My Cone and Only (King Family #1) - Susannah Nix Page 0,7

down Sienna McElwee’s throat. It was the closest I’d ever seen Andie come to crying, and the first time I’d ever seen murder in Josh’s eyes. The two of us cornered Bradley before school the next Monday, and without even laying a finger on him, Josh scared him so bad he nearly pissed himself.

By that point, I’d been deputized as Josh’s second when it came to looking out for Andie. That was what you were supposed to do for family. You stuck up for them and watched their backs. You made sure everyone else knew there’d be hell to pay if anyone came for your people. And the Lockharts were as much my people as anyone.

Nobody was allowed to fuck with Andie. Nobody.

I knew exactly how fast Josh’s temper would turn on me if I ever defied that inviolable commandment. Every time I’d made an only sort of joking comment about asking Andie out—or so much as hinted that my interest might lie in that direction—Josh’s eyes had gone hard and cold, reminding me I’d find no forgiveness if I ever crossed the line.

Which I never planned to do.

Josh and Andie were the two best friends I had. They meant more to me than some of my blood family did. If I ever acted on my baser urges with Andie, I’d lose Josh’s friendship and probably Andie’s too.

Josh didn’t think I was good enough for her, and he was right. If I’d been her brother, I wouldn’t have wanted a guy like me dating her either. I didn’t trust myself not to hurt her, and if I ever hurt either of them, I’d never forgive myself.

That was why she remained my one unbroken rule. The one line I’d never dared to cross and never would.

But I couldn’t stop torturing myself. I couldn’t stay away from her. Couldn’t stop thinking about her and craving her attention. Couldn’t resist imagining how it’d feel to tangle my fingers in her sleek, brown ponytail and tug her head back for a kiss. Couldn’t help the ache I felt every time I laid eyes on her.

Dancing was the closest I ever got to be to her. The one way I could enjoy touching her without ruining everything. I loved it, even though it nearly killed me every time. The feel of her hand in mine. The warmth of her body, so goddamn close. Her strong thighs and generous hips brushing against me. The smell of her skin when it started to heat up—which wasn’t a smell I should have known by heart, but thanks to years of dancing together, I did.

But the thing I loved most about it was the way she followed my lead, not just unquestioningly, but so reflexively it was like we were one person instead of two. Like she was an extension of my body, and I was an extension of hers.

It wasn’t anything I’d experienced with anyone else. And let me tell you how badly I wanted to find out if that connection between us extended to the bedroom.

But that wasn’t something I’d ever get to do, so I danced with her instead.

Dancing was also the only time that girl ever did what I wanted without giving me shit or mouthing off. She was the kind of woman who could start an argument in an empty house. Not that I didn’t love bantering with her, because I fucking did. I got off on it big time when she smarted off at me, which probably said something twisted as hell about my psychological profile. But I didn’t care, as long as she kept looking at me with that fire in her chestnut eyes.

I was a glutton for punishment. I always had been. Always doing shit I knew would get me in trouble. Maybe sometimes doing it because it would get me in trouble.

Yeah, there was definitely more than one kink in that psych profile of mine.

So I couldn’t just leave Andie alone altogether. I had to see her. I had to keep her in my life. I had to dance with her.

I had to push myself to the very edge of my self-control again and again.

And then I had to walk away, every time.

After one dance, I led Brianna back to the bar for more shots and more beers. I needed to be a lot drunker than I was. Fast.

By that point, Andie and the arm-toucher had moved to a table not too far away, and the arm-toucher’s wingman had peeled