Take a Chance on Me(90)

“Mitch,” Sam said again. “It’s important.”

“Go away,” Mitch yelled back. Whatever it was could wait.

The door rattled as though coming off its hinges as someone’s fists slammed against the wood. “Maddie Donovan, open this f*cking door.”

Mitch froze at the unfamiliar voice.

Maddie went shell-shock still, squeaking, “Oh no.”

More pounding and banging. “I’m giving you thirty seconds, and then this sucker is coming down.”

Mitch pulled out, leaving the hot, wet heaven of her body. “Someone you know?”

With flushed cheeks, her expression had turned from lustful to horrified in a fraction of a second. “It’s my brother.”





Chapter Twenty-Five



Maddie tried the best she could to straighten her clothes, clumsily buttoning her top as Mitch zipped his pants. His face was unreadable as he smoothed out his hair and pulled at the T-shirt he wore.

She felt naked. Exposed. Shaken. With her heart skipping a beat, she sent up a silent prayer that all hell wouldn’t break loose.

Why was Shane here? When she’d called him over a week ago, she’d asked him to stay away, and she’d truly believed he’d follow her wishes. Tears threatened, but she squeezed her lids tightly to push them away.

Mitch walked to the door and flipped the lock.

“I’m sorry,” she said. It was woefully inadequate preparation for what was to come.

A second later, the door crashed open.

Shane stormed into the room, eyes narrowed on Mitch. She’d seen that look before: he was out for blood. “What the hell is going on here?”

“Shane! Stop!” she yelled.

He ignored her, his green eyes filled with ice. He breathed in deeply. “What were you doing to my sister?”

Mitch crossed his arms, looking like an immovable object as they faced off. “Do you really want me to answer that?”

The scent of sex seemed to infuse the room. Maddie flushed, her thighs rubbing together, reminding her that she wore no underwear. “Shane, that’s none of your business.”

“You said he was a friend.” With his expression fierce, Shane braced his legs as though preparing for a fight.

She might have skirted the truth. Guilty, she shifted her attention to peer over her shoulder. Behind Shane and Sam stood her middle brother, James.

“James.” She smiled at her quietly handsome, six-foot-two-inch professor brother. With his expression a study in wry amusement, his cool, rational aura enveloped her like a comfortable blanket in the face of Shane’s aggression.

Behind his wire-rimmed frames, green eyes that matched her own settled on her. “Maddie.”

She ran over to him, throwing her arms around him and giving him a hug, whispering in his ear, “Help me.”

He squeezed her tightly. “You got yourself into this mess, baby sister. You’ll have to get yourself out.” He kissed her on the top of her head. “But it’s good to see you.”

It wasn’t much, but it was enough to give her a sense of calm as she turned to face her oldest brother’s wrath. With as much dignity as she could muster while wearing no panties, she straightened. “Shane, I asked you to stay away.”

Mitch turned cool eyes on her. “You didn’t tell me you’d talked to your family.”

Guilt knifed through her. “Um . . .”

“And you didn’t tell me you were screwing a perfect stranger,” Shane said flatly.

“Um . . .” She gulped.

“Shit, all your talk about independence.” Shane’s expression turned thunderous. “Fucking the first random guy you happen across so he’ll give you a place to stay doesn’t count, Maddie.”

Even as anger flared bright inside her, she winced at the words. She opened her mouth to give him hell, but before she could, Mitch turned on her brother, moving faster than she’d ever seen him. Before she could blink, Shane was up against the wall with Mitch’s hand around his throat.

“Don’t. Ever. Talk to her like that.” His tone shook with rage and barely contained violence.

“Mitch, please.” Maddie ran over to him, gripping his arm to pull him off. It was like trying to move granite. He didn’t even budge.

James walked up behind her, sliding his arm around her waist and pulling her back as Sam grabbed Mitch’s shoulder.

“Let him go, Mitch.” Sam’s voice was calm and controlled. “This isn’t the way to handle the situation.”

“Fuck. Off.” Mitch’s tone was like ice.


Sam’s fingers tightened. “Trust me on this.”

Shane’s face reddened, and Mitch’s hand tightened. Shane gripped the wrist that had him pinned to the wall, but he didn’t attempt to free himself. This struck Maddie as strange. Her oldest brother was a known ass-kicker. Half of Chicago was scared of him.

“If you ever talk to her like that again,” Mitch said, in a deadly tone, “I will rip your f*cking throat out.”

The air shifted, swirling with tension and far too much male testosterone. Maddie’s heart thumped hard against her chest.

Shane sputtered.

“Mitch, this isn’t going to solve anything,” Sam said. Mitch increased the pressure around Shane’s throat, turning his complexion another shade darker. “Do you understand me?”