Maybe This Time (Maybe #1)(2)

After a long shower, I dry myself and tie my brown hair up in a messy bun. Wrapping the towel around myself, I walk from the bathroom to my room.

I’m almost at my bedroom door when I scream.

I pull the towel higher, and take a few steps back, looking around for a weapon.

Anything.

“Fuck, I’m sorry. I’m not gonna hurt you,” comes an amused drawl. He puts his hands up in a calming gesture.

“Who are you?” I demand, narrowing my eyes.

“Dash!” I hear Xander call out as he walks around the corner. He pauses when he sees us, and shoots a glare at Dash.

“What the f*ck are you doing staring at my sister like that?” Xander practically growls. I look at Dash, who is indeed eye-f*cking me, and not being subtle about it one bit. Dash throws a crooked smile my way, before turning his violet coloured eyes at my brother.

“You didn’t tell me how f*cking hot your sis was,” he says in a deep rumble. I roll my eyes and walk around him and into my room, slamming the door behind me. I hear his masculine chuckle, along with Xander hissing something about Dash keeping his dick in his pants.

I dress in worn jeans and a black tank top, and head out into the kitchen. I see Xander and Dash in what looks like a heated conversation, all hushed whispers and hand gestures. Feeling a little awkward, I almost want to head back into my room.

“Come and eat, Sum,” Xander says when he sees me. He pushes a pizza box towards me, and I also notice some beers on the table. Dash’s gaze is on me as I open the pizza box and take out a giant slice of pepperoni. My favourite.

“Does Jack know she’s here?” Dash asks Xander, his eyes still glued to me. Xander runs his hand though his hair, looking a little worried.

When Xander rang me, asking me to move in here with him, I told him that I was reluctant because of my father. He doesn’t know me, at all, and it feels awkward that he would suddenly want to be in my life after all these years with only making an appearance once a year at most. The truth was, I wanted to be with Xander. I’d wanted to get to know him my whole life, and when he rang me, telling me that if I didn’t get here he was gonna drive up there to get me himself, I decided it was time. Time to break free.

There was no point staying at home anymore, in my small rental apartment where mum and I used to live. So I quit my waitressing job and left everything and everyone I'd known my whole life behind. All for my brother.

“Yeah, he knows,” he answers, his tone and look telling Dash to shut up. I look at Dash. I’m not gonna lie, he's ruggedly handsome. Dark hair, piercing violet eyes and a perfectly sexy amount of stubble on his face. I see a matching pair of dimples pop up when he flashes me a flirty smile. I roll my eyes at him, feigning non-interest. The twinkle in his eyes calls my bluff.

“How long are you here for?” Dash asks me, picking up his own slice of pizza.

“Forever,” Xander says, the same time I answer, “not long.”

My brother pins me with a harsh glare. “What do you mean not long? This is your house, too!”

“No, it isn’t, Xander,” I say softly. This is his house, and his alone. I know my father gave it to him. I want to spend some time with my brother, and get on my feet, then I can find my own place to live.

“Summer, you have to know that-"

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t want to be in your way,” I tell him, cutting him off.

“Is it cos all of that shit your mother said about me? You don’t think that you’re safe here?” he asks me, his voice mocking, but his eyes shine with hurt. My whole life my mother has been telling me my brother is a low life. A thug, a criminal, a waste of space. I’ve heard it all. She tried her best to turn me against Xander and my father, tried to instil it into me from the beginning. I had no idea that he knew about the things she told me. I don’t think he cares what she thinks, but from the look in his hazel eyes I can see that he does care about what I think.

“If I listened to everything my mother said I wouldn’t be here right now, Xander,” I tell him truthfully. He shakes his head, staring down at his feet in annoyance. Dash is watching him, a thoughtful look on his face.

“She told me you were a biker. Is it true?” I blurt out. The two of them eye each other, almost like they are having a silent conversation. I shrug, grab a beer and head to the couch, turning on the TV.

“How old are you, baby?” Dash asks me. Baby?

I take a slow sip of my beer before I reply. “What’s it to you?”

“Xander is eighteen, so you must be, what, nineteen?”

“And how old are you?” I ask.

“Older,” is all he says. I give him a once over. I’d say he’s about twenty five.

“You must be, what, thirty?” I ask, pursing my lips so I don’t laugh when I see his reaction.

He narrows his eyes. “I don’t look that old.”

“Of course not,” I say, dragging the words out.

He opens his mouth to say something else, when two men walk into the house.

Does no one even knock? Or believe in locking doors?

I peer up at them, surprised to see that they are twins. Identical twins. Both have blonde hair, and bright blue eyes. The only difference I can spot between them is the scar one of them has, marring the right side of his cheek. It looks like it might have been made by a knife, and runs deep along his jaw line. His hair is shaved on both sides, and a little longer on the top, while the other has his hair longer and messier, falling charmingly over his forehead.