Restraint - Adriana Locke Page 0,94
rock star and happens to be a total romantic. When I told her what happened on my break, she insisted that I leave early. Since she refused to send back calls or copy files or find data, what was I supposed to do?
Holt’s head rests on my shoulder. “I love you.”
I can’t help but laugh. “How many times are you going to tell me that today?”
“I don’t know. As many as I want.”
“Okay.”
He looks up at me like a puppy that’s waiting for a treat.
“I love you too,” I say.
This earns me a grin.
Knock! Knock!
Holt’s head lifts up. “Who is here?”
“I don’t know.”
I hop off the sofa and make my way to the door. “Who is it?”
“It’s Sienna and Walker.”
I unlatch the door and pop it open. “Hey. How are you guys?”
Sienna makes a face. “You sound better today.”
I grin, letting the door swing wide open. I know the exact moment Sienna’s eyes rest on Holt because they flip immediately to mine.
“What is this?” she squeals.
Walker fills the doorway with his wide shoulders and linebacker body. “Who the fuck is that?”
I swat my brother’s chest. “Be nice.”
I step to the side so they can come in, keeping my eyes trained on Walker. The door shuts softly behind them.
Sienna nearly bounces with excitement as she takes in Holt’s arm wrapped around my waist. My brother, on the other hand, isn’t quite as excited. As a matter of fact, he looks pissed.
I gulp.
“Holt, this is my brother Walker, and of course, you know Sienna. Walker, this is Holt Mason,” I say.
Holt extends a hand. Walker lets it hang there for a long second before shaking it.
I roll my eyes.
“I heard that you struck a deal with Graham and Lincoln today,” Sienna says. “Congratulations!”
Holt half-laughs. “My family struck a deal with them, yes. I can’t take credit for it all. Sadly.”
They go into some of the details, but I tune them out. Not because I’m disinterested but because it’s hard to concentrate with Holt by my side … and Walker scowling at him in front of me.
Sienna laces her fingers through my brother’s and peers up at him. She has to see the look on his face because she pokes him with her finger.
“Are you okay over there?” she asks him.
He doesn’t look at her. He just keeps pinning Holt to the wall with his stare.
“Walker, stop,” I warn.
“So you’re the guy who Blaire was staying with in Savannah, right?” Walker asks, raising a brow at Holt.
Holt nods. “Yeah. She stayed with me for a few days.”
“And you made her cry.”
“Walker …” I say. It’s more of a plea than a demand because no one tells Walker Gibson what to do. “Please don’t.”
Holt’s fingers curl into my waist. “I’m a big enough man to admit that I wasn’t on my best behavior. I did say and do some things that I wish, in retrospect, I hadn’t done. But I never set out to make Blaire cry.”
“But you did,” Walker says.
“Enough,” I hiss. “I’m a big girl.”
He looks down at me. He reminds me so much of my father that it’s scary.
“I’m a little pissed at you too, come to think of it,” he tells me.
“Why?”
“Because he didn’t even know who I was when I walked in,” Walker says. “That means that you didn’t warn him about the hellfire he’ll be walking into if he fucks with you.”
Walker’s eyes slide over me and land squarely on Holt.
Holt doesn’t budge. He doesn’t flinch. He squares his shoulders to my brother.
“That’s my sister,” Walker tells him. “She’s the only one I have. If you do anything stupid—even a little bit, I will take your body apart piece by piece. Got it?”
“Walker!” I say as Sienna shoves her elbow into his ribs.
He doesn’t flinch.
I look up at Holt to see his reaction. He takes a long, deep breath and blows it out slowly.
“I absolutely understand,” Holt says as if this mountain of a man didn’t just threaten to murder him. “My brothers and I say the same thing to the guys our little cousin, Riss, dates. Better to put them on notice early on. It might stop stupidity down the line.”
Walker nods. “You get it then.”
“Oh, yes. I get it. We’re on the same page.” Holt looks at Sienna, still cool as a cucumber. “Do you guys want to come in and sit down?”
Please say no. Please say no. Please say no.
“We’re actually heading to pick up some fabric from the fabric shop downtown,” Sienna says. “We