“I’m taking the rest of the week off, remember?” Clutching my robe, I couldn’t meet his eyes after the day I’d just had. I’d seen Hawk’s cock.

Well... I’d seen the bulge in his pants.

And judging by how his eyes followed my every move, it was safe to assume that erection was meant for me.

His eyes had possessively roamed my body as if I were his for the taking.

I liked it.

I liked it way too much.

A week apart was precisely what we needed because whatever was happening between us, all the flirting and sexual tension, it could only lead to something forbidden. There had been a shift in our relationship where there hadn’t been room for one.

There could never be anything.

For one, he was my boss.

Two, he was my brother’s best friend, and the warning had already been served. Flirtatious fraternizing was frowned upon.

And thirdly, my family was huge, and while they all loved Hawk, each and every one of them saw his raw intensity, and had advised falling for his charm would only end in heartache.

All those things aside, something was happening, and I couldn’t stop it.

My only choice was to escape for a while.

“Hawk? Did you hear me?”

I watched, almost quaking in my stilettos as his eyes narrowed. “I heard you.” His voice was gravelly and sounded like a deep rumble. He advanced forward, large imposing steps closing the space before I had time to take my next breath. Strong hands cupped my face, and I was pushed against the wall, his body pressing against mine, trapping me with no release. My gown fell open in the rush, the lace barely covering my tingling skin.

Hawk’s lips slammed onto mine in one possessive move, his hard cock pressing between my legs. It made my clit throb in urgency, and in that moment, I’d happily give myself over to my boss despite those remaining watching. Hawk took control the way he expertly did with everything in his life, and I melted into his hold. His tongue parted my lips and danced rhythmically with mine. I groaned against his mouth and succumbed to his desire, his taste reminding me of whiskey on a hot summer day. I couldn’t get enough.

I’d admired these lips since the first time I’d laid eyes on Hawk Carnage at the age of twelve. Just in time for puberty. I’d imagined what they’d taste like, how they’d feel against mine, and if I’d been honest, I had regularly fantasized what it would be like to have Hawk inside of me.

“Hawk,” I murmured against his mouth.

“Don’t say a word,” was all he said, one hand snaking around my neck and holding me in place. He kissed me passionately before lingering, teasing.

Hawk pulled away, and my body immediately felt the loss.

I was breathless, and trembling from the delightful assault. Hawk’s eyes greedily consumed my near-naked state, rubbing his jaw, his wicked thoughts on full display.

“Did you ... h-hear me?” I stammered, too weak to form words.

Hawk took another step back while loosening his tie. “Enjoy your week, Britta.”

Before I could reply, he turned and walked to the elevator. Only when the doors closed separating us was I finally able to breathe once more.

“What in the... flying fuck?”

Swallowing hard, I gathered some sense before heading to the change rooms. There, I moved almost robotically, still caught in a moment where I could taste him on my lips and still feel his powerful body pressed against mine.

My body was betraying me.

It wanted him.

It begged to have him.

Folding the tiny bit of lacy fabric I’d only just been wearing, I leaned against the wall, fingers gently grazing my lips, caught in reverie. Blindly, I walked into the elevator Hawk had just vacated, and I smelled his lingering cologne. My body responded, heating and skin tingling.

Walking out of the building, I reached my car and somehow found my way home. I was tired, exhausted, and somehow buzzed at the same time. Dropping my handbag by the hall stand, I headed straight for the fridge. Retrieving the opened bottle of wine, I poured a glass and took three eager gulps.

A heavy knock at the door startled me mid-swallow, and I choked on the last mouthful. The thumping continued, and I wiped my chin with the back of my hand.

“Hang on... geez!”

Kicking my heels off along the way, I headed back to the door as more knocking sounded.

“I’m coming,” I yelled, wishing whoever it was would leave me the hell alone.

Have they no idea what type of traumatic day I’ve had?

“What?” I snapped as I flung open the door. My tone immediately softened when I saw Ricky standing on the other side. “Ricky, what are you—”

“Roman invited you to his wedding?” he asked incredulously.

Oh shit!

My brother pushed past me, eyes darkened and filled with a mixture of annoyance and disappointment.

“It’s fine,” I said, slightly freaking out about the wedding being this weekend, and the man who practically had me orgasming without sex was to be my fake fiancé.

“No, it’s actually not fine. Have you forgotten everything he put you through?”

“Of course, I haven’t,” I said, following him into the kitchen.

“Then why the fuck are you going to his wedding? To wish him well, or to crash it?”

“I... he asked—”

“That doesn’t mean you say yes.” Ricky took a seat on one of the stools.

“Look... Roman... he...” I stammered over my words. “I’ve moved on, and he’s happy, so maybe we just weren’t meant to be. I need to come to terms with that.”

“Come to terms with the fact he cheated on you with your best friend?”

That hurt.

“I understand what you’re saying, but it seems like everyone else is more worried about it than me.”

Ricky helped himself to my wine glass. “You’re too nice, Britta.”

“I was caught off guard when I saw him in the streets. Time’s passed, and yes, it still hurts that it all happened, but perhaps it would be good for everyone. Moving on and all.”

“He’s lucky I didn’t fucking strangle him for what he did to you.”

“Who told you...” I trailed off, not needing to finish the question. I already knew who. Hawk.

“It doesn’t matter.”

My cheeks reddened and palms grew sweaty. “What else does Hawk tell you?”

“He tells me everything. We’re friends, you know that.”

“I know, but—”

Ricky’s eyes narrowed and he studied me curiously. “What’s wrong with you?”

Shrugging my shoulders indifferently, I wiped my palms on my skirt. “Nothing, why?”

“You’re sweating.” He squinted some more. “And you’re blushing?”

“I’m not feeling well.”

“You’re hiding something from me, Britta.”

“I’m not.”

“You are. Just like you tried to hide the wedding from us all, your family.”

I had to laugh. “I love you all. You’re my brothers. You’re all protective and have my best interests at heart. But do you boys even realize how controlling you can be?”

“We’re Valentinos, Britta, and you’re our only sister. So let us be protective.”

Throwing my hands up in the air in defeat, I opened the fridge door and studied the meager contents. I was rarely home for dinner, and trips to the grocery store were few and far between.

“Fine, I’ll let you. Dinner?”

“Thank you, and I thought you’d never ask,” Ricky said, but I could sense his hesitation. “You’re not cooking, though. Are you?”

I slammed the fridge door closed and looked at him in mock admonishment. “What the hell is wrong with my cooking?”

Ricky held his hands up in defense. “You’re no momma or nonna, that’s all I’m saying.”

“Fine, big shot. What do you suggest?”

“Come on,” he said, finishing off the wine. “I’ll take you out.”

“This is an offer I can’t refuse.” Raking my fingers through my hair, a pseudo effort in tidying myself up, I headed for the hall.”

“Oh... and I’ve decided I’m going to the wedding also.” Ricky dropped that little tidbit so casually I bet he hoped I didn’t notice.

I certainly did damn well notice.

Spinning around, I faced him head-on.

“Ah... no, you’re not,” I scoffed, but inside my nerves were getting the better of me.

“Someone needs to have your back. Going alone leaves you vulnerable to the wolves.”

“You forget I’m old enough to decide where I want to go, and who I spend my time with.”

“I beg to differ in this situation, little sister.”

“Beg all you like, big brother. Whatever plans you have to babysit me, or gatecrash the wedding, simply aren’t happening.”

“You’re not going alone,” he asserted.

“I’m not going alone,” I replied stubbornly, hand on my hip.

This confession piqued his interest, and a small smile played on his lips.

“Oh yeah,” he said, eyes alight that he would be leaving here with some gossip. “Who is this mystery man?”

My heart began pounding. If I continued down this road, I’d have a lot of explaining to do. If I lied and the truth was shortly discovered, I’d be in even deeper shit. “He’s not a mystery.”

Ricky crossed his arms over his chest. “No? I know him?”

“Maybe.”

“Maybe? I either know him, or I don’t. Which is it?”

“Okay!” I said, exasperated. “It’s Hawk.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “What’s Hawk?”

“I’m going to the wedding with Hawk?”

“You’re going to the wedding... with Hawk?” His voice slowly rose toward the end of the sentence.

“That’s what I said.”

Ricky considered me for a moment lost in thought. I stood, anxiously waiting for the reprimand, but instead, Ricky smiled, wide and pleased.

“Good,” he exclaimed. “Maybe Hawk can drown Roman in his own piss when he’s there.”

“You’re not mad?”

“Why would I be mad? It’s not like you’re fucking him.”

No... not yet.

I shifted uncomfortably at the direction the conversation was going.

“What do you have against Hawk, anyway?”

“I love the guy. He’s an awesome guy. Doesn’t mean I think he’s worthy of my sister.”

I walked past Ricky and back into the kitchen. Suddenly I’d lost my appetite. “I think you’re being really hard on him. Hawk would move the earth for any one of us Valentinos.”

“And we would do the same for him. But Britta, I know Hawk. I know what he’s like when he has his eyes on something. He zeros in just like a hawk and toys with his prey. He’s no different with women.”

I didn’t want to hear about his other women. The jealous side of me would rear its ugly head. I was unjustifiably jealous. Hawk wasn’t even mine.

“I guess I’ll have to take your word for it,” I said, wanting to change the topic.

“Truth is, sis,” Ricky wasn’t relenting, “I hope someday you’ll find someone with Hawk’s qualities. Just not Hawk. Besides what I’ve already mentioned, he’s a good friend, and if anything were to ever go sour with you two it affects us all.”

“I don’t even know what you’re talking about. There’s nothing between Hawk and me. He’s just joining me at the wedding, so I don’t look like a complete knob.”

I couldn’t reveal that the man in question had just molested my mouth. And I certainly couldn’t mention that I had enjoyed every microsecond of it.

“Geez, don’t get so defensive. What’s for dinner? It looks like you’re not planning on going anywhere now.”

I shrugged. “The usual... pizza?”

“You order pizza, and I’ll ring Slate.”

I nodded and placed the order, and then as I waited for Ricky to finish, I replied to a text my mom sent earlier in the morning asking if I was going to join the family for Sunday dinner. My mom especially was still coming to terms with me moving out. It’d become a novelty for her when I re-inhabited my old room after I split with Roman. While I’d been broken-hearted and somewhat embarrassed, I was returning home to my parents, and my mother had rejoiced. I was her only daughter, and she often complained she never saw me. It was true. Not that I wanted it that way. It’d been months already since I found my own place and every week Mom texted to see if I’d join them. Roman had fucked my life up so thoroughly, I’d effectively lost my future husband and my best friend all in one go. Not only that but my sanity, confidence, and trust. He’d been sleeping with Rebekah for months before I found out. It broke me. Shattered my soul.

When my brothers found out, each and every one of them rose to the occasion. They all wanted a piece of him and often created new ways of torture. And then they showed me how empathetic they could be. The day I was barricaded in my room by the four of them, they demanded to know the truth. When I revealed the reason for my constant flow of tears, they brought in mattresses from the spare room, and together we camped out and watched horror movies until the waterworks stopped.

I loved them all, but sometimes, just sometimes, their love was too much.

There was a warning knock on the door before Harry walked in carrying a six-pack of beers.

“Has Ricky laid down the law?” he asked, no doubt referring to the wedding. He placed the beers on the counter, pecked my cheek in greeting, and opened a can.

“Yeah, we’ve talked.” I smiled, not at all interested in discussing Hawk.

I needed a night off from... everything.

“You can burn the invitation.”

Another knock at the door and Harry made his way down the hall.

I started to massage my neck, feeling the tension of the day taking hold.

At the door, I heard a rumble. It was a familiar rumble. One that struck fear in my soul and a throb between my legs. I froze, my eyes looking to Hawk standing on the threshold. He was dressed in dark blue jeans and a hoodie, his eyes traveling the length of my body as he followed Harry into the kitchen.

My body betrayed me.

I was instantly turned on, and terrified it showed.

Our gazes locked. He licked his lips, and my heart pounded loudly in my ears. I recalled his kiss, how he tasted of whiskey and all things sweet. How he pushed me hard against the wall. His erection pressing into me.

I ached in places I’d never ached before.

Ricky ended his call with Slate and shook hands with Hawk. His eyes were alight as they flicked between all of us. Words were on the tip of his tongue.

“So...” he begun. “What are you up to this weekend, Hawk?”

I groaned and turned to the fridge in search of more wine.

I could hear the smile in Hawk’s voice before he even started talking. “Crashing a wedding.”

I rolled my eyes and pursed my lips together to hide the smile. It would be just like Hawk to cause a scene, and everyone be in awe of it. He merely walked into a room and mouths dropped.

“How’d you score that gig?” Harry asked. “Britta was adamant she was going at it alone.”

Hawk turned to me and winked. “You wanna tell them?”

My palms grew sweaty looking at the three men standing in my kitchen. “Hawk’s coming with me because he’s going as my fake fiancé.”

They all continued to stare. Two wearing concerned faces, one trying hard to wipe the smirk off his face.

“Fake fiancé?”

I nodded. “More like cocky fiancé...”

Hawk gave another wink at the reference to his cock.

“Why your fiancé?” Harry wasn’t here for the earlier conversation with Ricky, so he was rightly confused.

“It just slipped out when I was saw Roman on the street the other day. He kind of threw me in the deep end when he asked me to the wedding. It was obviously the last thing I expected, and the lies just snowballed from there. Next thing I know... Hawk’s my fake fiancé.”

“You’re really going to go through with it?” Ricky asked Hawk.

He shrugged. “Would you prefer she go by herself?”

Ricky and Harry shook their heads in agreement. “So, I’ll accompany Britta. End of story.”

There was a knock from down the hall, and Harry, who seemed somewhat displeased by the conversation, went to answer the door.

Ricky, who was the most outspoken remained silent.

“Well...” Hawk began, “... after that bombshell. I’m out.”

He stood to leave as Harry returned with pizza. “You’re going?” Harry asked. “You only just got here.”

“I’ve got other plans tonight,” Hawk said, and the irrational side of me hoped it wasn’t with one of the lingerie models. One who was easy, and who he didn’t have to keep secret. “I’m just here to drop this off.”

Hawk reached into his jean’s pocket and dropped a shimmering gold card on the counter. “It was delivered to the office about thirty minutes after you left.”

I picked up the invitation and studied the cursive text of Roman and Rebekah’s names.

That should have been my name, not Rebekah’s.

That, however, was now just a memory I was keen to forget.

I’d moved on from Roman and his cheating ways.

“Enjoy your weekend, Brit.” His eyes found mine and he was smirking, giving no shits if my brothers saw what was going on between us. “See you Saturday.”

“Yeah, bye,” I returned, realizing I couldn’t wait until I saw him again.

I watched as he shook hands with the boys and headed down the hall.

“I’ll pick you up at ten,” he yelled from the door.

“Okay,” I said but mostly to myself.

“I love you, sis, but you’re an idiot.”

“What?” I asked, still caught up in Hawk’s heady cologne.

“I said, you’re an idiot,” Harry repeated. He most certainly didn’t seem pleased. “Each and every one of us picked up the pieces of you when you split from Roman, and now you’re engaging in celebratory mode with him only to have the emotions of the day possibly dredge up emotions from the past.”

“I’m over Roman,” I said with finality.

“Claiming to be over him and going to his wedding to another woman... yeah, that’s an entirely different thing,” Ricky butted in.

“Why let him think he’s won? He hasn’t won. No matter what he did, he didn’t win.” I sat back and stared at them both, waiting for their next comeback.

“Verdict’s still out on that one. Roman asking you to his wedding less than a year after shattering your heart seems like he’s trying to find another way to hurt you.”

“He can’t hurt me. I’ll be with Hawk.”

Harry sighed. “And there lies problem number two.”

“You guys are really starting to annoy me with the whole ‘steer clear of Hawk’ spiels. The guy has my back, and I’d appreciate it if you two could also.”

“We see the way he looks at you. The way he’s always looked at you.”

“Thank you for your concern, but I’m a big girl.”

“Britta,” Ricky was all serious. “We’re not mucking around with any of this. We can’t stop you from going to the wedding, but Hawk... he’s a no-go.”