Page 52 of Dirty Secrets
“Like I said, you didn’t know him. He’d rather she died a virgin than anyone ever touch her.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to remind him that his friend had been a typical thirteen-year-old boy when he’d died, but I didn’t bother. I couldn’t change his mind.
“Let me date her then.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Give me a good reason,” I scoffed, lighting a cigarette and handing another to him. “I’d never hurt her, push her, or cheat on her. I’ve known her since she was what, fifteen? You guys know you can trust me with her.”
“Josh would’ve hated you. You stalked her and somehow convinced us to like you enough to let you move in. We let you sleep beside her, don’t ruin that,” he said tensely, and I sighed as I shook my head a little.
“I don’t think you’re grasping what’s coming, dude. She’s going to snap, and we’ll all be out on our asses.”
“She can’t kick us out. She can’t afford the place on her own.”
“Well, when she brings home someone who isn’t afraid of you and can help her with the house, don’t say I didn’t warn you. You’ll be wishing you’d just let me fucking love her then,” I said dryly as I stood, dusting my pants off.
Reid was quiet for a second before standing, meeting my eye. “It’s not that I don’t trust you with her, but I can’t watch you two be together. She doesn’t even like you like that.”
I gave him a wry smile. “You know that’s bullshit. She spends half the day staring at my abs.”
“Then put them the fuck away,” he gritted out, blowing out a breath to calm himself. “I can’t have her, but I can’t let her go.”
“That makes you an asshole. I’d hate to see her with you, but I’d be willing to get over it if I had to. I can respect your loyalty to her brother, I really can, but don’t you see how badly you’re hurting her?”
“She can’t miss what she’s never had.”
“She can. Between what she’s seen us do over the years, and the way others talk about sex and love, she’s pining after those feelings. Raven craves affection, you know that. It’s why we’ve been sleeping beside her for all these years. We don’t get that needy with touch and affection because we fuck around and get that intimacy from strangers regularly. She doesn’t. She’s going to end up sneaking around and doing it unsafely if you keep pushing this with her.”
“I’ll kill any man who puts their damn dick near her, you included. Drop it, Lopez,” he growled, but there was a strain in his voice that hadn’t been there before.
Hopefully, it meant he was listening to what I was saying and was thinking about it.
“I wouldn’t just fuck her, Reid. I want to take her out and show her the right way women?—”
“I know, just stop,” he said tiredly, finishing his cigarette and tossing the butt on the ground. “Let’s go home. I don’t want to fight with you, and I know I’m an irrational dick when I haven't slept.”
“How many years since you last slept then?” I joked, and he flipped me the middle finger as we headed towards the hole in the fence.
I drove since he looked ready to fall asleep, and I had to nudge him awake when I parked the Challenger in the driveway behind Logan’s car.
The house was quiet when we walked inside, and then I heard a giggle. Reid glanced at me, already walking in the direction of the hallway. “It’s only six-thirty. Why are they awake?”
I followed, Reid not bothering to knock before opening Logan’s bedroom door, finding Logan and Raven wrestling on the bed, Raven straddling him as she tried to pin him down.
“What are you doing?” Reid asked dryly, both of them jerking their eyes to us.
Raven slowly moved to sit beside him, but Logan grinned. “I’m teaching Rae how to take down guys who try to touch her. We need to work on her upper body strength, I feel like I’m being attacked by a rabbit.”
“Is that right?” Reid asked, suddenly diving at them to tackle Raven himself, her squeal of surprise ringing through the house.
“Get him, Rae!” Logan encouraged as he laughed, attempting to help her take Reid down. It took Logan holding him down so Raven could straddle him to try and keep him down, but she knew if Reid fought her for real that she had no hope.
“You need more practice,” Reid smirked, and she swatted his chest.
“I’m winning!”
“Because I’m letting you.” He flipped them so he had her pinned down, amusement in his tone. “Start working out with me and maybe you’d have a better chance.”