I’m blown away as we all enter the main dining room, most of the family having already taken their seat at the table.
“Here.” Jason pulls a chair out for me as I take in all the details.
“Jason.” I feel my eyes well up with tears of gratitude. I honestly don’t remember ever having such a thoughtful birthday. Mel has done an amazing job of celebrating with me every year, but it’s just been us two since we were fifteen.
This. This is just so much more.
“Happy belated birthday, baby.” Jason is pushing my chair in, his thick fingers gently caressing my arm before he pulls away.
I’m thinking he’s going to sit next to Catherine, at least for appearances’ sake, but no. He sits his fine ass right next to mine.
“This is amazing, Mila! Yes. It definitely beats our birthday tradition of takeout and T.V.” My best friend is sitting across from me, looking all bright eyed and I can’t help but sniffle, a lone tear crawling down my cheek.
“I love our birthdays together, Mel. But, yeah, this is special.” Turning back toward Jason, I give him a massive smile. “Thank you. So much.”
“Don’t thank him until you’ve tasted the cake. It’s my mother’s specialty,” Penelope calls out from the end of the table at the same time a strange man’s stomach lets out a grumble, the sound making everyone chuckle.
“Ladies, this is Matthew Crown. I believe he’s the only one you haven’t met yet.” Jason’s deep voice sends shivers down my spine as he introduces his brother, a very inappropriate response on my behalf, but I can’t help it.
My voice shakes as I give my greeting, “H-hello, Matthew. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Jason leans in, whispering in my ear as Catherine greets his brother. “Those goosebumps better be for me, little girl.”
My thighs clench and I feel a throb under my panties. Jesus. This man is lethal to my libido. It’s as if it’d been dormant my entire life, but upon meeting him, it’s nonstop in a state of want and need.
Turning to the man in question, I bite my lip and smile before whispering words I know will affect him. “Yes, Daddy.”
Jason’s eyes flare and I know I’ve hit my target, only remembering where we are when Catherine’s voice cuts into our bubble once more.
“So, how do you all know each other?” Mother’s eyes are on me, narrowing a bit before dancing over to Melissa and then Hunter.
My stomach sinks, knowing there is no way in hell this will end well if any one of us answers in earnest.
“Melissa is my best friend’s little sister.” Hunter’s answer is innocent enough and I thank the gods that be for this small miracle.
“Erickson?” Jack, the eldest Crown, asks.
Hunter nods as Mel answers. “That’d be the one.”
Mother’s eyes furrow, clearly needing more information, and I wish she’d just drop it. Isn’t she the one that said she didn’t want Jason knowing where I work? The more she digs, the more it’s liable to come out.
“Okay. But how did you not know of the Crown brothers, Mila? If you two knew of Hunter, then clearly, you’d know about his family.”
I feel the color drain from my face. What exactly is she implying?
“She didn’t know he was a Crown,” Mel hisses, coming out in my defense. “We know Hunter as Maverick. Always have. Whenever I would ask him for his real name, he’d say ‘it doesn’t matter.’ So Maverick he remained.”
My friends’ tone took on a tinge of resentment at the end, and I know she’s fully justified in feeling it. She’s had it bad for this mountain man to her left for as long as I’ve known her, and despite him clearly feeling something for her as of late, he’s always kept her at arm’s length.
“I could see that. They are Crown men, after all,” Mother adds, oblivious to my friend’s heightened emotions.
Penelope chortles. “Yes. They’ve had thirsty women after their deep pockets for as long as I can remember.” She’s openly glaring at my mother as she says this, the implication not lost on any of us as the table grows quiet.
Until Mel pipes up, sheer disgust written all over her features. “Is that it? Is that why you refused to give me your name? Even when I danced for you, agreeing to no more private lap dances for anyone else, you still didn’t give me your name.” Mel gets up from the table, clearly upset and not realizing what she’s just dropped on everyone. “I can’t believe that’s what you think of me. That all I’d care about was your money instead of who you really are. My hero.” She says that last word with deep sarcasm, throwing down her napkin on the table before speeding out of the dining room.
I’m getting up and rushing after her when a hand on my wrist stops me cold. “Lap dance? What the fuck, Mila. Is that what you two do for work?”
The look on Jason’s face is one of horror, but I don’t have time to answer questions, not while my only friend for the past three years is in visible pain and in obvious need of her sister.
I make a quick exit, ripping my arm from Jason’s hold before uttering an apology to the room. “I’m so sorry.”
“Fuck. I’m the one who’s sorry.” I hear Penelope mumble as I cross the threshold in search of my friend.
What a wild turn of events.
I’ll eventually go back and apologize to everyone, but now I need to find Melissa and get this all sorted out. I can’t imagine what she’s feeling. But after everything she’s done for me, skipping out on a surprise birthday dinner is the least I could do for the one person who’s been my constant shelter in the storm.
Jason
“Hunter. Hallway. Now.” I’m pulling away from the table, not caring that everyone’s eyes are on me. I need fucking answers and I need them now.
My brother grumbles something under his breath but follows. What I’m not expecting is Matt to follow too.
“What? You didn’t think I’d miss out on this, did you?” Matt’s eyes are dancing with dark humor.
“Let’s take this into Jack’s office,” I’m muttering loud enough for both of them to hear. The last thing we want is having this discussion in front of the rest of the family. Not when I don’t know what’s going to come out of Hunter’s mouth.
“Matt, you don’t need to be here. This is between Jace and me.” Hunter is narrowing his eyes on his twin brother, but Matt isn’t having it.
“Oh, yes I do. I want to know everything about the girl who’s had my brother tied up in knots for over a year.”
Hunter’s mouth hangs open as I shut the door behind us. “How’d you know?”
“I’m your fucking twin. I felt it, though I couldn’t quite place my finger on it, and I knew asking you would’ve been pointless. Squeezing words out of you is like trying to squeeze blood out of a turnip.” He sits his ass on the chase before propping his feet up on the coffee table and crossing his hands behind his head. “But I knew it was only a matter of time before it came out.”
“Yeah. Well, out it came. At my girl’s birthday dinner.”
“Doesn’t seem like she’s really your girl if you didn’t know where she worked.” Matt’s smirk is irritating the shit out of me, and it takes all that I have not to slap it off his face right at this moment. “And besides, isn’t it her mom that you got pregnant? Seems like she should be the one who’s your girl.”
That’s it. I’m lunging at my brother, intent on hurting him real good when Hunter’s hands are gripping onto my biceps from behind, his hold preventing me from moving forward like I want.
“Stop.” Hunter’s command does little to stop me. That is until he’s uttering his next words. “If you want answers, you need to stop.”
“Fine, but Matt, you better keep your mouth shut. One more unsolicited piece of commentary, and I’m not letting Hunter save you.”
Matt is making a zipping motion over his lips, his fingers flicking away an imaginary key.
Once Hunter is finally satisfied that I won’t be attacking our brother, he finally releases me, his large frame retreating to a wingback chair.
“Go on. Ask away.” He’s motioning for the chair next to his, having enough forethought to direct me as far away as possible from Matthew. Smart.
“Have you seen her naked?” I don’t know why this is the first thing that comes out of my mouth, but it does. And I need to know now like I need air.
“Yes.”
I’m flinging myself from my chair and over to Hunter in two seconds flat, wrapping my wide grip around his neck and squeezing before I’ve given him a chance to explain.
“Not Mila.” Hunter ekes out through my hold. “Only. Mel.”
Fuck. I drop my hold so fast, all while shaking my head of this blind rage. “I’m sorry, brother. Damn. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t. I should’ve worded that better.” Hunter shakes his head, his hands pushing me off of him with force. “I’d have done the same if I thought you’d seen Melissa that way.”
“So, what? The girls are pole dancers?” Matt interrupts, his eyes as wide as the tumbler now in his hand. When did he get that?
“Melissa is, but her roommate is just a waitress.” Hunter’s eyes land back on me, and I think I see envy reflecting back in them. If he only knew.
At this moment, I’m just glad he isn’t aware of Mila’s OnlyFriends account. I’d be just as murderous as I was two minutes ago.
Crown men aren’t serial daters. But once we set our eyes on the woman we want, there isn’t much holding us back. And unfortunately for them, possessive ownership seems to be part and parcel of our claiming.
Sucking in a sharp breath, I make my way over to the bar, pouring Hunter and I both a tall tumbler of Tortured Crown. How fitting.
“How do you do it? Deal with her shaking her shit in front of others?” Matt is asking as I hand Hunter his glass.
“Not well, brother. Not well.” He takes a giant gulp of the amber liquid before continuing. “I’ve been at my wit’s end. Especially with that fucking bouncer eying her the way he does… I swear, what I’d give to meet him in some dark alley.”
“Woah. You’ve got it bad, don’t you?” Matt looks at Hunter with something akin to awe.
Yeah, it’s safe to say we never thought we’d see the day that Hunter Crown would fall for a girl. He’s the most cynical man I know, always saying that women are only heartache and trouble.
“Was Melissa right? Did you not tell her our family name because you thought that’s all she’d care about?”
Hunter groans, rubbing his calloused palm over his face. “She’s Erickson’s little sister. I hadn’t seen her that way, as a woman—one I’d like to fuck—until about a year ago. At first, it was just out of habit. Not saying my name. But then as time went on, and I saw the hunger in her eyes… I wanted it all for myself. Just for me. Because of me. Not my name.”
My head rears and brows furrow. “Hey, if what Mila says about her roommate is true, then she’s a good girl. Don’t think you’d have to worry about her taking you for a ride.”
“Wish the same could be said about your baby momma, brother.” Matt is rolling in his lips as he mentions Catherine and her perceived intentions. Shit. I’m glad I’m not the only one who was getting the gold-digging vibes.
Makes me feel like less of an ass.
“About that. You know you don’t have to be with her just because she’s carrying your child, right?”
I keep quiet, knowing that what they’re saying is true, but refusing to commit to anything until Mila tells me what she wants.
If I’m forced to live a life without her, then I’ll make the sacrifice and tie myself to her mother. For the baby’s sake.
But if she gives me the green light, I’ll do whatever it takes to make her happy, all while being the best father I can be to the child Catherine carries in her womb.
“What are you two going to do now?” Matt cuts into my thoughts, bringing us back to the present.
Hunter is throwing back the rest of his drink as he gets up from his chair. “I’m going in search of Melissa. Apparently, I have some shit to clear up.”
“You mean some groveling to do?” I snicker but am cut short with Hunter’s next words.
“You wouldn’t be snickering if you saw what your girl was wearing while serving up horny old dudes, all trying to grope her any chance they got.”
Yup. He’s right. My snickering stops short and all I see is red.
There’s no way in hell I’m letting Mila go back to that job. No fucking way.
