Collared(5)

Torrin stares down Caden, not blinking. “So worth it.”

When Caden crooks his finger at Torrin, I give his arm another yank before he can get very far.

“Come on, brother. Defend your girlfriend’s honor,” Caden says.

“My honor’s just fine, spank you very much, *.” I wave my middle finger at Caden while still managing to hold on to Torrin with both hands.

“Not with the dirty things I’m doing to you in my head.” Caden lifts his eyes to the ceiling as he taps his temple. His twisted smile tells the rest of the story.

Torrin makes another lunge, this one strong enough he drags me halfway across the linoleum before I manage to get his attention. “Stop it! Now! This is what he wants. Don’t give it to him.”

Torrin stops, but the muscles banding down his forearm I’m gripping quiver. He takes a few deep breaths, staring down Caden the whole time. I’ve seen these two get into it enough to know it’s a pretty even match, but after the last one had left Torrin with a black eye and so many bruises dotting his chest I was sure he’d broken a few ribs, I swore I’d do anything to keep him from getting into another one. Caden and Torrin aren’t boys duking it out for fun anymore—they’re men out to draw blood.

After another minute, Torrin raises his hands and backs up a few steps. “I’m good.” When I don’t let go of his arm, he glances at me. His eyes go right back to Caden. “I’m good.”

I loosen my grip, testing him. He doesn’t break loose and go all caged gorilla in Caden’s direction, so I loosen my hold a little more. By the time I’ve totally let go of him, Torrin’s breathing’s back to normal. His expression’s still lethal, but he’s good.

“Let’s leave these monkeys to their ass scratching and shit throwing.” I nod toward the front door. “Come on.”

I take the first step out of the kitchen and wait. Torrin follows me.

“Hey, Jade?”

My shoulders tense—why can’t Caden just know when to quit?

“You need any help with the leg opening thing, you know where to find me,” he says.

I spin around as fast as I can, but I’m too late—Torrin’s already on him. Torrin isn’t just known for making goals. He’s as well known for his speed getting up and down the field—or in this instance, across the kitchen.

“Torrin!” I shout, but I know he can’t hear me. He already has Caden on the ground and has gotten in two punches before I can shout again. “Stop!”

Caden’s friends close in around the two of them, but none of them charge in to help their friend, who’s getting his ass kicked. Nice friends. Not that I’d let them get close to Torrin. The moment any of them put a finger on him would be the moment before I snapped it.

Caden’s laughing, hit after hit, but Torrin’s quiet. Eerily quiet. His hits are concentrated, focused almost. It doesn’t look like he’s going to stop until Caden shuts up.

I don’t think Caden’s trying to fight back, or if he was, Torrin’s beat it right out of him, so when I notice the first splatters of blood rain across the linoleum, I step in. I can’t count the number of these “brotherly” brawls I’ve broken up. At least Rory, the youngest Costigan brother, is more lover than fighter. Once Caden moves out of the house, things will quiet down.

“Enough, Torrin.” I don’t have to shout this time because there isn’t much noise anymore.

Other than the smack of Torrin’s fist connecting with some part of Caden, the room is quiet. He’s finally stopped laughing.

“Torrin . . .” I step up behind him. He scares me when I see him like this. Not because I’m scared for myself but scared for anyone who crosses him. Torrin doesn’t back down once he’s committed. “Enough.”

Even though my words aren’t stopping him, the moment my hand curls around his shoulder, his whole body goes still. Other than his chest rising and falling with his rushed breathing, he doesn’t move.

I squeeze his shoulder. “Come on.”

He stays straddled over Caden for a few more seconds, but slowly his arms lower to his sides as his fists fall open like they’re exhausted. Caden’s nose is bleeding, and a couple of Torrin’s knuckles look split open—again—but I don’t think there are any broken bones or stitches required. Torrin was holding back. Sometime this past year, he became stronger than his older brother. The roles have shifted. From the look in Caden’s swollen eyes, he knows it too.

“You talk to Jade like that again, and we’re over. Through.” When Torrin speaks, his voice is controlled, but I don’t miss the tremor that runs down his spine. “Now sober up and clean up before Mom gets home. I’m tired of cleaning up your messes.”

He stares down at Caden for another moment before standing up beside me. He flexes his fingers, popping his knuckles, then grabs my hand and steers me out of the kitchen. Again. Hopefully for the last time tonight because it’s a damn miracle my dad isn’t already beating down the front door with the SWAT team covering him.

“Blood’s thicker than water, little brother!” Caden calls after us, spitting out what I guess is some blood of his own.

“Yeah, let me know when you figure that out. Big brother.” Torrin makes the last part sound like an insult as he throws open the front door and ushers me out first. He wants to make sure to keep himself between his brother and me.