Chapter 18
ZEB
“You and Cammie? How’d that come about?” Buck asked.
My brothers were all here. Every single one. I’d sent a group text letting everyone know we were coming for the break. Together.
In the few hours since I sent that, they’d run wild with the word together. Since five of my siblings had met their person and four of them had married since April–Cam and Taylor hadn’t tied the knot yet–and were all expecting babies, it was pretty obvious what I meant.
Since I was the youngest, and only twenty, it’d probably come as a little bit of a surprise. To be honest, I was fucking thrilled I found Cammie now. I couldn’t imagine having to wait another fourteen years to be with her like Trig had to with Ellie.
The only one who seemed to freak over me bringing a girl home with me from school was Beau. It made sense for him to watch out for his little sister and I was prepared for him to be less than thrilled about Cammie being with me. Or anyone, for that matter.
The rifle was really fucking over the top, but again, knowing how he protected and took care of Lainey, I wasn’t surprised he acted the same way with his sister.
I went over to him and told him the deal.
It wasn’t for anyone else to hear so I kept my voice low.
Told him I was in love with Cammie and was marrying her.
That, like him with Lainey when they first met, it was my turn to take care of Cammie now and that if he ever disrespected what we’re doing together as anything less than true devotion, he could fuck off.
Buck nudged my arm.
“She’s my tutor for genetics class,” I told him, then added, “I first thought she was a guy.”
My brothers swiveled around to stare at the closed front door, where the women had already gone, because Cammie looked nothing like a guy.
“Her name’s Cameron. I assumed my tutor was a he, not a she,” I explained with a shrug and a grin, remembering.
“Mom thought she was having a boy,” Beau said. I nodded, because that was what Cammie told me.
“Spit it out, Zeb. What’s really going on here?” Colt asked. “If she’s yours, no way would you waste any time in this house with your parents as chaperones–”
Beau growled at what Colt was insinuating, but he ignored him.
“–and stay at your house off campus where you can be alone.”
I turned to him. He wasn’t dressed in his sheriff’s uniform, but in jeans and a jacket, but his arms were crossed over his chest and he had the law enforcement look on his face.
“You okay, son?” Pops asked, stepping next to me and setting a hand on my shoulder.
“Chase Trout,” I said.
All the guys groaned, then glared.
“What the fuck happened with him?” Colt wondered.
“He’s on the team with me. We were at a party and he confronted Cammie.”
“Where the fuck were you?” Beau asked, taking a step toward me.
“Right there. Chill. Cammie says she saw him after the game yesterday selling drugs. He approached her to warn her not to talk about it because no one was gonna believe her.”
“You’re here to steer clear of him?” Bray asked.
He had no love for Chase’s father because the older Trout had been fucking with Katie before they married, attempting to force her to sell him her ranch.
Stupid shit like blocking water access and suing her for stupid things that forced her to spend her meager money on legal fees.
“That family is fucked in the head,” Cam added.
“I’m here because he hooked up with her roommate last night and he showed up with her in their dorm room. Chase knows where Cammie lives and now has access.”
“We can’t bring him down without any proof,” Colt reminded.
“I don’t know what I’m gonna do, but I wanted her out of there.”
“You did good, son. You know she’s safe here.” Pops tipped his chin. “Saddle up Shadow and Pike. Take her for a ride before dinner,” he suggested.
It was early still. The weather was decent, had been all weekend. And instead of sharing her with my entire, overbearing family, I got her to myself a little while. My dick liked the suggestion, too. “Good idea.”