When he’s finished, Rebel releases me. I sit back, wiping my chin and the corners of my mouth and picking hair from the sides of my face. We’re both out of breath, and I’m so turned on I can feel the wetness coating my inner thighs.

Rebel’s eyelids are heavy, and he watches me from beneath the thick fringe of black lashes with the satisfied look of a well-loved man.

“Well, now that that’s done, you can put your dick away long enough to tell me what the fuck is going on here.”

At the intrusion of another voice, a startled squeak leaps past my lips and I scramble closer to Rebel, hiding beside his long legs. Until I realize who spoke.

Ransom is standing at the head of the couch, his dark eyes murderous. He glares at me so hard I feel a pit of fear open in my stomach.

Rebel, however, is completely unaffected by his brother’s presence or the fact that he’s virtually naked in front of him. In as relaxed a manor as he can muster, Rebel pushes his cock back inside his pants and reaches for me, drawing me into his lap and tucking my long hair behind my ears.

Rebel’s always been excellent with aftercare, so his careful attention is exactly what I need to help calm my frayed nerves.

“You’re home early,” Rebel says, his voice rough. His hand drifts to my back, his fingers trailing up and down my spine, eliciting goose bumps over every inch of my skin. “I thought you had a hot date tonight.”

My eyes snap up at this, colliding with Ransom’s. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so upset before, but right now, I feel like I’m staring down the business end of a shotgun and the finger on the trigger is dodgy.

“Since when does Mom qualify as a date?” Ransom growls.

“Ah, my mistake.” There is this gleam in Rebel’s eyes that leaves no room for doubt that he’s in a mood to play with fire.

“I thought we had a deal,” Ransom states, eying us both for an answer.

I frown at this. After the way we left things at his parents’ house and in class? “I didn’t think you were interested anymore.”

Upper lip curling back from his teeth, Ransom shouts, “What the fuck gave you that idea?”

“Watch your tone, brother,” Rebel warns. His fingers continue skating down my spine, but instead of it being comforting, it unnerves me. I can feel the animosity radiating from him, the leash on his control straining. How the hell can he act so calm?

“Watch my tone? Like I’m not supposed to be pissed when I come home to find my girlfriend on her knees with my brother’s dick in her mouth?”

“I think the question you should be asking yourself is where else my dick has been,” Rebel states. Grabbing my waist, he pushes me to my feet and rises up behind me.

“You have a lot of nerve,” Ransom clips out. “You think you can just swoop in and seduce my girlfriend away from me?”

“Whoa, wait a minute here,” I say, holding up my hands in a stop motion. There is way too much of this “girlfriend” stuff being thrown around for my taste. I’m pleasantly unattached at the moment, and if these two are going to continue to go at it like this whenever we’re all in the same room together, then I’ll happily remain that way.

Like the dominate man he is, Rebel speaks right over me. “Girlfriend? Let’s not forget who she belonged to first.”

“You might have fucked her,” Ransom argues, “but I’m the one who loved her.”

“Ha! Is that the bullshit you’re spouting now? You loved her? The only thing you know how to love is yourself.”

“I should leave now,” I mutter.

Rebel takes hold of my arm before I can take a single step, and holds my back firm against his chest. “No, pussycat,” he says, his gaze still firmly locked on Ransom. “You’re not going anywhere. I’m not even close to being done with you.”

Using my arm to guide me, Rebel steers me through the living room toward the short hallway containing the two bedrooms and single bath I got acquainted with last time I was here before taking the lead and dragging me along the rest of the way. I don’t like where this is going, and I pull back, planting my feet.

Rebel’s dissatisfaction with my refusal to cooperate is evident in the way his head swivels around and his eyes narrow. “Move your ass, Josephine. This isn’t a time to play.”

“I’m not going to allow you to stick me in the middle of some sick dick measuring contest,” I say, struggling to pull my arm free of his bruising grip.

“Of course not,” he scoffs. “I’d win.”

“Your ego is completely out of control,” Ransom says, coming up to stand behind me. “You really think dragging a woman to your bedroom like some kind of primitive animal is really going to earn you points?”

“Do you really think that stand-up-guy routine is going to work in your favor forever?” Rebel volleys back. “I told her all about your penchant for stealing what isn’t yours, by the way.”

“And yet here she stands.”

The temperature in the hallway drops noticeably, the chill skating down my spine as the men stare each other down. I don’t like nor appreciate the position they’ve put me in, so rather than continue standing here and be a part of it, I decide to remove myself from the situation.

Taking advantage of Rebel’s distraction, I free myself from him. His gaze drops to me in silent warning, but I wave him off, annoyance making me bold. “I’ll be in your room. You two have fun with your pissing contest, and try not to make too much of a mess while you’re at it.”

I walk away with the sensation of eyes on me, but I don’t look back. Closing myself inside Rebel’s room, I don’t even bother assessing my surroundings. The giant California king is calling my name and I throw myself on top of it.

Staring at the cherry red fan mounted on the ceiling, I ask myself why I didn’t just keep walking when I had the chance. Why did I turn around and acknowledge Rebel instead of hitting those stairs running like I originally planned?

Now I’m trapped here, in his bedroom, while he and his brother argue just outside the door. I could leave anytime I want. Despite what he says, I know without a doubt that Rebel isn’t the kind of man to keep a woman prisoner. He has too much integrity for that. Yet I also know how much he enjoys a challenge, and it’s part of the reason why I like pushing back.

It’s the thrill of the chase.

Maybe that’s why I chose to stay. Maybe, deep down inside, I know the only way to get Rebel to back off is to give him what he wants.

I’m dozing off when the door opens and Rebel slips inside. My eyes follow him as he strides around the side of the bed and climbs on to lay down beside me. Both of us positioned on our backs, we gaze up at the ceiling.

“I pictured this night going differently,” he murmurs, a twinge of disappointment present in his voice.

I hate that he’s feeling this way. Rebel is always so sure about everything. To see that he isn’t makes me want to offer him comfort. Finding his hand on the covers between us, I lace our fingers together. It’s a level of intimacy we don’t normally share. The closest we’ve come is sleeping in the same bed together, but I want this. I need it. And I think, deep down inside, Rebel does, too.

Rebel doesn’t react, other than to allow the connection. It’s that small piece of acceptance that spurs me on. Turning onto my side, I curl my arm beneath my head and study his profile. He’s stern, his gaze focused above, his jaw tight, but he’s calm as ever.

“How did you see tonight going?”

He sucks in a breath and releases it slowly. “You, me, a couple of drinks, and no clothes between us.”

“You’re so romantic,” I tease.

“If you’re looking for romance,” Rebel says, his gaze cutting to mine, “it’s out that door and down the hall.”

Just like that, he’s back to being angry. I prefer neutral Rebel over angry Rebel any day. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

“Do I? Because you looked pretty damn horrified when Ransom caught you sucking my cock.”