Savor the Danger

“No.” She stopped him by raising an imperious hand. She pointed a finger at the food she’d brought him and gave a succinct order. “Eat.”

No one gave him orders.

Jackson considered her. She’d left her rich boyfriend in the dust. She’d freely defended him to her brother.

She’d slept with him, whether he remembered it or not.

Overall, he was pretty damn happy with her, so he gave her a salute. “Yes, darlin’. Whatever you say.”

CHAPTER THREE

IN THE KITCHEN, Alani turned on the radio. Loud.

Accommodating them? Or tuning them out?

Didn’t matter. Jackson sat forward. “Let me blow this up your skirt— I’ve met the bastard.”

Dare raised a brow. “Her boyfriend?”

“Her ex-boyfriend. And yeah. He knows me, knows my face and first name.”

“How the hell did that happen?”

Jackson flagged a hand. “I was chasing her, nothing new in that.”

Trace snarled. “And you met him?”

“Yeah. Unless he’s dumber than I think, he felt the chemistry between Alani and me.” Jackson challenged Trace. “It’s there and you know it.”

Crossing his arms over his chest, Trace turned to Dare. “Jackson’s been dogging her heels for a while now.”

Dare looked between them. “You knew about this?”

“Yeah.” Letting out a breath, Trace rubbed the back of his neck. “I knew.”

“Wasn’t a secret,” Jackson said. “I told him. But shit’s different now.”

Deadpan, Dare asked, “You think so?”

Everyone kept their voices low.

“Hell, I was just hoping to get her to redo my place for me so I could get closer to her.” Jackson ignored Dare’s raised brows and Trace’s annoyance. “But that didn’t work out, and I figured I was back to square one, and now—”

Trace cut him off. “Jackson was keeping tabs on her, too.”

That sounded bad, so Jackson explained. “With what she’s been through, I didn’t want the financier to do anything to make her uncomfortable.”

“Like chase her?” Dare asked.

The taunt put Jackson on edge. “Like pressuring her. And you can bet he did.” Could the financier have pressured her more than Jackson had just minutes ago? Shit.

“Why do you assume so?” Dare asked.

“Look at her!” This time Jackson thrust his hand toward the kitchen where, hopefully, Alani couldn’t hear them. “She’s so smokin’ hot, most guys wouldn’t be able to help themselves.”

Dare choked. “She’s the smaller, more female version of Trace.”

What an appalling thought. “Not even close,” Jackson denied. “You see her like a kid sister, same as Trace does.” Sure, they had the same coloring of pale hair and bright hazel eyes. That combo might be noticeable on Trace, but on Alani it was outright striking, fascinating every guy who met her. “I see her differently.”

Trace rolled his eyes. “But still you’re noble enough to give her space?”

“Uh…” He’d thought so. When she’d hesitated to be alone with him, shying away from his interest, he’d walked away rather than torture himself. But this morning he had awakened with her naked. And since then, knowing she’d wanted him enough to sleep with him, he’d been on the make big-time.

Trace and Dare waited.

Disgust at his heavy-handed tactics hit Jackson like a ton of bricks. “Butt out, damn it.”

“I should just kill you now and be done with it,” Trace grumbled.

Jackson ran a hand over his face. “Yeah, maybe.”

Dare coughed at that admission. “You trust him, Trace, and you know it.”

“With my back,” Trace snapped. “Not with my sister.”

Shaking his head at them both, Dare said, “Tell me about the meeting you had with the financier.”

“His name is Marc Tobin,” Trace said.

Jackson curled his lip. Even the guy’s name annoyed him. “I dropped in on her, but she was due for a date with the idiot, and I didn’t bow out in time.”

“Probably on purpose,” Trace accused.

Jackson shrugged. So he’d lingered. So what? “He showed up, and you know Alani. Always so polite.”

Dare choked. “She introduced the two of you?”

To Jackson’s mind, Dare’s humor was sadly misplaced. He gave one sharp nod. “Yeah.”

“Did you act like an ass?” Trace asked.

“You mean did I pulverize him? Nah.” But he’d wanted to. “I’m sure I mean-mugged him a little. He’s just so…slick, it was hard not to, you know?”

It surprised Jackson when Trace agreed. “Slick, and too rich.”

“You’re rich,” Jackson reminded him.

Dare reached over to slug him in the shoulder. “Take what you can get, will you?”