Noah looked confused for the briefest of seconds, as if he'd been expecting to see something else.

Moments later rage exploded across his face.

"You motherfucking—"

Cameron had no time to duck. Noah launched himself across the room and cold-clocked him in the jaw. Cameron's head snapped back.

I cried out in surprise.

Noah readied his fist to punch again. I threw myself at my brother, clinging to his arm, pulling him back.

"Noah, stop!"

Cameron had been sent reeling back from the force of the punch. He straightened and rubbed at his jaw gingerly.

"All those times you punched me in the side, you were really holding back, weren't you?" he said wryly.

"I'm going to fucking kill you," Noah hissed. He glared a burning hatred in Cameron's direction. I clung to him tighter, but he didn't move to throw another punch.

"Noah, listen to me," I said insistently. "Cameron and I—"

"You touch my sister, you die," Noah spat.

"It's not like that." I tried to use my best soothing voice. I placed myself in front of my brother, trying to block Cameron from view. Noah's brow furrowed, that patented pissed off Hart look out in full force.

Cameron hovered in the doorframe, looking uneasy. "Noah, it's not what it looks like."

Noah's expression turned murderous. His fists were balled and shaking with rage.

This was exactly what I'd been afraid of.

"Cameron, be quiet for a minute." I turned my attention back to my brother. "I know what you're thinking. But you need to listen to me."

I brought my hands to my brother's face and forced him to look at me. He reluctantly turned his gaze from Cameron to me.

I swallowed hard. I'd never been the recipient of Noah's glare like this. It was scary. No wonder Cameron had been so hesitant in the beginning. I powered on.

"Cameron and I are together." I kept my voice firm and calm. "We're dating. He's not using me, he's not tricking me into anything. We're a couple."

Noah's glare softened into a look of confusion.

"I know you want to protect me from the world, but you don't need to protect me from this. Cameron and I—"

I stopped and turned my eyes to my boyfriend. Noah followed my gaze.

"I love her," Cameron said softly, his eyes on me and me alone.

Noah let out a noise in the back of his throat, almost like disbelief.

"You think you can just lie to get my baby sister into bed—"

"It's not a lie," Cameron said sharply. It was his turn to frown. "I love Lily. I want to be with her."

The fury on Noah's face flickered. Uncertainty began to take its place. Noah looked to me, then back at Cameron.

Cameron continued speaking, having sensed that Noah was finally calming down.

"You can kick the shit out of me or kick me out of the band or whatever. But I'm not going to let you, or anything else, get in the way of me being with the woman I love."

Cameron pulled down the collar of his shirt, exposing his upper chest.

Tattooed on his skin was a lily. The same lily I'd been drawing for years.

"Cameron…" I was near speechless. I went over to him and traced the tattoo with a light touch. He placed his hand over mine.

"I want you to know how much you mean to me. I want your brother to know. You're it, Lily. You're the only one for me."

Tears sprang to my eyes.

"It's beautiful," I whispered. I stood on my tiptoes to place a soft kiss on his lips.

Noah growled, but didn't say anything. He continued glaring for a few more moments. Slowly, bit by bit, his stance softened. His balled fists relaxed at his sides. That burning hatred in his gaze eased somewhat.

My brother looked to me.

"You're serious about this?" he asked, his voice still low and dangerous.

I stood in front of my brother, hand in hand with Cameron. "I am."

"We're both serious," Cameron added.

His eyes snapped to Cameron.

"If you're just playing with her—" he warned in a growl.

"I'm not." Cameron's voice was final. "I love her."

"And I love Cameron," I said. I went to Noah and took his hands in mine, squeezing them tight. "I'm not a little girl anymore. I know what I want. And I want Cameron."

Noah squeezed back reflexively. "You know he goes through women like tissues?"

"Hey!" Cameron protested.

I flushed, half embarrassed, half upset. "Like you and the rest of your friends are any better? I've heard the stories, too, you know."

Noah had the decency to look chagrinned. He let out a long, slow breath through his nose. He lifted his eyes to the ceiling for a brief moment, the way he always seemed to do when mustering up the patience to deal with Cameron.

"Out of all the women in the world to fuck, you just had to pick my baby sister?"

"Noah!" I smacked him in the chest. He grunted.

"Lily's an amazing woman," Cameron said. His voice was stable and solid, not a hint of doubt. "She's talented and smart and kind and thoughtful." A small smirk crossed his lips. "Not to mention sexy as hell."

Noah growled and took a step forward. I held him back.

"Could you not?" I said with a groan, speaking to both of them.

"I'm serious," Cameron continued. "In the time that Lily and I lived together I fell for her. Completely. And I want to continue living with her." Cameron looked to me proudly. "Lily's going to stay with me when school starts."

"What?" Noah said flatly.

I cringed without meaning to. "Um. Actually…" I hedged, not knowing how to say it. I took a deep breath. "I decided I'm going to move out on my own."

Cameron and Noah both stared at me.

"No," my brother said, his stance unequivocal.

"What?" Cameron said, utterly shocked.

I babbled, knowing I had to try to explain before anyone got hurt.

"I feel like I've been living under someone's thumb my whole life. Foster care, and then living with my brother, and then being in boarding school. I never got to live life on my own. I feel like a sheltered bird in a cage."

Cameron's mouth dropped open, hurt flooding his expression. He began to speak.

I cut him off.

"I love you Cameron, and I want to be with you too, but on my own terms. As a fully fledged adult. I don't want to just move in with you by default because I have no other choice."

I turned to my brother.

"I'm so grateful for everything you've done for me. I know how hard it is for you to let go and watch me spread my wings. But I need to know what it's like to be by myself, even if it's only for a little while."

I stopped talking to take a breath.

The two of them continued staring at me, silent. I could see my words working through their respective heads.

I continued, trying to make them understand.

"Cameron, I'm not saying I want to leave you. That's not the case at all. You know how much I love you. And Noah, I'm not saying I don't want my big brother by my side. But I need this. I need this for me."

Slowly, ever so slowly, Noah nodded.

"Fine. I get it," he said eventually. "You need your freedom."

I let out a relieved sigh. "Yes. I need the freedom to make my own choices. To live life on my terms."

"Where will you stay?" Noah asked.

"Jen's old apartment. She and her roommates are all living with their boyfriends now, but they still have their lease until the new year."

Noah's eyebrow twitched. "You talked to Jen about this?"

"She figured it out on her own."

My brother looked put out, but didn't complain any further. I hoped he wasn't upset with Jen for not telling, but I knew Jen could hold her own against Noah Cranky-Pants Hart.

I turned to Cameron, hoping that he would take this well. His face was pained.

"You don't want to live with me?" he asked.

It seemed that was the one part he was stuck on.

I went to him and wrapped one arm around his shoulders. With my other hand, I traced his new tattoo through his shirt. Noah averted his gaze, looking uncomfortable at our display of affection.

"I do want to live with you. But I need to be on my own for a little while." I stood on my tiptoes to meet his gaze. "I don't want to just be the little sister crashing at your place. I want to be your girlfriend, your partner. I need some space before I can feel like I'm your equal. Can you understand that?"

"You are my equal," he said, confused.

"I don't always feel that way. I rely on you so much. Too much. You're always taking care of me. I need to feel like I can take care of myself, first."

The hurt in his eyes didn't completely go away, but Cameron nodded.

"Okay," he said quietly. He buried his face in my hair and clutched me to his chest.

"I'm not going anywhere," I explained. "We're still going to be dating. We'll still see each other all the time. I just need to have a place to call my own, at least for a little while."

Cameron pulled back, keeping his arms around me. He met my gaze, serious and intent.

"I suppose that just means one thing," he said solemnly.

"What's that?"

He gave me that familiar carnal grin, those dark blue eyes glinted with wicked mischief. "We'll have to have lots of sleepovers." He cupped my ass with both hands and squeezed.

I squeaked. Noah growled. Cameron laughed.

"At least have the decency to wait until I'm out of the room before you molest my sister." Rage threatened to take over Noah's expression again.

Cameron's face lit up, eyes sparkling. "So I have your permission to molest her?"

Noah snarled. "Don't push your fucking luck."

Cameron smirked. Noah scowled.

I let out a small laugh at the two of them.

With those familiar looks, Cameron's sly smirk and Noah's grumpy scowling, I knew we were going to be okay.