A bereft sound slipped from Lydia’s lips as Chance pulled out, too, and rose from the chaise. After she quickly wiped off the lube, he helped Lydia into the sheer, silky robe she’d worn downstairs, noting that it really didn’t cover much. The scent of sex hung in the air, and Chance fought the wave of irritation that threatened to ruin his sex-induced endorphin rush. Dealing with an angry brother had not been on his post-ménage agenda.
A big fist pounded on the front door, and Chance strode from the room to answer it once they all had on their robes. Keeping Ace waiting was probably not in their best interest. He turned his head to check on Lydia standing in the entry to the living room as he opened the door. He never saw the fist that slammed into his jaw a split second before pain erupted and everything went black.
* * * *
Lydia screamed when Chance jackknifed back from the door and landed flat on his back on the tiled entryway. He laid there motionless as she ran to him, her knees colliding painfully with the cold, hard floor. The tingle and throb of heightened awareness faded to be replaced by mounting irritation that this was the aftermath of her first ménage experience. More tires screeched on the concrete outside as the scent of rain-soaked air wafted through the opened door.
Clayton hovered over the two of them for a second and then stood between them and the front door.
“Just who in the hell do you think you are, Webster?”
Ace growled in that menacing way he had that struck fear in the hearts of men and made her want to slug him back as he yelled, “I’m one pissed-off big brother. That’s my baby sister you’re taking advantage of. How am I supposed to act?”
In a trademark, lightning-speed jab to the jaw she probably should’ve warned both men about, Ace laid Clayton out cold alongside his brother.
Lydia heard the distinct sound of a woman clearing her throat and wondered what was next. She couldn’t help the tears that overflowed as she tenderly touched Chance’s swelling jaw and then the already enlarging puffiness under Clayton’s left eye.
The very angry-sounding woman replied on Lydia’s behalf, “Oh, I don’t know, you big ignoramus. Maybe try acting like an adult instead of a thug?” The woman made a disgusted sound and then shoved Ace out of the way like he was a twink. It didn’t escape Lydia’s notice that he allowed her to.
The blonde woman came closer and knelt down to Lydia as she crouched in her barely there cover-up, which was meant to entice, not hide anything. The woman was beautiful, dressed impeccably from her tailored top down to the high heels on her feet.
Ace defensively replied, “They were fucking my sister. I did what any red-blooded big brother would do!”
She looked at Lydia sympathetically and then a glitter came into her eyes before she turned back to Ace. “Which is what? Act like a great, big jackass?”
“They were right there!” Ace pointed into the living room where the double chaise lounge now sat, the large bath sheet in disarray. “I could see them through the window, fucking!”
Ace gave a full-body shudder and scrubbed his face and eyes with his hands like he’d just seen something disgusting. She wanted to kick him in the balls. Hard.
Appearing outraged, the blonde stood and rounded on Ace as Kemp walked in behind him—joy of joys. If Lydia hadn’t been so upset she might have enjoyed the moment as the woman got right in Ace’s face.
“Do you mean to tell me that you interrupted their ménage? You interrupted their ménage? You?” She hollered the last word, and some secret, unspoken communication occurred between them in the next few seconds.
Kemp closed the front door behind him and shook his head. “I wish you’d answered your phone, Ace. We could’ve talked this out so there wouldn’t be any of this mess to deal with. You should’ve listened when Summer tried to tell you.”
“Summer, what they were doing was inappropriate!”
Summer’s mouth popped open, and she put her thumb and pinky to her face as if making a call and said, “Hello, pot? This is the kettle. Did you know you’re black?”
“But—but it’s different for us! We’re engaged—”
Continuing with her “call,” Summer held up one professionally manicured fingertip to interrupt him. “Oh! I see! You know you’re black. You’re just a different, more acceptable shade of black. My mistake.”
Summer growled at him and made a fist then turned away from him to crouch down by Lydia again. By this point Chance and Clayton were starting to come around, probably due to all the yelling, and Summer tsked as she checked Chance’s jaw and Clayton’s eye. To Lydia, she said, “Honey, they both look like they’re going to be okay. Kemp will keep Ace from beating on them anymore. Let’s get you upstairs and into some clothes, okay?”