises an eyebrow. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. I’ve seen Colt hanging round Kinsey and she was out for heat, so that only leaves Miss Barbie.”
I don’t miss the disdain in her voice. My lips pinch together, feeling protective of Brielle.
“Why do you say it like that?”
“Like what?”
“All snotty. Miss Barbie. You don’t like her?”
Marley is quiet for a moment, looking out the window before she sighs. “I don’t know her well. I just—Cooper, she’s a city girl through and through. You sure she’s gonna stick around?”
My heart sinks. I know where her distrust comes from.
Our mom was left by my dad, and it broke her.
I’m not sure why she thought an alpha who walked out on his previous family would stick around, but she did.
And Marley has been wary of relationships ever since.
It makes sense, since her dad died when she was little.
She can’t blame him for not being around, but my dad, it was his choice to leave and leave two small children who looked up to him.
“Jax hasn’t left,” I say, prodding the sore spot gently.
She huffs, crossing her arms. “She’s not Jax. He’s a nomad. She’s…a flight risk.”
I shrug. “Maybe. Maybe not. It’s my mistake to make.”
Her nose wrinkles. “I wouldn’t be a big sister if I didn’t try to protect you.”
“All while not letting me help you. We’re all family.”
She rolls her eyes and then frowns a little. “Have you spoken to Mom lately?”
Guilt hardens like a rock dropped in my stomach. “Not since the last time she asked for money. You?”
My sister pinches her lips and shakes her head. “I told her the last time that if she didn’t complete the rehab program, I wasn’t going to help anymore.”
I swallow. “I can give her a call.”
Marley narrows her stare. “You know you don’t have to be everyone’s savior. Just because you’ve been blessed to make more than any of us in this town could have dreamed of…doesn’t mean you should give it back.”
I know what she’s saying is true, but it doesn’t feel like it.
Colt has had to earn every dollar he made, same with Marley.
And yet I feel like money is just handed over to me.
As far back as I can remember, my two older siblings took care of everything before I even had a chance to help.
“Just trying to do my part,” I say meekly.
She sighs. “Coop, I love you. But for once, I’d love for you to do something for you, and not something you think others want.”
I keep my gray hoodie tucked over my baseball cap.
Maybe if I’m lucky, no one will see me coming up to the inn.
It’s been nearly a week since I’ve seen her.
Most of the ranch has been busy covering for Colt, Dallas, and Brooks while they take care of their omega’s heat.
I can breathe easier as I approach the door and knock.
It’s not so early in the morning that I feel I’d be intruding on her sleep, but it’s early enough to avoid the main traffic of everyone heading to work.
After a few minutes, I knock again and glance around, hoping there aren’t neighbors in the other rooms. I’m just about to give up and head back to my truck when the door flings open.
Brielle stands with her golden hair tousled in a sleepy mess, her body swallowed in oversized sweats and a t-shirt. Her eyes pierce me with a glare before she blinks rapidly a few times, and pink plump lips open with a gasp. Then the door is just as quickly slammed in my face.
I stare at it for a few seconds before knocking again. “Brielle? Let me in before someone sees me. Please.”
It cracks open, and her hand reaches out to grip my wrist. “Keep your eyes closed until I make myself presentable.”
She yanks me into the room before I can respond and shoves me onto the bed. She snaps her fingers in my face when I tilt my head to look up at her. “Eyes shut!”
I grab her hand, pulling her into my lap as she lets out a little yelp. I slide my hold up to her waist and our lips brush as I rest my face next to hers. “Never. If I could, there would never be a day where I don’t get to stare at your endless beauty.”
Brielle’s heartbeat picks up under my fingertips, and her blonde ringlets quiver as she shakes her head. “Cooper.”
“You’re so pretty, Sunshine.”
Her fingers slide up to my face and then she removes the cap from my head, tossing it onto the floor as she crushes her mouth to mine.
I moan against her lips, the explosion of sweet tangerine has my cock hardening instantly.
I’ve never tasted anything so good. She moves, straddling me more as my hands explore her sides and brush against the underside of her breasts.
Brielle gasps, pulling away slightly, yanking my head back to stare down at me.
“Don’t start something you can’t finish, Cowboy. Mama has needs, and you better meet them.”
I grin, chasing her lips to nip at them. “Whatever you need, baby. I’ll gladly give it. You want my knot, Omega? I’ll have you begging for it in no time.”
Her eyes widen, and her scent thickens around us. “That’s a big promise. My last heat I had—”
With a growl, I spin us and drop her onto the bed as I fit my body over hers. “Don’t speak about other alphas.”
A giggle escapes her, and her fingers trail up my chest to play with the strings of my hoodie. “Oh, jealousy. Hot. I like it.”
“You enjoy riling us up?” I raise an eyebrow.
Her teeth dig into her bottom lip as she nods, and her leg notches higher on my hips, pressing my hard cock snugly against her center. “Makes me feel wanted.”
I know she’s teasing, but there’s a truth lingering in her tone that pierces my heart. I lean down, kissing her jaw down to the crook of her neck. My teeth scrape her skin as goosebumps pebble under my lips. “You’re so wanted, Brielle. Me, Duke, and even that grumpy ass Maverick.”
Her fingers claw at my shoulder as she laughs. “He’s not that bad. I definitely have my moments too.”
“But you’re cute, so your little tempers are cute too.”
I slide her shirt up and my cock throbs at the sight of her perky tits. They’re like perfect round melons, a handful size. “Oh god. You’re so perfect it hurts to look at you sometimes.”
She laughs. “I’m far from perfect. What about you? You’re so handsome and so famous you have to come in incognito.”
I kiss the small valley between her breasts, savoring the taste of her skin as I drag my tongue along until I reach a hard tip. “That was for your benefit.”
Her fingers tangle in my hair, pulling at my scalp. “My benefit?” she asks, a little breathless. The sultry moan is like a live wire to my hindbrain, my alpha rearing up to demand I claim her right here and now.
“Some of my fans can be a little possessive…”
Brielle sits up, staring down at me with squinted eyes. “Are you saying you don’t think I can fight? I’ll fight.” She leans closer, running her nose down my neck. “Because you smell like mine, Cooper.”
A shudder courses over my skin and I wrap my arms around her, rocking my hard cock against her center. “I want nothing more than to be yours.”
Her fingers drag up my chest to toy with the strings of my hoodie. “Fuck me then. Fuck me, and go back to your job smelling like me.”
I groan, dropping my head onto the pillow. “You are a dangerous woman. You want Maverick and Duke to kill me?”
A smirk quirks on her mouth. “Kill? Of course not. Fight a little? Sure. Who wouldn’t love to be fought over? Makes me giddy.”
“You’re trouble, you know?”
“I might have heard something like that before,” she mutters, leaning down to kiss me again.
I tangle my fingers into her hair, deepening our kiss before sliding my hands down and under her t-shirt.
She sits up, tugging it off and throwing it on the floor before pulling at the end of the sweatshirt for me to do the same.
It takes less time for us to strip out of our clothes than it did for her to answer the door.
I fall back onto the mattress and Brielle crawls over me again.
“You sure?” I ask, stifling a groan when her wet pussy brushes against my thigh. Her slick smears across my skin.