She looked towards the closed bedroom door, wishing she could be back in there instead of out here. Realizing there were two coffee mugs on the counter, she nonchalantly leaped to that part of the counter and slid one into the sink as Kaden kept raging. With any luck, he wouldn’t notice. “Really? No hello or good morning? You just bust in here and start bitching at me like the fun police? That’s pretty rude.”
“It’s more like afternoon. Be thankful I waited this long to come over.” Kaden huffed and glared at her. She wasn’t able to avoid his disapproving eyes on her. His face was red, and his nostrils flared with anger.
“Yeah, tell your wife thanks. I’m sure she wouldn’t let you come storming over here first thing.” She knew she was right by the stunned look on her brother’s face. “Have you been up all night stressing over this? I mean, it was your party. You should’ve been enjoying yourself. I left to avoid this.” She pointed between the two of them.
She didn’t think it was possible, but her brother’s face became even redder. His voice was stern. “Kassie, watch it. And this”—he mimicked her motion between them— “is unavoidable. And yes, I was up all night. Do you blame me? I was worried about my little sister!”
Bored with this argument, she sat back down at the counter. Kaden was pacing the kitchen now like a caged animal. Just as she was ready to snap back at Kaden, he stopped dead in his tracks and was staring at something behind her. Kaden’s eyes grew wider than she’d ever seen them before.
Shit. Please say he didn’t… She turned around to see that her fear was spot on.
“G’Morning, O’Conner.” Luc stood in the doorway of her kitchen, grinning an evil and delicious grin. He was shirtless, barefoot, and his jeans button was still undone, along with his belt. His t-shirt was tossed over his shoulder, allowing the tattoo by his groin to stick out like a sore thumb. “Or should I say good afternoon?”
“Oh my god…” Kassie dropped her head into her hands. There is going to be a duel to the death in the middle of my kitchen.
“Hey there, sweets.” Luc kissed her on her forehead before grabbing a donut and sitting down beside Kassie. With his mouth full of donut, he held out the partially-eaten donut and asked, “Donut, Kaden?”
“What in the hell? What is he doing here? And that’s the same shirt he had on last— Kassie, are you out of your damn mind? You’re not a bunny!” Kaden complained, once all the pieces fell into place.
“Why would you even say that? Are you worried about me or how I’d make you look if I was a bunny? Because all I ever think about is you and what will make you mad, or what will be okay to do in the big book of rules by Kaden? What is your problem, anyway? You’re the one who told me to bring a date or you were going to set me up with someone. So, I brought a date.”
Her brother was infuriating sometimes. She knew this conversation was going to happen when she stormed out of the party last night. Kaden had to flex his big brother muscles, but it was still aggravating. “And by the way, I am allowed to date whoever I want.”
“Well, if she’s doing this just to spite you, Kaden, then I owe you a thank you card, like a big, fat, thank you.” Luc nodded as he exaggerated his words and smirked at Kaden.
Kassie swatted at Luc to shut him up, but missed. “Really? Luc, you’re not helping!” She frantically shook her head. “And Kaden, why are you acting like I did something wrong?”
Kaden kept all his attention on Kassie, almost ignoring Luc. But his face continued to get redder and redder. “Kass, are you serious? You have no idea what kind of guy he is. He’s going to use you and toss you aside like all the others.”
“Um, dude. Rude. You do know I’m sitting right here. Right?” Luc remarked.
“You don’t know anything about him!” Kaden yelled, ignoring Luc.
“Maybe I don’t, but isn’t that what getting to know someone is all about? Finding out who they are and what they’re like?” Her brother was being unreasonable, and it was causing her blood pressure to rise. She looked at Luc and smiled, then took his hand. “I like him.”
“But he’s—”
“He’s what, Kaden? What? Kaden, you used to be just like him. Maybe worse. You and Dom were a mess. But it didn’t mean you were a bad person. Dom either. You forget that I was there with you for the early years, and later I watched you two act like fools on social media. You grew up and you changed.”
“Bu—”
“No, Kaden. Just no. You might be my big brother, but you can’t change my mind.” Kassie jumped off the stool and stood beside Luc.
“I just want you to listen to reason. He isn’t for you.” Kaden still directed his words only to her. “You deserve someone so much better than him.”
“Hello—still right here,” Luc interjected.
“And how do you know that he’s not for me?” Kassie moved closer to Luc and he circled his arm around her waist.
“Because you’re my little sister!” Kaden grunted in frustration.
“Don’t you think I know that? I’ve always been Kaden O’Conner’s little sister. I’ll always be your little sister, and forever branded as such. That’s how people see me, and that’s fine. Being Kaden’s younger sister is all I know how to be, and I’m okay with that. But someday I’ll be someone’s wife and that—”
“Woah!” Kaden held his hands up in front of him, and grimaced. He was so overdramatic. “Let’s slow down just a bit. You’re no one’s wife anytime soon.”
Kassie rolled her eyes. Her brother’s words were comical. “No. But someday I will be. And you can’t dictate every guy that I’m interested in. I’m not going to ask your permission to date someone. I told you, I like Luc, and that’s all that matters.”
Kaden let out a heavy sigh. The big brother glare on his face annoyed Kassie. “If he hurts you, I’ll kill him.” Kaden’s scowl landed on Luc.
“Oh, for goodness sake. Cut out the caveman crap, Kaden. I’m a big girl, and I can take care of myself. In case you missed it, I’ve grown up. I’ve had to do a lot of that with losing dad and then mom getting sick, not to mention our living between the US and Canada. This is my life, Kaden, and I like Luc.”
Kassie swore that her brother was going to stomp his feet like a little boy.
“He knows better. He knows all about the code. And he knows this is wrong.” Kaden didn’t have to direct the comment to anyone; they all knew it was meant for Luc.
“The code, oh my god. I hate that damn code! I’m pretty sure no one actually follows it. Shouldn’t it be up to me who I date, not some dumb-ass, age-old, out-of-touch bro code? Kaden, I’m a person, not a possession. I have my own mind and my own heart. Maybe I lead with my heart. Maybe I’ll get hurt because of it. But that’s a lesson for me to learn.”
“I just don’t understand. You were never interested in hockey players before.” Kaden acted as though she was never allowed to change her mind.
“You’re right, I never was. It’s not the occupation that attracted me.” She had long stayed away from hockey boys for this exact reason. Before Luc, it was never worth the fight.
Kaden grunted, unapprovingly. It did nothing but annoy Kassie. She found herself taking deep breaths to keep control of her emotions. She loved Kaden but wished he would just shut up right now.