Emalee woke early in the morning, anxious. “I wonder what Cory must have thought when he found us gone last night,” she whispered, nuzzling her head against my shoulder.

I didn’t care. He didn’t fucking deserve her. I gently rubbed her back, closing my eyes and drifting in and out of sleep.

Eventually, Emalee got up, walking naked to the coffee maker.

I opened my eyes, watching her from the bed. She was captivating – the after-sex hair, the smeared makeup, the sexy curve of her back.

I couldn’t help myself. My morning wood kept my mind riveted on her.

She noticed the bulge under the thin sheets, and her eyes became soft, sultry. “I can help you take care of that.”

She returned to the bed and sucked me off, eliciting feelings better than I could have imagined. I held her head in place, refusing to let her move it away so she could keep sucking. She whimpered, but her wide eyes on mine let me know she was okay that I was a little rough.

My cum ejaculated into her mouth, and she spit it into the palm of her hand.

It was fucking hot.

I returned to Cory’s apartment with her to grab my stuff. He wasn’t in the apartment – probably at work. Emalee snuck a kiss on my lips.

“I’m moving into my new apartment Friday,” she said. “If you still need a place to crash…” she shrugged, a light blush coloring her face.

I grinned. “You won’t kick me to the couch, will you?”

She bit her lip. “No.”

My body thrummed with the anticipation that I would be staying in NYC for a whole week in the apartment of this gorgeous woman. More than that – she was fun to be around. I felt drawn to her, not just physically. I had a heated desire to protect her from all harm. From my brother, if necessary.

I returned to the hotel with my stuff and worked on work out videos to post on my popular YouTube channel. As I cut and edited the recordings, my phone vibrated and that damn number from California showed up.

I checked the text.

A picture of Cory’s apartment complex was embedded in the text. I know where you are. I don’t want anything bad to happen to your friends.

There was a psycho line, and she had just crossed it. I texted back. Who the fuck are you?

Her response came back seconds later. You don’t remember? Roxy! From the beach party.

I racked my brain, trying to think of the girls I had partied with in California. I’d been to both north and south California and gone to multiple parties on each side. There was no way I could pinpoint one girl, whether I fucked her or not.

But there was no way I was letting this chick threaten Emalee.

I don’t remember you, I texted her back. But if you text me again, I’m calling the police.

I sent the text, but still felt anxious. I dialed my brother’s number.

“Hey, you back-stabbing bastard,” Cory spat into the phone. “You enjoy yourself last night?”

I stood from the bed, pacing to the window. “Chill, okay? You two are on a break. She has every right to fuck who she wants.”

“Out of everyone she could have slept with, why you?” Cory groaned. “You’re my brother, for crying out loud.”

“Cory, we’ll duke this out later. Remember that crazy chick who keeps texting me?”

“Oh, my gosh, Tristan, are you in high school? Just ignore her, she’ll leave you alone eventually.”

“Listen to me, would you?” I said, gritting my teeth. “She sent me a picture of your apartment complex. She threatened my friends – I’m assuming that’s you and Emalee. I need that Covill protection. I need it now.”

“For you or Emalee?” Cory asked.

“Emalee, preferably,” I said. “I can take care of myself.”

Cory snorted. “Then you’ve wasted a phone call. I made a deal with Covill two months ago to keep an eye on her. I know where she is at all times. She’ll be safe.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. Then, a suspicion entered my mind. “Does she know about this?” I asked.

Cory didn’t answer right away. “Why would she need to?” he asked. “I’m a fucking billionaire, it’s protocol to keep tabs on those close to me. They’re automatically a target.”

“….But she doesn’t know you’re basically spying on her.”

“Dammit, Tristan, do I need to haul your ass back to Colorado?”

“Emalee is ditching your apartment for one of her own in two days,” I reminded him. “It’s not your business what she does with her life after that. And for the record… she said I could stay with her until the race. Guess kicking me out kind of backfired on you.” I couldn’t resist a sly grin.

Cory hung up.

I tossed my phone on the bed, sighing. At least now I knew Emalee was safe.

Roxy… It seemed like there were dozens of slutty girls named Roxy. The name did ring a bell, but no face materialized in my mind.

Shrugging it off, I went back to editing my video.

I didn’t see Emalee again until moving day. Cory had hired help to move all her stuff and unpack it, going as far as getting an interior designer to decorate the place.

Emalee was annoyed, to say the least.

“He took away the whole experience of unpacking and setting up my own place!” she grumbled. She glanced at the flowery arrangements in her apartment. “I don’t even like this style.”

I laughed. I hadn’t told her about Cory’s protection on her. I didn’t want her to get upset and have it cancelled. Not after the threats I’d received.

Ever since I’d told Roxy I would call the police if she kept texting, she hadn’t sent me another message. I was relieved, but still paranoid.

“Weren’t you supposed to meet up with a friend today?” I asked.

“Yeah. I cancelled it. I figured I’d be too busy moving.” She shrugged. “Guess not, though.”

“Then let’s grab dinner,” I suggested.

She beamed at the idea.

We walked across the street from her one-bedroom apartment to a deli place. “It’s not as fancy as you’d get with Cory,” I said, opening the door for her.

She laughed. “Trust me – I’d take a hole in the wall place like this over those fancy five-star restaurants any day. I don’t have to dress up.”

After ordering our sandwiches we brought them back to her apartment and sat on the floor in front of her couch, chowing down. Emalee closed her eyes, chewing with obvious pleasure. “It feels so nice to be in my own place again,” she said.

I swallowed my own bite. “You and Cory really are not compatible,” I observed.

She shrugged.

After finishing our meal, we stayed up and watched Netflix until Emalee fell asleep in my arms. I finished the episode we were on, then carried her to her bed, freshly made that morning. I curled myself up next to her petite form, my dick already hardening with the intimacy of the moment.

It would be hard to leave after my race was over.

The week passed in bliss. Because I was still paranoid and overly protective, I walked Emalee to work each morning and made sure to walk her home in the afternoon. She questioned my motives, but I chalked it up to wanting to spend more time with her. She didn’t need to know some girl I screwed however long ago could possibly be lurking nearby.

She loved the attention. Her persona brightened and I discovered she was quite bubbly and had a thirst for adventure. Paris wasn’t the only place she wanted to visit – she hoped to one day visit all 50 states, to backpack through Europe, to make the trek to Machu Picchu.

“I’m taking a trip back to Australia once winter hits,” I told her. “You should come along.”

Her eyes widened at my suggestion. “Really?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“No, but…” she leaned forward, a noodle slipping from her chopsticks and into her Chinese takeout box. “Are you really serious? Because I will totally go.”

I laughed. “I’m not my brother, love. If I’m inviting you, I’m being serious about it. Besides,” I said with a wink. “I’d love to see that ass in a white bikini.”

She giggled at that.

We had sex that night, hot and heavy and explosive.

Wednesday rolled around. I was alone at Emalee’s apartment, working out, training for the race that was coming up in two days.

A loud knock came to the door.

My thoughts instantly went to Roxy. She still hadn’t texted, but maybe she hadn’t left New York yet.

I peered through the peephole and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw my brother.

I opened the door. “Hey, bro,” I greeted him.

He strode right in, taking in Emalee’s apartment. “Why she would move out of my apartment for this is beyond me,” he said, turning his nose up in disgust. He spun to face me. “Why she would choose you is another mystery altogether. What do you have that I don’t?”

I should have known Cory would come looking for a fight. “I actually treat her like a human being,” I said. “She loves attention. Quality time. Not fancy gifts and empty promises.”

Cory snorted and frowned. “She’s so different from the other girls,” he mused.

I couldn’t resist a smile. “You only know how to cater to greedy whores, Cory,” I said. “That’s where you lost her.”

In a move faster than I thought possible for him, Cory rushed at me, slamming me up against the wall. “How dare you,” he growled. “How dare you show up at my home and take my girlfriend from me?”

I roughly shoved him away. “She initiated the break before I came along, remember?” I snapped. “I may share your face, Cory, but I at least give a shit about her.”

Cory ground his teeth. “As soon as you’re gone, she’ll return to me,” he said firmly. “Once you’ve had a taste of luxury, you can’t go back to…” he gestured to the little apartment. “This.”

I almost felt sorry for my brother. He was clueless when it came to Emalee.

“Who says I won’t stay longer?” I said. “Or take her away with me?”

Cory scowled at me. “Because I have the power to wipe out your puny online business that relies on your followers. Once your race is done and over with, I expect you to be out of NYC.”

I curled my hands into fists. “Are you really threatening me, brother?” I asked quietly.

“As fast as that,” Cory said, snapping his fingers in front of my face. “I can obliterate your income streams. Don’t test me.”

I charged, lunging at him. We toppled to the floor.

After wrestling for a moment, I gained the upper hand. I pulled his arm back, digging my knee into his shoulder blade. “No one tells me what to do,” I growled. “Not you, not Dad. If you ruin my business, Emalee will never be yours.”

I released him and he spluttered on the floor.

He spat at me, his eyes kindled with fire. “I won’t let you take what’s mine,” he hissed.

Standing, he limped out of Emalee’s apartment.

I drank my protein. Spent extra time stretching. Meditated a bit.

Today was the race.

A sea of people milled about the grounds, sporting jerseys with their race numbers tacked to the front and back. I checked in and received my own numbers and looked around at the hundreds of bodies to see if I could spot Emalee.

She’d said she’d be here. But she had the gall to invite Cory, who was actually making an effort this time, and had promised he would join her.

I gave her a call. She picked up on the third ring. “Hey, we’re at the left court,” she informed me.

“Is Cory with you?”

“Yes.”

A prick of jealousy pierced my chest. “Give him my love,” I said. “I’ll see you at the finish line.”

“Good luck.” Emalee said. Her voice sounded sincere enough.

My adrenaline spiked as soon as I lined up at the starting line. I looked towards the left court, scanning the crowd for Emalee or Cory. I wanted to confirm they were there watching.

The starting horn blared, and suddenly the mass of people I was joined with moved as one being, surging forward, their feet already slipping in the mud as they jogged towards the first obstacle.

I had to tuck away my jealousy and focus. I moved quickly, conserving my energy as best I could. I would need it for the obstacles ahead.

I leapt over hurdles, crawled through barrels, climbed rock walls. I quickly become slick with mud, which cooled my heated body.

Sweaty, muddy bodies labored beside and in front of me, muscles straining as they climbed a rope course. Some fell, landing on thick mud with a cry.

I pressed on, keeping my focus.

But Emalee was in the back of my mind, the soft curve of her lips, the intelligence in her eyes. I didn’t even care about the prize money at this point – all I wanted was her.

After another grueling hour of climbing, jumping, army crawling, swimming, and running, the end was in sight. I pumped my arms and legs, overtaking the men and women up front who had spent themselves completely and were barely moving faster than a jog.

I saw the finish line.

I sprinted, and with a cry, leapt past the finish line just behind two others.

My heart hammering, I placed my hands on my head, taking deep breaths, my chest heaving. I forced myself to relax.

I caught Emalee and Cory approaching me – Cory as indifferent as ever, Emalee’s eyes wide and glistening.

I didn’t care what Cory thought. I swooped Emalee up in a crushing hug, smearing mud all over her yellow blouse. But she laughed, and yelped in surprise as I swung her through the air, holding her tight against my chest.

“Third place, that’s not bad,” she said with a beaming smile after I had set her down.

I shrugged. “It’s $500.”

I wrapped an arm around Cory, who flinched away. I held him fast, mussing up his hair with my other hand. “Good to see you here, bro,” I told him through gritted teeth.

He grumbled something under his breath, but I didn’t care what he’d said. Throwing my other arm around Emalee, I led them away from the finish line, where scores of bodies were rushing through, completing the race of a lifetime.