Page 20 of Mischief Mayhem
“Just talking shop.” Dad kissed my temple. “How was your day? Did you go see Pollux?”
“He’s excited to come home,” I said.
“I swung by this morning,” Dad said. “He told me the same.”
We caught up for a few more moments before I headed over to the bar for a drink. Still feeling rocky from the previous night, I opted for a bottle of water, sliding the fridge door open so I could grab one from the bottom row.
My skin prickled like someone was watching me, and I didn’t have to glance up to know who. Hollywood had tracked me the moment I’d walked over, his dark gaze raking down my body and back up again. When I glanced at him, he pulled his lips into a smile around the top of his beer, not bothering to hide his obvious perusal.
My pulse sped up, my stomach fluttering with butterflies as a tremble raced down my spine and back up again.
No, I reminded myself. Off-limits. Danger, danger.
“Hey, V,” Bear said, raising an eyebrow in my direction. “Riddle me this . . . where’d you get twenty-five hundred dollars to blow on a few hours of Hollywood’s time?”
“That’s not a riddle,” I said, twisting off the top of the bottle so I could take a drink of cool aqua and wash down the scalding shame of how I spent Valentine’s Day.
“Answer the question,” he said. “Imagine my surprise when I learned my baby sister got into a bidding war over my best friend.”
Hollywood kept his casual stance, leaning on the bar with his elbow, his forearm raised so he could rest his cheek on his palm. Like that, he resembled a lazy male lion that had snoozed while the others caught his meal for him.
Too bad I’m a lioness, Hollywood. I’ll just claw back.
“I’m not a baby,” I reminded my brother. “And I thought we agreed we wouldn’t talk about how I made my money.”
Bear grimaced before taking another drink.
“Aww,” KC cut in, reaching across the bar to chuck me on the chin, a proverbial older brother despite him being my cousin. “My little baby cam-star cousin, all grown up.”
“Hmm.” I took another drink, zeroing my gaze in on Hollywood, who had let this go on despite his part in what had happened last night. I couldn’t help teasing him. “What about you, Hudson? Am I a baby to you, too?”
He smirked, pulling one side of his mouth into a grin. “You’re definitely no baby, V.”
“Hey!” Bear punched Hollywood’s arm.
“What? She’s hot.” Hollywood balked and held up his hands, feigning innocence. “She knows she’s hot, and she’s not my sister, thank fucking fuck.”
“Jesus fucking Christ.” Bear rolled his eyes and shook his head. “You want to beat him now, KC, or wait until he’s toasted?”
KC only shook his head and sighed. “Hollywood thinks everyone is hot, Bear. Let the man have some peace.”
Hollywood winked at me, smiled, and finished the rest of his beer in a single gulp.
“Besides, I’m still a born-again virgin.” He slammed the empty bottle down and threw his head back to let out a wolfish howl. “Eight months and counting, baby!”
I laughed, trying to keep up appearances as my skin burned and my heart pounded. We’d gotten too close last night, much too close, and I had to keep my guard up in order to make sure it didn’t happen again.
“Aww, c’mon, Hollywood,” Chelsea said, appearing out of nowhere to wrap her arm around his shoulders and press her obnoxiously fake tits against his bicep. “It must be a throbbing mess by now. Let me kiss it better.”
Time slowed as she raised her hand to bring it toward his lap, reaching down like she meant to grab his cock right there at the bar in front of the rest of us. A fiery stab went through me and I reacted before I could stop myself. I reached out and snatched her wrist in a vise grip, sinking my nails into her skin so hard I’d leave marks.
“Don’t touch him,” I snarled, leaning over the bar to get in her face. “Don’t ever fucking touch him again. You understand?”
For a moment, everyone stared. Chelsea dropped her jaw, widening her eyes like she didn’t know how to react. Most of the time, I ignored the hang-arounds. They came and went, and only if they married one of the brothers did I consider the idea that they might become family. But this bitch had touched Hollywood without his permission for the last time or I would tear her Goddamned throat out with my teeth.
“And who the fuck are you?” Chelsea finally said, trying to yank her arm away from me. “His mother?”
I cackled at her audacity, the heat of furious challenge rising inside my gut. “No, I’m the bitch that’s gonna beat your face in for touching people without their consent.”