Play It Safe(51)

“Is your plan to ignore it?” I whispered like whoever was out there might hear me if I didn’t.

“If that’s possible,” Gray replied not in a whisper.

We stayed locked together and silent, our eyes to his bedroom door.

Another knock came, even louder and the caller knocked for longer.

“Shit,” he clipped, rolled me to my back then let me go and rolled out of bed.

Guess it wasn’t possible to ignore it.

He tagged a random, dirty, long-sleeved tee from the floor and tugged it over his head.

He was still pulling it down his chest when his eyes came to me and he ordered, “Don’t move. I’ll be back.”

“I’ll be here.”

His eyes held mine then they moved down the length of me, they heated and then my cheeks heated.

Another knock came at the door.

“Shit,” he bit out, turned on his foot and stalked out the door.

I pulled myself up, rearranged the pillows so they were behind my back and then bent down to grab the plate.

It was on my thighs and I was munching, still careful of the crumbs no matter what Gray said, when I heard it.

“I do not deal with you, motherfucker, I deal with my sister!”

My body locked.

Casey.

Why on earth was he shouting and what was he doing here?

And how did he even know where Gray lived?

I hadn’t seen him since he took off from the diner. Neither of us had cells, we couldn’t afford them. But he knew where I worked and told me he’d pop by. He didn’t and I got so busy with work, Gray and happily living a normal life, I had to admit, I didn’t really think about it.

In fact, truth be told (guilty truth), I was kind of enjoying the break.

Now he was here and shouting.

Then he shouted more.

“Stand aside, goddamn it, and let me see my sister!”

I put the plate on the bed, rolled out quickly and hustled on a jog-run out of the room, down the hall then halfway down the stairs.

It was only halfway because I saw Gray standing, blocking Casey at the front door but Casey caught the movement on the stairs, his eyes came to me and the minute he saw me his face twisted in fury so ugly, I froze on a step.

“She’s wearin’ nothin’ but your shirt,” he whispered, his eyes sliding to Gray.

Gray’s head turned and his eyes came to me.

“My sister is wearin’ nothin’ but your shirt,” Casey semi-repeated and Gray’s head started to turn back to Casey but not fast enough.

I sucked in breath then cried out, “Casey, no!” as Gray’s moment of inattention put him off-guard giving Casey the opportunity to get the drop on him and he did. Casey dipped a shoulder and lunged. Catching Gray in his chest, he powered him back five steps.

That was all he got.

My breath clean left me as, swiftly, efficiently and with experience clearly borne of lots of practice, Gray’s body rolled away from Casey’s shoulder. Casey went flying, righted himself quickly, turned, immediately stepped toward Gray and aimed a punch at him. Gray dodged it but came back swinging and caught Casey on the jaw with a vicious blow. While Casey was reeling, Gray moved in, now dropping his shoulder. He caught Casey in the belly and didn’t push him back. He lifted him up, turned on a bare foot and, with long, fast strides, he walked out the door.

I raced after them and hit the cold outside, dashing down the porch, watching Gray bounce Casey up and over at the end of the porch sending my brother flying to land on his behind, back and elbows into the cold snow beside Gray’s cleared front walk.

Oh God.

That had to hurt, not only his body but his pride.

I plastered my front to the side of Gray’s back and stared down at my brother, completely at a loss of what to do.

“Get inside, darlin’,” Gray ordered on a growl and my head snapped back to look up at his profile, seeing his angry eyes locked on my brother, his entire face hard with fury.

“You fuckin’ slut!” Casey shouted, Gray’s already tense body went rock-solid and my eyes flew to my brother who was scrambling back on all fours, snow flying all around then he pushed up to his feet and kept shouting. “You fuckin’ whore!”

Gray’s fury escalated sharply, so much so it filled the cold air with crackling electricity. He came unlocked and started advancing but my arms quickly circled him and got tight so he stopped.

“Casey, don’t,” I whispered.

“I don’t believe this!” Casey was still yelling. “I don’t fuckin’ believe this shit!”

“Casey, don’t,” I begged.

“Take my eye off you for a week, a fuckin’ week, and you’re on your back for a fuckin’ cowboy!” Casey clipped.

“Gray means something to me. We’re seeing each other and he means something to me,” I returned, feeling Gray’s body tense again but my attention was focused on my brother.