The Other Brother (The Collision Series) Read online

  We swung in silence and after several minutes, I lost our staring contest. “Why do you care what I do with Gabe?”

  “I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

  “Why do you care if I get hurt?”

  “Because you’re a good person.”

  “Why do you think I’m such a good person?”

  “Why do you have so many questions?”

  “Because I’m trying to figure you out.”

  “Good luck with that,” he said. “I can’t figure myself out half the time.”

  I bit my tongue.

  “How did you break your wrist?”

  “I fell. I was at my dad’s bakery in Florida, and I slipped on some flour.”

  “Okay. Now tell me the truth.”

  My stomach twisted. “What are you talking about? I fell.”

  “I can tell when you’re lying.”

  “How?”

  “You don’t look me in the eyes when you lie. Just like when you told me your dad hides money under his mattress. Also, your voice changes, like when you said you weren’t free tonight on the phone.”

  “What are you, CIA or something?”

  “If I told you, I’d have to kill you.” He wiggled his eyebrows until I cracked a smile.

  “You’re an idiot.”

  “And you’re a liar. Tell me how you broke your wrist.”

  I looked into his eyes so he’d know I was telling the truth. “I can’t. There’re things about me better left unsaid. It’s safer that way.”

  “Safer? Now look who’s in the CIA.”

  I grinned.

  “What are you doing tomorrow night?”

  I tried to think of a lie but thought better of it. He already knew my tells. “I don’t know. Nothing, I guess.”

  “You should come out. We’re all going to Big Nose Kate’s.”

  Was that really someone’s nickname? Poor girl. “I don’t know who Kate is. Would she mind if I came to her party?”

  Tanner laughed so hard, his eyelids closed and crinkled in the corners. “Big Nose Kate’s is the name of a bar. I’m going there with some friends for Shawn’s birthday. You should come. Bring Mallory.”

  How would I explain this to her? I could hear her judgement already.

  “My brother will be playing there with his band.”

  “You mean,” I touched my chest, “I get to meet Bon Jovi?”

  He smirked and pushed my swing with his foot, sending me sideways into the air. “Smart-ass.”

  I giggled, allowing my swing to crash into him. I now understood Tanner’s choice to bring me here. A playground felt innocent and carefree—two things I’m sure he hadn’t felt in a long time. I hadn’t either.

  Tanner slowed his swing and stood, signaling that it was time to head back. “Say you’ll come tomorrow.”

  I rose from my seat. “I’ll talk to Mal.”

  He took my hand and drew me closer. His fingers laced with mine and goosebumps shot up my arm. “Say you’ll come tomorrow.”

  My gaze landed on his lips before I could stop myself. They were close enough for me to touch, and I could smell his cinnamon gum on his breath. The butterfly trapped in my chest multiplied as I imagined what it would be like to be kissed by those lips. Silky-smooth, plump lips. Would he give light teasing kisses, or would he be fire and passion? Something told me he’d be both.

  Tanner caught me looking, and a pleased smirk formed on said lips.

  I took a few steps back, for fear he would hear the sound of the kick drum inside me. “I’ll talk to Mal,” were the only words I could form.

  Tanner

  I saw her as soon as she stepped foot into the bar. You couldn’t miss her. Maybe it was because she was a goldenrod in a field of weeds. Maybe her skin seemed so pale in contrast with the fake tans surrounding her. It definitely had something to do with her pouty pink lips that I wanted to suck on.

  But for me, it was her eyes. Charlotte had a pair that could hypnotize you. Luminous blue spheres with sunbursts streaking through them. Electric orbs that brightened even your darkest day. A lot went on behind those eyes, but she only let a small fraction of it show. There wasn’t much I wouldn’t do to keep them on me.

  “Quit staring so hard, bro,” Derek shouted into my ear. “You need to play it cool.”

  I arched an eyebrow without taking my focus off Charlotte. “Like you know anything about playing it cool.”

  “I bag plenty of girls because I know how to play their fucked-up games.”

  “There’s the difference between you and me, fuckhole. I don’t need to play any games to get girls.”

  “Ah.” He waved his hand. “Maybe the old Tanner Brooks didn’t have to play games. This pathetic excuse for a man you’ve turned into—you’ve lost your touch. I can’t even remember the last time you bagged a girl.” He tipped his beer bottle in Chase’s direction. “Even your brother’s gone soft, man!”

  I controlled the urge to punch my best friend in his dumb mouth and averted my attention to my brother as he talked to Merritt Adams across the room. He had been in love with her since kindergarten. I was glad to see them together. If she hadn’t woken up from the coma after her accident, Chase would have been devastated.

  “Incoming. Here comes your girl.”

  Charlotte wore a yellow halter top and the tiniest pair of white shorts. Girls knew exactly what they were doing when they put on white shorts—they knew it drove men wild. She looked less plain than usual, and that excited me. She was dressed for me. My mouth spread into a wide grin as her eyes locked on mine.

  Mallory whispered something in her ear, and Charlotte bit her lip to keep from laughing. I would have to ask her about that later. She didn’t smile much, and I wanted to learn how to make it happen more often.

  I wrapped my arms around her in a bear hug. Anything to touch her. “You came.”

  “I told you I would talk to Mallory.”

  Mallory smirked. “You’re welcome.”

  I held out my closed hand and fist-bumped her. “Mal, have you met my single friend, Derek?” I patted Derek’s arm. I didn’t know if he was interested in Mallory, but I didn’t give a shit. He needed to be my wingman. Mal was fiercely protective over her friend, and I wanted Charlotte to myself tonight.

  Charlotte pushed Mallory closer to Derek. “This is my single friend, Mallory.”

  Mallory took his hand with a confident smile and led him to the dance floor without saying a word. Apparently, she was a designated wingman, too.

  I held out my hand to Charlotte. “Ready to dance?”

  She shook her head. “No.”

  Seriously? “Do you not like dancing?”

  “I do. I just can’t dance with you.”

  “Why the fuck not?”

  She crinkled her nose and closed her eyes as if it hurt her to say the words. “If I dance with you, I will owe Mallory twenty bucks.”

  My eyebrows could not have lifted any higher. “You bet her that you wouldn’t dance with me tonight?”

  “I did.”

  Fuck that. I set my beer on the windowsill and dug into my back pocket, pulling out my wallet. I leaned in just inches from her face. “Don’t ever bet against me, baby.” I took her hand and pulled her through the crowd. Tapping Mallory on the shoulder, I handed her a folded twenty-dollar bill.

  She took it with a knowing smile and winked before returning her attention to Derek.

  I drew Charlotte in close, and we began to dance. She felt rigid at first—hesitant. I wanted her to relax. I placed her hand on the back of my neck and carefully sandwiched her casted arm in between us.

  “Is your wrist okay?”

  She nodded, looking everywhere except at me.

  My hands traveled to her waist, and I brushed my fingertips against her slightly bare midriff. Behave. You don’t want to scare her away. Our bodies moved in rhythm with the music, and Charlotte relaxed against me a little more with each passing song. She even turned around at one point
and pressed her ass onto my dick. Let’s hope she takes the stiffness as a compliment.

  As much as I enjoyed being behind her, I twirled her around and pulled her close against my body. My chest was pressed against hers. I had the perfect view down into her cleavage, but that wasn’t where I wanted to look. I needed her to look at me.

  As if she heard my thoughts, her eyes flicked up at me. Blue eyes always seemed cold. They lacked depth. But not hers. Charlotte’s were a limitless ocean, and I was sinking under. When she looked at me, I was on top of the world. I was invincible. All the pain inside me dissipated.

  “You look incredible,” I spoke into her ear, resisting the insatiable desire to nibble it.

  “So do you.”

  With her arms draped around my neck, her fingers ever so gently stroked the hair on the back of my head. It calmed me and tortured me at the same time. I imagined her gripping handfuls of my hair with her legs wrapped around my waist. I kept my hands planted firmly on her hips, but I could feel them twitching, dying to roam all over her body.

  I grinned. “Best fucking twenty dollars I ever spent.”

  Charlotte

  I noticed his eyes were absent of pain tonight, though I knew it was not gone for good. I felt lucky. I was aware that most people did not get the chance to see him like this. What a sight it was to see him happy. Tonight, he was not the hot-head with the bad reputation. Tonight, he was gentle and kind … and sexy as hell.

  It became more and more difficult to control myself being so close to him. He smelled like cologne and sweat. It was an intoxicating combination, though I’d never thought so on anyone else. The image of his bare upper body, burned into my memory from the moment we’d met, only made matters worse. My hands wanted to slip under his shirt to feel if his skin was as smooth as it looked. And those lips. Ugh, those lips. They were so close to mine, taunting me. I’d only have to tilt my chin a fraction of an inch. No. Look away. Get it together, girl.

  We danced until Chase took the stage for his last set. As much as I didn’t want to let go of Tanner, I was thankful for the break. Derek and Mallory walked to the bar with us. Tanner ordered me a water, and I contemplated dousing myself with it instead of drinking it. I needed something to snap me out of the trance I was in.

  Tanner tapped his bottle against Derek’s and Mallory’s before chugging almost half of it. All three of them were definitely feeling the effects of the alcohol, and I was prepared to drive everyone home.

  “Has anyone seen the birthday boy?” Derek asked.

  Mallory’s top lip lifted in a snarl. “He’s probably rubbing his junk against some poor girl on the dance floor.” She pointed Shawn out to me. “He’s such a skeeze.”

  “Speaking of, where’s pencil dick tonight?” Tanner asked.

  I lifted my chin slightly. “I don’t know anybody by that name.”

  “Why do you keep calling him that?” Mallory asked. “How do you even know what his dick looks like?”

  “His name is Gabe, and he has an early morning tomorrow, for your information.”

  “We all have early mornings.” Tanner threw back the rest of his beer and set it atop the bar. He took my hand, twirled me in a circle, and dipped me backwards. “His loss is my gain,” he said with a wink. When he set me upright, he turned toward the bar to order one last round.

  I leaned closer to Mallory’s ear. “Why does he keep mentioning Gabe like that?”

  “He knows Gabe likes you. He’s jealous.” She paused. “Shit. That’s a first.”

  The band packed away their equipment, and the crowded bar emptied into the parking lot. I held onto Mallory’s arm to guide her as we shuffled out the door. Someone bumped into me, and I dropped my car keys. I let go of Mallory to bend down and grab them. Then, I felt a firm slap on my ass.

  “Hey!” I spun around to glare at Tanner. I know he’s drunk, but that was uncalled for.

  I looked up to see Tanner holding birthday boy Shawn in the air by his throat. Veins bulged out of Tanner’s neck, his cheeks flushed, and he had a menacing look in his eyes.

  “Tanner, let him go!” I pulled on his arm, but he had a solid grip around Shawn’s throat.

  Shawn’s face turned several shades of purple.

  “He can’t breathe!” Mallory shrieked.

  “Tanner!” My voice sounded strained as panic set in. “You’re going to kill him! Stop!”

  He loosened his grip and dropped Shawn onto the ground. Shawn rolled over onto his side, gasping for air. Another guy in the crowd extended his hand to help him to his feet.

  “Don’t you ever lay a fucking finger on her again,” Tanner growled. He turned and stormed off into the parking lot.

  “Where are you going?” Mallory shouted. “Where is he going?”

  “I don’t know.” I matched his long stride with two of my own to keep up with him. “Tanner, you can’t drive like this. Where are you going?”

  “I need to get the fuck away.”

  “What was that back there? Why did you attack him like that?”

  “He put his hands on you! I just taught him a lesson.”

  “He’s drunk. You didn’t teach him anything!”

  “I was trying to defend you!”

  “I don’t want you to defend me by strangling someone to death!”

  “He’s fine.”

  “I didn’t even recognize you. That was terrifying!”

  “Stop being so dramatic.”

  Lava pooled in my stomach. Dramatic? I dug into my purse and pulled out two ten-dollar bills. I crumpled them in my fist and tossed them at him. “Here’s your money back. Worst fucking twenty dollars I’ve ever spent!”

  I whirled around and marched to my car.

  “Did you just curse?” Mallory asked, sounding amused.

  I swung open the door. “Go get him so we can leave.” I couldn’t let him drive drunk, but I was too mad to even look at him.

  Mallory sighed. “I am too drunk for this.” Then she shuffled across the parking lot.

  Five

  Charlotte

  Tanner tried to contact me the remainder of the weekend, so much that I had to shut off my phone. By Monday morning, I had thirty-seven combined missed calls and texts from him. I deleted without reading or listening to any of them and rolled out of bed. Today was the grand opening of the new bakery.

  I stepped into my black yoga pants and pulled the white T-shirt over my head. I stared at the shirt’s teal lettering in the mirror, and then at the picture of my mother framed on my dresser. I looked at her every morning and made a wish that she were still here. I knew it was silly, and would never come true—but I did it, anyway. It was like making a wish on your birthday candles. Pointless, yet somehow necessary. I pulled my pony tail through the back of the matching white hat and walked out of my bedroom.

  Mallory beat me to the bakery. She bounced over to me, entirely too chipper for my dreadful mood. “I love that I get to wear a T-shirt and a hat to work!”

  I forced a smile. “Are you ready for your first day?”

  “I am. Have you spoken to Tanner?”

  “Who?”

  “Oh, that’s cold, girl.” She giggled as we walked inside.

  I inhaled deeply. The air was filled with the familiar sugary aroma of delicious baked treats—a sign that my father had been here since the break of dawn.

  “Wow. Your father made all of these?” Mallory knelt down, peering into the glass display case.

  “He did. He’ll give you a doggy bag to take home at the end of the night.” I handed Mallory an apron, and tied mine around my waist.

  “What should I do first?”

  “Start making coffee. Then, I’ll show you how to use the computer for the register.”

  She angled her phone overhead and scooted next to me. “Let’s take a selfie on our first day at work!”

  I backed away, waving my hands. “No. I don’t want any pictures of me floating around social media.”

  “My page
is private, you freak. Come on! We look so cute!”

  “You swear your page is private?”

  “Yes, duh.”

  I reluctantly leaned in and smiled for at least seven pictures, none of which satisfied Mallory.

  “This is the last one, and then we’re getting to work,” I warned. “If you don’t like it, slap a filter on it and get over it.”

  “You’re grumpy in the morning.”

  “Morning, ladies!” Dad burst through the kitchen door carrying a tray of fresh doughnuts.

  “Everything looks great, Dad.”

  “Smells great, too,” Mallory chimed in.

  “Thank you. We open in ten minutes!” He arranged the doughnuts onto a glass serving dish and covered them with a lid. He whistled as he headed back into the kitchen.

  Once I flipped the sign on the door to Open, the day flew by. We were understaffed, and I was grateful when two women came by to fill out applications. We survived the morning and lunchtime rushes, finally able to sit for a minute when the constant flow of customers died down in the evening.

  “My feet,” Mallory exclaimed as she hopped onto the counter next to the register.

  “My back.” I clutched my lower back as I eased onto the counter beside her. I slid my phone out of my apron to check the time, and saw a text from Gabe:

  Gabe: Haven’t heard back from you all weekend. Should I take the hint and leave you alone?

  Me: Had phone trouble this weekend. I’m sorry.

  “Let me see Tanner’s texts. I bet he texted you a bunch of times.” Mallory leaned over my shoulder.

  “I deleted them.” I hopped down and turned my back to her, pretending to wipe down the counter.

  “All of them?”

  “Yup. No sense keeping them.” I couldn’t allow myself to trust that Tanner could control his anger. Hearing the rumors was one thing. Seeing him in action was another. I had been hurt by the hands of a sadistic brute who took pleasure in causing pain to innocent people. I wanted nothing to do with anyone who was capable of doing something like that to another human being.

  Tanner

  I tried to contact her the entire weekend. Charlotte sent my calls straight to voicemail and left my texts on Read—all thirty-seven of them. All I wanted was for her to answer with something. Anything. Curse me out. I didn’t care. I just needed her to know that I was sorry for the way I’d acted. I needed her to forgive me.