“IT’S ABOUT GODDAMN TIME,” I grind out when my phone rings and I see the asshole’s name on the caller ID.
“Hey! You told me to call when I had the chance. This is the first chance I’ve had!”
Kow’s bullshit might work on everyone else in his life, but not on me. “Fuck off. I said it was important.”
“I don’t remember that part,” Kow reasons. “Better late than never. By the way, did Gracie mention anything about a gift for Mom?”
“Why would she?”
“Because I brought it up with you so I figured you’d pass on the message.”
“I didn’t realize that’s what that was,” I mock, even though I did tell her. “Since when am I your voicemail service?”
“Touchy!” Kow mumbles. “Who shoved a puck up your ass and never told me about it?”
My eyes narrow at the treadmill console. “You. Are you aware of how much you take advantage of your sister?”
“Huh? What does that have to do with anything?” I hear the sound of the refrigerator door opening. “Is she whining to you already? Man, it was such a bad idea her coming to work for you.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. It was the best idea I’ve ever had.”
Because I recognize the noises from my own routine, I know that he’s making a protein shake. When the blender starts blitzing a couple moments later, I’m prepared for it, but the noise still has me wincing and pulling the phone away from my ear.
Shoving it into the slot on the treadmill, I switch to speaker then decrease my speed.
As I start my cooldown five minutes early, I wait for my dipshit friend to hurry the hell up.
“Now, have you chilled out some?”
Jesus H. Christ. “No.”
“Ah, shit. How about I call back another time? I’m not in the mood for a lecture—”
“I’m not lecturing you about dick. I’m telling you the facts. You take advantage of Gracie. End of statement. Now, I have to share something with you.”
When he slurps in the background, I want to punch him in the face—he knows I hate those sounds. “What?”
“Your sister and I are dating.”
For a second, there’s silence. That’s all the response I get. Until he starts cackling. “Good one, bro.”
“I’m not joking.”
“Sure you are. Who the fuck would want to date my sister? She’ll be celibate until the day she dies. Might as well go into a convent now.”
Offended on Gracie’s behalf, I retort, “It’s not a joke.”
“Stop messing around, Liam. I get it. I take advantage of her. Yadda, yadda, yadda. Now, what’s the news?”
“I don’t know what to tell you, Kow. Gracie and I are an item. We’re heading to a charity function tomorrow for the Stars. If you don’t believe me now, maybe you will once we hit Page 6.”
A snort gurgles in the background. “Wow, way to roll with a joke, Liam. Your dedication to pranks is coming back to its legendary level.”
I cringe at the reminder of the dick I used to be.
I totally deserved how uncommunicative Gracie was with me before I got kidnapped.
“Kow,” I growl. “This isn’t a joke. For the last time, I’m dating your sister.”
“If you are dating my sister,” Kow says easily. “Then you have to know what you’re getting yourself in for.”
“A black eye? I’d appreciate one. At least then I’d think you actually give a fuck about her.”
Silence is my only answer until—
“Jesus Christ, you are dating her, aren’t you? That’s where this ‘You’re a shit brother’ BS is coming from!”
“No. That’s because you’re a shit brother,” I snap. “You all are. Not one of you asked her how she was after she was mugged.”
“Well, she’s Gracie. I mean, the mugger was probably petrified after she was finished with him.”
I shake my head. “She isn’t invincible.”
“She is,” Kow argues. “She’s my fucking sister.”
When the belt on the treadmill comes to a halt now that my cooldown is over, I’m left staring at the city ahead from my gym window.
It’s clear to me that Kow genuinely believes what he’s saying.
Which is strange.
I know how he is with Gracie, know how they all are.
Could a lack of interest be something else?
“What the fuck are you thinking dating her?” he grinds out, finally sounding as if he’s mad. Which he should be.
I shouldn’t be this relieved that he gives a shit.
“I’m thinking like a man who’s looking at a beautiful woman, who enjoys being with her, who respects her and appreciates her and never takes her for granted, Kow. How about that?”
“Just you wait until Trent and Noah hear about this.”
Okay, now we’re on track.
Good.
“I’m shaking in my skates. You should bring it. If you think I’m frightened of the Three Stooges, you’re mistaken. Gracie’s worth a fight, and I can promise you this, you’ll be the ones being force-fed the knuckle-fucking-sandwiches.”
Hanging up, I smile at nothing.
That went better than expected.
Now, I just have to warn Gracie that her brothers are going to be flying into New York at some point to beat the shit out of me.
That’ll almost be as fun as the four of us finally getting to hang out again for the first time in months.
