Brazen (Brazen 1) by Maya Banks Read Free Book Online

an issue with returning the words. They’d always rolled effortlessly off his lips, but now they stuck in his throat as if saying them would change the course of their entire relationship.
    He curled his arm around her waist as she snuggled deeper into his embrace. She felt…right. And who the hell needed sleep anyway?
     

 
    Chapter Five
     
    Seth hauled himself out of bed even earlier than usual. It wasn’t quite light yet, and he’d planned a busy day. He was supposed to meet the wildlife biologist for breakfast then take him out over the northeast quadrant to look at areas he’d selected for food plots.
    He showered quickly, his mind occupied with Jasmine instead of his coming meeting. He hated what had happened to her yesterday. He didn’t like to see her scared. It reminded him too much of the way he’d first seen her. Big eyes full of fear, looking every bit her sixteen years old instead of the nineteen she’d claimed. If it hadn’t been so important to get her far away from Houston and the man controlling her, he would have tracked the son of a bitch down and beat the ever-loving shit out of him.
    He toweled off and dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. He didn’t have to leave for another half hour, but he wanted to check in on Jasmine. So far her homecoming hadn’t exactly been smooth.
    Her door was partway open, but then she’d never slept with it closed. He nudged it and stepped inside, his gaze seeking her bed. He frowned when he found it empty. Her bathroom light was on, but he couldn’t hear any sound from inside. He walked over and hesitated outside the open door.
    “Jasmine?”
    When he received no answer, he peered around the door but she wasn’t there either. Maybe she was downstairs in the kitchen with Carmen.
    He walked out of her room and started down the hall to the stairs. When he passed Zane’s room, he stopped, not sure why. His brother’s door was open a few inches, so Seth put his hand out and pushed lightly. His fingers curled around the knob as he stepped inside the frame.
    Jasmine lay in Zane’s arms, sound asleep. Her back was curled into his chest, and Zane had a protective arm around her waist. An angry buzz began in Seth’s ears. He clenched his jaw until he damn near cracked his teeth. What the fuck was Zane thinking, and more importantly, just what the hell had happened last night?
    They looked like two lovers curled tight around each other. It didn’t matter that Jasmine was dressed. All Seth saw was the intimacy between the two of them.
    As if feeling Seth’s heated glare and the rage billowing off his shoulders, Zane stirred and opened his eyes. The two brothers stared at each other, Zane’s head visible over Jasmine’s shoulder.
    Seth jerked his thumb over his own shoulder in the direction of the door. “I want to talk to you. Now ,” he said in a low enough voice not to wake Jasmine.
    Zane’s eyes narrowed, but he carefully extricated himself from the bed and gently tucked the covers around Jasmine’s sleeping form. She stirred for a moment, but sighed and snuggled back into her pillow.
    Zane padded across the room toward Seth, not bothering to snag a T-shirt. Seth turned and walked out into the hallway, leaving Zane to follow.
    As soon as they reached the stairs, Seth rounded on Zane. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he demanded through clenched teeth.
    Zane’s expression darkened, and he didn’t back down an inch. “You can shove the big brother lecture right up your ass, Seth. I don’t need a fucking babysitter, and I damn sure don’t need you hanging out posing as my goddamn conscience.”
    Carmen stomped up the stairs, hands on her hips. She pinned both men with a don’t-fuck-with-me stare just before she took them both to task.
    “Jasmine is trying to sleep, and you boys are just outside the bedroom arguing like two-year-olds. If you must continue, then take it downstairs. Preferably outside!”
    Seth sucked in an annoyed breath.