A Perfect Ten (Forbidden Men #5)(133)

She looked up at me, her eyes swimming with concern. “I think he’s scared he might lose both his best friend and his sister over this.”

“Yeah, well...he did just lose his sister.”

Aspen’s eyes filled with misery. “I probably don’t want to know what he did, do I? Fine. Let me help you pack. Then I’ll take you wherever you need to go.”





The shift ended, the club cleared out, and only us guys remained to clean the place up. I tried to hold my tongue for as long as I could, but for me, “long” lasted about ten minutes. Everyone in the joint must’ve sensed our tension, because there wasn’t a lot of talking or bantering as we set to our duties. I was wiping down the stools in front of the bar when Noel began to clean the counter behind it. We were facing each other, the bar between us, and working in the same direction, though we avoided eye contact, when my patience shattered.

Slapping my washrag on the bar top, I looked over at him and burst. “You know, even if your f*cking plan had worked tonight, the person who would’ve gotten hurt the most was your sister. Did that even occur to you, you prick bastard? Your only little sister. Oh, but don’t worry; if that was your goal, I think it worked anyway. It wasn’t me who caused her devastation, though, it was you. I cannot even believe you would...” Shaking my head as words failed me because I was vibrating with so much rage, I just wanted to leap over the bar and start pounding on his f*cking face.

What he’d done to Caroline had been completely unacceptable.

Too close to the edge to trust myself, I glanced at Lowe, who’d stopped what he was doing to watch us openly. “I’m taking off.”

He nodded and made a dismissive gesture with his hand, excusing me. I swear I saw some pride glittering in his gaze as he sent me the hint of a smile.

Without even looking Gamble’s way, I turned and walked out of the club.

When I found my wife curled in my bed, fast asleep with her luggage sitting against the footboard, I wasn’t all that surprised.

Smiling softly, I stripped down to my boxers and crawled in with her.

I woke the next morning to the end of my bed dipping down as someone sat next to my feet. In my arms, Caroline stirred and her scent rustled up from her hair, filling my nose until I had wood. My arms were already wrapped around her as we spooned, and her ass was tucked into my lap with her back snuggled to my chest.

As someone who liked my space at night, it blew my mind that I enjoyed sleeping with her so much that I actually wanted her this close to me. But hell, I had no idea having her right there would feel quite this nice. My hips arched forward and I instinctively rubbed my hard cock through my boxer shorts until I found the crease in her ass.

She let out a breathy sigh, and I leaned in to bury my face in the back of her neck, enjoying every single second of this moment...until a throat cleared at the end of my bed.

Jumping out of my skin, I sat up, instantly pulling the blankets up to cover my woman. We were already fully covered to the tops of our chests. But I knew she only had on those cute little boy shorts and a camisole top. I didn’t want someone else seeing even her creamy bare shoulders.

When I spotted Noel sitting by my feet, I lurched upright. “Jesus. What the f*ck, man?”

His back was to us and his hands were laced loosely in his lap, as if he was ready to just hang out and wait for us to wake up.

“I need to talk to my sister,” he said, his voice rough with regret and apology.

I sighed out a groan and flopped my head back onto my pillow. “Right this second?” Turning my head, I saw that it was barely seven in the morning.

Damn, Gamble really had lost his mind.

“You know, it’s still really weird to think of you two...” He motioned between us over his shoulder. “But actually seeing it with my own eyes is even stranger. I don’t...” He shook his head and looked away again. “I still don’t approve of this, and I’m absolutely certain you’re going to end up breaking her heart.”

I just snorted and shook my head. “Yeah, well...after last night, I stopped giving a f*ck what you think about it.”

Noel closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. “Last night...” he started, only to turn back and open his lashes to send me a sincere stare. “Last night, I was wrong. I know that.”

I wasn’t going to forgive him since he couldn’t even bother to say sorry, though he’d gone as far as to admit he’d f*cked up. No one messed with my woman the way he had and reached any kind of forgiveness without a shitload of groveling and apologies...and maybe a million bucks.

But then he said, “I’m sorry, Caroline. And I’m not just saying this because I had the worst fight of my marriage with my wife last night, who was eager to tell me everything I’ve done wrong lately. I really am ashamed of what I did. It was impulsive and very...Ten-like.”

I glanced at her to find her eyes open and filling with tears.

Gam sent her the most pitiful look ever. “I don’t want you to move out just because I messed up. That is your home and will remain your home. I never...shit.” He glanced down at his hands and sniffed quietly. “I never told you how proud I was of you for how much you did for the boys while I was gone. And I never told you that I didn’t blame you once for how bad things got. I don’t know if anyone—me included—could’ve held things together as long as you did. And I never lost any kind of faith in you. You are a strong, courageous young woman who I am proud to have as a sister. I will still love you, no matter what.”