Her jaw fell open. “Are you kidding me? It’s been weeks since I pointed out how outdated that piece of junk is! How have you not fixed it yet?” It was her turn to shake her head in disgust. “You should be on top of this stuff. You were an Army Ranger, Parker!”
“Exactly,” he snapped back. “And so were Jack and Dean and Colby. And don’t get me started on how deadly Gillian is. The five of us can protect this building in our sleep. We don’t need goddamn cameras to tell us when there’s a threat.”
Pepper’s gaze shifted back to the damaged car. “Well, the camera could have told you that I didn’t fucking do this.”
“Sure, little sis. If you say so.”
Anger bubbled in her gut. “Don’t you dare use that condescending tone with me, big brother. I didn’t hit anything, but damn it, believe what you want, okay? I’ll pay to have it fixed regardless.”
Parker shook his head in irritation. “Why don’t you go home? I’ll talk to Jack when he gets back from his job and take care of the damages.”
“I’ll talk to him myself. He’s my boyfriend.”
“And he’s my best friend.”
They stared each other down, tensions rising as their heated gazes clashed.
“Go home, Pepper,” Parker said in an ominous voice.
“No way.” She scowled hard at him. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Jack could almost see the thunder clouds brewing over them as the siblings stood together in the parking lot. Pepper had both fists planted on her hips, and Parker’s arms were folded into a wall. Jack had seen them in that position a hundred times over the years, and the aggressive standoff raised his hackles.
“They never fucking stop,” he muttered to Dean.
“They’re both too stubborn.” Dean’s tone was absentminded as he backed the car into a parking space, setting up like he usually did for a quick getaway.
Jack glanced at his friend. “You’ve been awfully quiet tonight. Something on your mind?”
The other man shook his head, then let loose a cocky grin. “Are you ready to go rescue your girlfriend from her overbearing big brother?”
Jack sighed. “Hey, we both know Parker’s not that bad.”
“I’d still fuck you first.”
Jack snickered as they made their way across the parking lot, but the humor faded fast when Parker turned on him with a grave expression.
“Something wrong?” Jack said warily.
His friend hesitated.
“I need to talk to you,” Pepper interjected.
Jack moved toward her, pausing for a second before figuring, screw it. He wanted to kiss his girlfriend hello, and Parker would have to get used to the fact that his little sister and his best friend were going to—
He’d just reached for her when he noticed the crumpled back end of the car. A single curse escaped before he slammed his lips together.
“I swear I didn’t do it,” Pepper blurted out. “Someone must’ve driven into the parking lot and hit the corner turning around, but I’ll pay for it to be fixed. I know it looks bad, but really, it’s not my fault.”
It was a hollow pit in his stomach as he moved to examine the damages. It was just a car. Even if Pepper had totaled it while driving, it wasn’t as if it were the end of the world. A wild mishmash of thoughts raced through his brain, but he couldn’t seem to spit the words out.
All he could think of were the hours spent with his dad. Restoring and painting and working on the car. The only memories he had from his youth that were at all happy, and it didn’t matter that it was just a car. Somehow family was wrapped up in it.
Pepper was back, threading her arms around him as she pressed her head to his chest, her voice soft. “I’m so sorry.”
“You don’t have to pay for anything,” Parker said, stepping in and laying a hand on Jack’s shoulder. “We’ll cover the repairs out of DreamMakers’ expenses.”
Jack frowned. “I have insurance. I’ll fix it myself.”
Parker stiffened, the disapproving gaze he let fall on Pepper all too clearly stating what he thought. The man obviously believed his sister was to blame.
Jack shook his head. “It’s okay. Don’t worry about it,” he insisted.
“I’ll take care of it,” Parker replied firmly.
Jack tensed as the whirlwind woman made of fire and passion who he’d become so attached to lifted her head and glared evilly at her brother. “Do you think I’m stupid as well as everything else? Why don’t you just come out and tell Jack you think I’m a liar?”
“Pepper,” Jack said in warning. His brain and heart hurt too much to deal with another round of bickering at the moment.
She took a half step away from him, looking at him in disbelief. “Are you taking his side? Again? Like all the other times when he thinks I’ve done something childish?”
“No one is saying you’ve done anything,” Parker began. “But right now you’re acting damn childish.”