Hard Fought (A Stepbrother Warriors Novel) by Celia Loren Read Free Book Online

trying not to notice the electricity that runs through my
fingertips.
    "There. What do you think?"
    He tilts his head forward and runs his palm across the top.
"Good. I guess I should get this off now," he says, tugging at his
beard. I nod, leaving him to it. As I walk back into his bedroom, I spot his
bags lying on the ground. My Type-A instincts take over, and I reach inside.
The bureau drawers are almost completely empty, and I unpack his clothes in a
way that makes sense to me, trying not to think too much about the fact that
I'm handling his boxers. At the bottom of his first duffle, I take out a rolled
up old t-shirt and shake it out to refold it more neatly. Something falls from
it onto the plush white carpeting.
    I bend down to pick it up, not noticing that the sound of
the beard trimmer has stopped. I turn the object over in my hand. It's a small
medal, with a purple ribbon at the top and a man's face in the heart shaped
gold below it. The Purple Heart. It must be.
    "What do you think?" Carter asks from the bathroom
doorway. I grip my hand around the medal, suddenly feeling like I'm intruding.
As I glance up, though, my mouth drops open. Without the long hair and beard
hiding his features, Carter's looks are absolutely devastating.
    "I...yep. Uh-huh. Good," I stammer. He gives me an
odd look, then glances down at the empty suitcase on the floor.
    "You didn't have to do that," he says, walking
over.
    "I just thought I'd help," I say with a shrug, so
distracted by his pillowy lips that I forget I'm supposed to be hiding
something in my hand.
    "What's that?" he asks with a frown, glancing at
the flash of metal in my palm.
    "Oh, I...I was just unpacking, and—"
    "I didn't ask you to," he says, his voice suddenly
quiet. He reaches out and snatches the medal from my hand.
    "I know, but—" I break off as he pulls open a
drawer and throws the medal inside. "Be careful!" I cry out
instinctively.
    His eyes narrow as he turns on me. "The fuck do you
care?"
    "I—it just seems like a shame...I don't know," I
stammer.
    "You're right. You don't. You have no idea. I think you
should leave," he says, nodding to the door.
    "I didn't mean to intrude," I whisper.
    "Get out!" he yells, his neck muscles bunching in
anger.
    I shrink back and hurry toward the door, blinking my eyes
quickly to hold back the tears.

 
    Chapter Ten
     
    It's not like he didn't warn me , I think to myself as
I splash cold water on my face. I mean, it's been obvious since we met that
he's not available and he clearly doesn't want anyone to get close to him. And
I suppose I pushed him too far. Or maybe I'm blaming myself too much...I was
just trying to be helpful. He really did behave like an ass.
    My cell phone rings and I glance over at it on the counter
next to the sink. My dad. I sigh, considering just ignoring it, but my dad
never takes no for an answer.
    "Hi, Dad," I say as I pick it up.
    "Come to my study, please," he says, never one for
small talk. "Now."
    "I'm—" I start to reply, but he's already hung up.
I grit my teeth, but grab a towel and dry off the last drops of water on my
face. I head back down the steps of the boat house and cut straight across the yard
to his office. I can see him sitting behind his desk, looking at something on
his computer, so I knock. He hits a button by his computer that buzzes me in,
and then nods at a chair as I enter.
    "Sit." I frown in response to his high-handed
order, and there's a knock at the door to the main house's hallway. "Come
in!" he calls. Carter walks in, shutting the door behind him. He glances
at me, and I quickly turn back to my father, wondering why in the hell we're
here. "Please, take a seat, both of you," my father says, more
solicitously. I choose to obey this time, and keep my gaze straight forward,
ignoring Carter as much as possible after his outburst earlier.
    "How are you settling in?" my father asks, sitting
back in his leather chair.
    "Fine," Carter replies. "Thank you," he
adds