Never Gonna Happen - Cynthia Eden Page 0,48

just about anything.

“Do not tell me,” Antony blasted, “that this jerk brought you in his home, saying he’d protect you—”

A fist pounded against the door. “Everything okay in there?” Ella called.

“Only to seduce you!” Antony shouted.

The door flew open. Ella gaped in the doorway.

Alyssa put her hands on her hips. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

Antony released a ragged breath. His shoulders sagged. “Thank Christ.” He waved his hand toward Sebastian. “Sorry, really, sorry, but this night has been crazy, and I don’t know what I was—”

“I seduced him,” Alyssa clarified. “Obviously.”

Antony surged for Sebastian with his fist swinging.

Sebastian waited for the blow.

But…

Alyssa tripped her brother. Antony went down, hard.

She put her hands on her hips. Glared at Sebastian. “Really? You were just going to sit there? Let him punch you?”

He could not drag his eyes off her. “Seemed like a plan at the time.”

Antony groaned. He pushed himself up.

“Why the hell would you do that?” Alyssa asked Sebastian.

“Because I figure you’re worth a broken nose or a busted lip.” He shrugged. “Actually, I think you might be worth just about anything.”

She didn’t respond.

“Ahem.” Ella’s voice was strained. “Everyone’s okay here, yes? I think you are. I’ll just back away.”

Antony made it to his feet. He pointed at Sebastian. “We had an agreement.”

“And that’s some BS.” Alyssa kept her body positioned between Sebastian and Antony.

She’s protecting me? He’d noticed that she seemed to do that a lot. Put herself between him and others. Hmm.

“Antony, you don’t get to make decisions about the men I see. About the men I might want to be involved with. If I want to be with Sebastian, I’m going to be with him.”

Sebastian straightened. A smile pulled at his lips. She wanted to be with him?

“If I want to be with a dozen men,” Alyssa blazed on, “I’ll be with them.”

He lost his smile. A dozen men? Sebastian’s eyes narrowed. “The hell you will.”

She ignored him and jabbed her brother in the chest. “You don’t run my life. I love you, but you don’t dictate who I sleep with, just like I don’t tell you who to see.” She removed her hand as her shoulders heaved. “Got it?”

Antony rubbed his chest, right on the spot where she’d jabbed him. “Got it.”

“Good. Now, it’s late, and I’m going to bed.” She marched for the door. Angry, fast steps. Alyssa wrenched open the door and fired a fast glance over her shoulder. “Coming?” Alyssa locked eyes with Sebastian.

He rose. “No way you’re leaving without me.”

“Good.” A firm nod.

He moved to follow her.

Antony slid into his path. “This isn’t over.”

Sebastian flashed his dimples at the other man. “Of course, it’s not. As I told your sister just a little while ago, things are just beginning.”

Antony’s face flushed.

Sebastian lowered his voice and warned, “Try to get between me and Alyssa again, and it will be your worst mistake.” He was done playing. “She came to me. She wants me. And like I said before…”

“She’s my sister!”

“I will take care of her.”

“No. You don’t take care of things. You amuse yourself with them, and then you toss them away.” Antony’s voice was low, rough. “I’ve seen you do it, time and time again. You like challenges, but when the challenge is over, you get bored. You can’t get bored with her. Don’t you see? You can’t hurt her!” Fury flashed on his face. “But you didn’t think about the consequences, did you? You took what you wanted, and now it’s too late.”

Sebastian stared into his friend’s eyes. “You’re right. Now it is too late.” Because he’d finally gotten what he wanted.

But Antony was wrong. Sebastian wasn’t going to get bored. He wasn’t going to hurt Alyssa.

And he had no plans to ever toss her away.

He wasn’t a damn fool.

Chapter Twelve

“That went well.” Alyssa rode the elevator down with Sebastian. Her brother had tried to lunge onto the elevator with them, but she’d shut the doors just in time. She needed some privacy with Sebastian, STAT.

“You think?” He lifted his brows.

“Oh, definitely.” Rage poured through her. “You know, especially that part where you just stood there and waited for Antony to punch you. Great moment. Highlight reel material.”

His lips twitched.

He thought this was funny? Her hand flew out, and she slammed the emergency stop button.

His lips stopped twitching. “Why did you do that?”

“So that I can scream at you in privacy. So that Ella won’t rush in when she hears me yelling…What were you thinking? You don’t just stand there and let someone punch