Needing Her by Molly McAdams Read Free Book Online

as I pushed past Bryce and stomped down my hallway.
    And I mean stomped . I looked like a little kid getting ready to throw a fit over not getting any ice cream.
    “Language, Maci, and where are you going?”
    “Probably to jail.”
    “What? Wait, stop walking!” Bryce grabbed my arm and turned me toward him. His eyes bouncing over my head and shoulders with confusion. “Who did this? What is all this, baby powder?”
    I scratched at my head and neck and shook his hand off as I turned back to open my apartment door. “Probably.”
    “I said stop!”
    “I just need to kill him, Bryce. I’ll be back in five seconds!”
    “Maci!”
    I flung open Connor’s door and stormed over to where he was standing in the kitchen. Arms crossed over his chest, smirk on that stupid pretty face.
    “You should really lay off all the coke,” he said. “Or I can get you help, if you need it.”
    “I will fucking murder you, you stupid piece of shit!”
    “That’s the sweetest thing you’ve said to me all day.”
    “Maci!” Bryce barked and I turned to look at him. “I said stop, and I mean now. Get back in your apartment, don’t make me say it again.”
    My head jerked back. I’d never seen Bryce like this. Usually he was carefree, ready to have a good time . . . his only problem was his incessant need to be on time and to suck up to his incredibly rude parents. This was the first time I’d seen him look and act just like his dad. I couldn’t move or say anything; I just stood there staring at him with my mouth wide open.
    “I think you need to leave.” Connor’s voice was no longer teasing. It was dark, terrifying—and if I was being honest with myself—kind of hot. I felt his body press up against my back, and had to force myself not to lean into him.
    “Maci.” Bryce spoke as though Connor never had and wasn’t currently standing behind me. “Do you know how ridiculous you’re making yourself look right now? Let’s go.”
    “I’ve never understood what you see in this tool,” Connor mumbled under his breath. Stepping around me, he walked up to Bryce.
    Even though Connor was a few inches shorter, it wasn’t hard to see why Bryce backed up. Connor and his intensity. I wanted to smile.
    “I can’t stop Maci from seeing you, because she’s an adult. But I can make you leave my apartment, and I strongly suggest you do it voluntarily, before I force you to.” He didn’t stop walking toward him, and he didn’t stop talking. “I don’t like you, never have. You don’t take care of Maci, and even after all this time with her, you don’t have the balls to step up and be the man she needs and deserves.”
    Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold up. Who the hell is this, and what did he do with Connor Green? My eyes were probably bulging out of my head as I watched Bryce step toward the open doorway.
    Bryce’s head shot up, his eyes piercing mine. “Maci, get over here. We’re leaving.”
    “I don’t know who the fuck you think you are, but if I ever hear you talking to Maci like she’s a child again, this is your only warning that I won’t even bother waiting for her brothers. I’ll make it so you’ll never want to look in her direction again, do you understand what I’m saying?”
    “Mac—”
    “Leave.”
    I watched in disbelief as Bryce backed out and Connor shut the door on him. I grew up with four older brothers. Brothers who wouldn’t let other guys get near me, but also didn’t cut me slack when it came to . . . well . . . anything. I’d always had to fight for everything, growing up. So I didn’t need Connor coming to my rescue, but, hell, that was the hottest thing I’d witnessed in a long time.
    And now I was confused all over again. I thought I was Mini to him not even twenty-four hours ago. I thought he’d been making it obnoxiously clear that I didn’t mean anything to him. He’s so damn confusing. And why the hell does this baby powder itch so freaking bad?
    Connor turned and walked