The Blame Game_A Brook Brothers Novel

by Tracie Delaney

  He wrapped the rag around the base of the faucet, but as he twisted it, a torrent of water sprayed in the air, drenching him. “For fuck’s sake, Bill!” he yelled. “Turn the goddamn water off!”

  A minute later, the gushing water became a dribble then finally stopped. Jax’s clothes clung to his skin, and his hair was soaking wet. He turned around to make sure Indie hadn’t caught some of the impromptu shower—to find her doubled over with laughter.

  “Do-It-Yourself Plumbing 101: turn the water off,” she said, still laughing. Her eyes sparkled in a way he hadn’t seen before, and only then did he realize he’d never seen her laugh. Not like that, where she really let go. She smiled a lot, but in hindsight, it never reached her eyes. This laughter was a different story, and he was desperate to see more.

  “Find this funny, do you?” He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it into the bath.

  Her lips were still twitching with amusement, but as her shining eyes fell to his chest, her irises deepened with desire. She lifted her chin and met his gaze. “This is the most entertaining lunch break I’ve had in some time.”

  “Oh yeah?” He flicked water off his fingers in her direction, a broad grin inching across his face.

  She squinted, her eyes lit with an inner glow. “Did you just flick water at me?”

  He jutted his chin. “What are you gonna do about it?” He sent another flick of water in her direction.

  She yelped and began to laugh once more. “Oh, I’ll think up a suitable way to get even—don’t you worry about that.”

  “I look forward to it.”

  She quit laughing, and her face grew serious. His lungs constricted as she gave him a look that set his insides ablaze. Static sparked between them as they stared into each other’s eyes, but as Jax took a step forward, the moment was interrupted by Bill’s appearance.

  “Oh shit.” He laughed as he took in Jax’s drenched state. “You said give you five, so I thought I’d finish something on the next floor down.”

  Jax withheld his annoyance at the untimely interruption. Bill wasn’t a man he could stay pissed at for long. “You owe me.”

  Bill tossed him a towel. “I’ll buy you a beer later. Sorry for interrupting again, miss.”

  Alone once more, Jax looked at Indie, but the earlier magnetic moment they’d shared had passed. She glanced at her watch.

  “I need to go.” She shrugged out of his sweater and handed it to him. “Thanks for the loan… and the entertainment.”

  Despite his disappointment, Jax chuckled and gestured with his hand. “I’ll walk you out.”

  * * *

  After collecting her jacket, Indie picked her way through myriad building materials scattered all over the floor. Jax’s hand was at her elbow, guiding her.

  “I’ll text you the details of the restaurant.” He pressed a warm kiss to her cheek.

  She took off the hard hat and gave it to him. “Okay, see you then.”

  She walked down the steps and onto the street, unable to resist a glance over her shoulder. Jax was leaning against the wall outside, his arms crossed over the sweater she now knew hid a body that would undoubtedly invade her dreams. He gave her a quick wave before walking back inside.

  Right then, she knew. She wanted Jax to know the real her. She might have to do Phil’s bidding and break Jax’s heart, but the least she could do was offer hers in return—even if doing that tore her apart.

  Chapter Ten

  “Cab or walk?” Jax said as they left the restaurant around eleven that night.

  “Let’s walk,” Indie said. “The weather is going to turn nasty by the end of the week, so I’m grabbing all the fresh air I can before hunkering down for winter.”

  Jax grinned. “Good plan.”

  “Thanks for taking me to dinner tonight.”

  He captured her hand and lifted it to his lips. “No one I’d rather be with.”

  She blinked and hit him with a smile that made his insides twist with need. The couple of kisses they’d shared weren’t enough. He craved more of her. She was fast becoming his addiction.

  She twirled around on the spot and shimmied her hips. “I don’t want to go home yet.”

  “Where do you want to go?”

  She leaned into him, her soft body melding against his. “Take me dancing.”

  He buried his nose in her hair as his heartbeat kicked up a notch. Dancing meant touching, and touching meant getting his hands on Indie’s curves, an urge that was starting to fill his every waking moment.

  He curled an arm around her waist. “You got it.”

  Jax took her to a club that Calum always raved about. There was a line of people waiting, but it moved quickly, and soon they were inside. The space was already packed full of swaying bodies and couples kissing and gyrating as they moved in time to the music. Hypnotic bass beats assaulted his eardrums.

  After turning in their coats to the attendant, Indie grabbed his hand and sashayed her way onto the dance floor. Jax’s gaze fell to her ass. She had one hell of a sexy backside. His fingers itched to get a hold of it.

  She spun around, her upturned face shining with excitement. She lifted her arms in the air and began to swing them, her eyes falling shut, her caramel curls swaying with every shimmy of her body.

  Christ, she was gorgeous. He stepped forward and caught her hips, tugging her closer. He moved his hips, letting her set the pace. Her eyes opened, slowly, almost lazily. She reached out and placed the flat of her palm against his chest before sweeping it down over his stomach. Then she hooked a finger into the waistband of his pants and tugged.

  “C’mere, loverboy,” she said with a giggle that was nothing like the Indie he’d come to know. The professional woman, always on her guard, was nowhere to be seen.

  “You’re drunk,” he said, having to raise his voice to be heard.

  She trailed a long-nailed finger across his abdomen, teasing, tantalizing. “Drunk on you.”

  He put his mouth to the shell of her ear. “Careful. I might look like a pussycat, but there’s a lion underneath.”

  She leaned away and gave him a slow smile, her tongue grazing her top teeth. One hand slid around his back before settling on his ass. The other she pressed against his chest. There was something different about Indie tonight—and he definitely approved.

  “Then why don’t you show me your claws,” she said.

  A slug of desire punched him in the gut, and he covered her mouth with his. The DJ switched out the music for a dance track that was just the right rhythm. The music increased in volume and beat, heightening his senses and making him lightheaded. Or maybe that was due to the erotic way Indie was rubbing herself against him. Jax’s hands fell to her ass, his hips circling against hers as he ground his groin into her. All around, the crowd bustled and jostled them, the other patrons lost in their own moments as they moved in time to the music.

  She broke off their kiss and moved back slightly. His hands went to her waist as she raised her arms overhead once more, her body weaving as the strobe lights above changed from white to red to green. The music seemed to be even louder, the beat vibrating through the checkered dance floor.

  He curved a hand around the back of her neck, his thumb caressing the soft skin beneath her ear as he bent his head to capture her mouth once more. He couldn’t get enough. The taste of her, the way she smelled, how she moved her body against his in a way that could tip a sane man over into madness.

  Her mouth went to his ear. “Do dirty things to me, Jax.”

  His stomach somersaulted so violently it felt like a punch to the gut. His breath came out in a whoosh as his eyes cut to hers. In them he saw desire, passion, and a need that rivaled his own. She moved into him, hooking her calf around his. She kissed him, riding his leg as he froze on the spot.

  He pulled back. His hands curved around her face, and he put his mouth close to her ear. He needed her to hear him, to have no misunderstandings about where this was going.

&n
bsp; “You know where we are, right? You know what you’re asking?”

  She nodded vigorously. “I need you.”

  Jax glanced around the huge space, spotting what he was looking for on the far side of the dance floor. He grabbed her hand and weaved through the swaying, heaving bodies. He pushed her into the alcove, covering her body with his. If anyone bothered to look, they wouldn’t see a thing.

  His mouth closed over hers once more as his fingers danced over her bare thigh. She got a hold of him and placed his hand over her pussy, pressing down hard. Yep, this Indie was definitely different. Jax snaked his fingers inside her lace panties before slowly easing his middle one inside her. Christ, she was so wet and hot. He added a second finger, moving the two of them slowly back and forth as his tongue mimicked what he wanted to do to her with his cock.

  She tore her mouth from his. “God, Jax,” she panted into his ear. She arched into him, pushing forward, her actions telling him she wanted more of what he was giving her.

  He removed his hand, chuckling when she made a growling noise. “Suck,” he said, pressing his fingers against her lips.

  Her eyes flared, but she opened her mouth and laved his fingers with her tongue. A low moan eased from her throat. He felt rather than heard it.

  “More?” he said, his eyebrows raised in question.

  She nodded.

  He gave her a crooked smile. “I love it when people surprise me.”

  He burrowed back under her skirt. This time, when he pushed his finger inside, he brushed his thumb over her clit. She bucked against him, and her hands fisted in his shirt. She kissed him, her tongue searching, seeking, demanding things from him that he was only too happy to give.

  “Jax.” His name came out on a breath as she clung to him like she’d been lost in the desert for days and he was her savior. “Harder, please. Faster.”

  His cock thickened and lengthened, rubbing against his zipper. There was something so incredibly sexy about a woman who knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to ask for it. He obeyed her command, his finger probing, seeking, his movements inside her as urgent as her breathing in his ear.

  “Oh God, I’m coming.” She bit down on his earlobe as her body jerked against his. He kept up the pressure until she sagged against him, and he knew she was spent. His fingers glistened with the aftermath of her orgasm, and he winked as he lifted them to his lips. As though he’d willed it, the music quieted as the DJ switched out for more of a hip-hop vibe.

  “My turn to taste you now,” he said, drawing his fingers into his mouth. “Mmm. As sweet as I knew you’d be.”

  Her eyes widened, and a faint flush tinged her cheeks, although it was only visible as the spotlights moved past.

  “I’ve never done that before.” She buried her face in his neck, almost as though she was afraid of what she’d see if she spent too long looking into his eyes. “Not in public. Never in public. I’m changing, Jax. And you’re the one responsible.”

  He eased her back until she had no option but to meet his gaze. “You are one hell of a sexy woman, Indie Monroe. You needed the release, and you weren’t afraid to ask. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. Plus, you think this crowd will notice anything? Most of them are probably high anyway.”

  He cupped her face, his lips softly touching hers. “Let’s get a drink.” He reached down to grab her hand but missed and got a hold of her wrist instead. She winced as a hiss escaped through her clenched teeth.

  Jax frowned. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

  She shook her head and pulled her wrist close to her body. “It’s nothing.”

  Jax gently moved her hand away from her chest and pushed up the cuff of her shirt. A dark, ugly bruise went around her entire wrist, clearly the result of someone grabbing her—and fucking tightly by the looks of it.

  “What is this, Indie? Who did this to you?”

  She shook her head again. “It doesn’t matter. Let’s get that drink.”

  She started to walk away. He clutched her upper arm. “The hell it doesn’t. I want to know who did this.”

  She stared at the floor and fiddled absentmindedly with her skirt. “Please, just drop it.”

  “No, I won’t drop it.” Then a thought came to him. The night before, when he’d gone to her apartment, her brother had been extremely pissed off. And she’d said they were estranged, yet her brother thought it was okay to break into her apartment. Jax gently held her by the shoulders. “Did your brother do this?”

  Her head snapped up. “No,” she said a little too quickly.

  “Don’t lie to me, Indie.”

  Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, but he didn’t know if they were from anger or fear or a combination of both. The hardest thing to take was the look of helplessness on her face.

  “Please let it go.”

  “So it was your brother. Jesus Christ. What kind of a man does this to his own sister?”

  “He didn’t mean to. It was a mistake.”

  Jax blinked at her. “A mistake? It’s hardly a mistake to bruise someone so badly. Is he still there, at your apartment?”

  “No. When I got up this morning, he’d already left.”

  “To go where?”

  She shrugged. “No idea. He’s probably left the city already. I doubt I’ll see him again for ages, if ever.”

  Jax clenched his jaw so tightly it began to ache. If he got his hands on Indie’s brother…

  “Stop.” Her hand cradled his cheek. “It’s okay, Jax. Really.”

  “Someone hurting you will never be okay with me.”

  She gave him a wry grin. “Well, it’s certainly not worth cracking a tooth over. Dentists are expensive.”

  “I don’t find this remotely funny, and it speaks volumes that you do.”

  Her face flashed with annoyance. “Don’t judge what you don’t understand.”

  “Then help me understand how you seem okay with your brother abusing you.”

  She pressed her lips into a thin line. “I never said I was okay with it.”

  “No? Have you reported him to the police?”

  She narrowed her eyes. “I’m only going to say this one more time. Drop it. Otherwise…”

  He sucked in a breath. “Otherwise what?”

  She dismissed him with her hand. “Never mind.” Turning on her heel, she marched toward the exit.

  “Fuck,” Jax bit out as he jogged after her. He caught up with her outside and took hold of her elbow. “Indie, listen to me—”

  She twisted away. “I’m done listening. I’m not the kind of girl to beg, Jax, but I’m begging you now. Please drop it.”

  She set off down the street. He followed her, hands stuffed in his pockets so he wasn’t tempted to put them on her. He wanted her to know he was mad, even if he would do as she asked and respect her boundaries.

  They walked the entire way to her apartment in brooding silence, each lost in their own thoughts. As she drew to a halt, she took out her key and turned to him.

  “Do you want to come in?”

  He shook his head. After what happened in the club, he’d imagined a very different end to the evening. But the revelation that she was being abused by her brother, and their subsequent argument, had changed all that.

  “Stop thinking about it, Jax.”

  He frowned, even though he knew exactly what she was referring to. It had to be written all over his face: the desire to give her brother the beating he deserved.

  “The only thing I’m thinking is when I can see you again.” He captured her hand and rubbed the back of it. She felt cold to the touch.

  “No, you’re thinking of how to pay back my brother. Forget it. He’s gone, and I have no idea when or if he’ll be back.”

  When he remained silent, Indie exhaled a frustrated breath. “Men,” she said in an irritated tone. “This is why we have wars—because men can’t just let the little things go. So my brother and I got into an argument. Are you saying you’ve never gotten into a
fight with your brothers?”

  “It’s not the same,” Jax said in a flat voice.

  “No? Why’s that? Oh, wait. It’s because I’m a woman.” She let out a bitter laugh. “Good night, Jax. Call me when you’ve toned down the alpha male, because that is the very last thing I need right now.”

  And without another word, she entered her apartment and quietly closed the door oh-so-deliberately in his face.

  Chapter Eleven

  Indie sagged against the door and sank to the floor, her knees curled into her chest. She rubbed her hands over her face. What a complete mess. She could murder Phil for being in her apartment the previous night. He and Jax were never supposed to meet, yet now her brother had opened that whole can of worms. And the fact that Jax had seen the bruise made matters so much worse.

  The night hadn’t been a total disaster, though. It had been full of wonders too. The way she’d cast off her natural inhibitions in the club… the feelings Jax had drawn out of her when he’d made her come. She’d had orgasms before—plenty of them, including self-administered—but none that removed the bones from her legs, turning them to Jell-O. None that made her want to take risks, to throw caution to the wind. None that caused an intense urge to swell within her chest, screaming for her to tell Phil the deal was off.

  She was falling for Jax so goddamned hard. Yet she had no rights to him. He could never be hers, even if she achieved the impossible and persuaded Phil to let this vendetta drop. Because what successful relationship could ever survive being built on such a cursed and evil plan?

  She picked herself up off the floor and padded into the bedroom. A cold shower to quell the heat and anger burning her from the inside out was all she needed. She tore off her clothes, tossed them into the laundry basket, and set the temperature as cold as it would go.

  As the icy water hit her skin, she sucked in a sharp breath. She lathered body wash on her skin, her teeth beginning to chatter from the cold. She clenched her jaw and stood under the freezing spray for five minutes before gratefully wrapping her body in a warm towel. What a waste of time. The cold hadn’t put out the flames—it had stoked them.