She came three more times before her eyes began to drift closed, and she struggled to keep them open. “Thank fuck,” I groaned, pistoning my hips as I finally let go and found relief.
Out of breath, I fell onto my side, taking her with me. Locking my arms and legs around her small body, I held her close for a long while. I wasn’t sure how much time passed before I untangled myself from around her and tucked the covers up to her chin. She made a little mewling sound as she buried her head deeper into the pillow.
Dropping a kiss on her brow, I stood, pulled off the full condom, and fixed my clothes. After disposing of the used contraceptive, I grabbed all of her clothes and shoved them into a garbage bag. Finding the lighter in the kitchen, I opened the front door, ready to burn Delaney’s clothes in the parking lot, only to come face-to-face with Lexa and Tavia.
My biological sister looked down at what was in my hands, her dark brows lifting toward the sky. “What are you doing, little brother?”
I shrugged. “Going to have a bonfire in the parking lot.”
“That’s her shit, huh?” I didn’t answer, and she smirked. “I guess if you want to keep someone inside, that’s better than handcuffs. Unless they don’t care to walk around naked.”
Tavia huffed disapprovingly. “You’re already fucking it up, dumbass. You don’t keep a girl by forcing her to stay.” She grabbed the bag out of my hand while Lexa pushed me back inside the apartment. Once they were both across the threshold, Tavia slammed the door shut. “We’re here to make sure you don’t lose Delaney. Now, sit down and listen.”
I just stood there, glaring at them both. “It’s because of you two that she thinks we shouldn’t be together. You made her think you don’t approve of her and that she’s not good enough.”
They shared a quick look.
“We didn’t mean to,” Lexa assured me as she moved farther into the living room. “We were just so happy to see you with someone who isn’t some slutty sorority bitch. I admit we came on a little strong when we tried to talk to her, but Nova set us straight, and we backed off to give her time to breathe.”
“Well, now she thinks you don’t like her, and she’s convinced herself that she’s not good enough for me.” I tried to grab the garbage bag from Tavia, but she was a quick little thing and jumped behind Lexa. “Damn it, Tav. I’m just trying to keep her from leaving me.”
“Back up.” Lexa waved her hands in a rewind kind of motion. “Did you just say that sweet girl thinks she isn’t good enough for you?”
“You heard me just fine,” I snapped at her, my frustration bleeding through.
She burst out laughing. “Hell, we came just in time, Tavia.”
“I know,” the younger woman agreed, shaking her head in mock despair. “I’m glad we told the husbands to hold back and let us talk to him first.”
“Fuck,” I muttered to myself, not looking forward to either of my brothers-in-law knocking on my door. Knowing I had little choice but to hear what my sisters had to say unless I wanted to physically put them outside—which would only lead to bloodshed that I wasn’t confident wouldn’t be my own staining my carpets—I dropped onto the couch. “Okay, get on with it. Spit out what you want to say and then send in the sheriff and the Russian crime lord.”
“Hmph,” Tavia said with a shake of her head. “You make it sound like our husbands are the scary ones. When it’s us you need to worry about kicking your ass.”
“Definitely!” Lexa agreed as the two of them moved so they were standing side by side and glaring down at me. “And we don’t even have anything to say to you, anyway. Nova told us all about your plan to have Jack turn poor Delaney away if she showed up. You’re lucky we didn’t rat you out to Mom or Aunt Gracie. Otherwise, they would have shown up here and already kicked your balls into your throat.”
“You came to talk to Delaney?” They both nodded, and I relaxed. “Good. You two can talk her out of leaving. But if you hurt her feelings again, or say anything that makes her want to leave me even more than she already does, I’ll never speak to either of you again.”
“Damn, that sounds like a great reason to do just that,” Lexa muttered to Tavia. “Too bad I already like this Delaney girl.”
Tavia elbowed her in the side. “Don’t even joke about this. I know what it’s like to feel all alone in the world. I refuse to do anything to make her feel even worse just to score points off this idiot.”
Remorse filled my older sister’s eyes. “You’re right. I’m sorry.” Leaning down, she grabbed my arm and tugged. “Ben and Theo are waiting outside. They need to speak to you.”
“Great,” I grumbled. “Are they going to kick my ass?”
“As much fun as that would be to watch, no,” Tavia informed me. “Gian recognized a name that got thrown out when all hell was breaking loose between you and Kelli earlier. Don’t ask me who or what it is about. Theo doesn’t tell me anything when it comes to ‘business.’” She rolled her eyes as she made air quotes at the last word. “But it seemed important, so you need to go deal with them before they drag your ass out there for this little powwow.”
The only name I could remember being mentioned earlier was when Kelli had brought up Tony Garcia. Anger hit me hard just thinking the bastard’s name, but I turned at the door, staring my sisters down. “I mean it. You two better not make so much as a single tear fall from her pretty eyes. And if my treasure isn’t
