The Hot Brothers Ch. 16

no sex here, but I know this next chapter is wanted.

It didn't take but about twenty minutes before the bus came to a stop. Twenty minutes I spent bubbling over in anger at John's nerve to call one of my favorite pastimes garbage. I'd been an idiot to begin to feel something imaginary blossoming between us.

He'd been a kidnapper, controlling, he'd physically hurt and bound me, and he insulted my most beloved hobby. I felt as though I'd endured a debate at a backwoods rally and my opposition proudly walked away with certainty that the action of departing determined their victory.

All too soon, the door clicked.

I didn't bother looking toward the entry, though. I had no desire to see John within this lifetime. At least, not until he apologized for everything he'd said to deliberately insult me.

"Jules," came the familiar and affectionate call from Caleb.

I should have been just as angry at him. He'd helped set my capture in motion. He wanted me for his own delights.

"You're mad too?" He came to stand at the foot of the bed with a picnic basket in tow.

That morsel of information caught my attention. I sat up, clutching the smooth sheet that wrapped me. "Why would I be mad?" I asked, keeping an air of calm while glancing to the basket, which must have had fun goodies or another piece of clothing.

"John was absolutely livid when he stormed off." Caleb knelt to the bed and crawled my way, still holding the basket. "He even had food packed for a secret romantic excursion. But he told me to take you instead."

Now I felt a bit repulsed by my earlier insults to John. Men didn't bother with romantic gestures. At least, not in real life. Though, Caleb was charming and flirtatious, which was also a rare jewel amongst men outside of books.

"John wanted to do something nice for me?" I asked, my stomach rapidly sinking with the weight of self-inflicted nausea. I couldn't possibly have been in the wrong, could I?

"Only an idiot wouldn't do wonderful things for you." Caleb leaned forward with a small key and worked it into the little padlock.

Peeking from the basket, I saw the thick purple spine of a book. But now I didn't know if John was some wounded antihero. Someone who wanted to be good, but flawed. He'd kidnapped and pierced me! I couldn't ignore that barbaric behavior.

I tightened the sheet at my chest before lifting the book, A Complete Guide to Wildflowers.

"Jules." Caleb freed the leash from my collar.

In all truth, John overreacted. He'd gotten me steamy and bothered before randomly getting angry while we were in a sea of blooms.

"Jules?"

I had every right to call him out on his ignorance about my preferences.

But he'd been so nice. We'd shared true love's kiss that was sure to lead somewhere amazing. Our bodies were on fire for each other--

I'd insulted him.

"Julie." Caleb said my name soft, similar to the sound of John's voice.

I let the book slide down into the basket as I met Caleb's worried stare.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I am."

"John mentioned clothes for you to put on. But maybe we should do something fun first." Caleb lovingly teased the sheet that I clung to downward, tugging it against my sensitive peaks. At my hiss, he let go of the sheet as it dropped to expose my pierced breasts.

"Sorry. I'll let those heal before doing all the things I want to do." He looked around the room to a narrow set of drawers on the other side of the bed.

At least he proved not to enjoy causing me pain, unlike his absent brother. While Caleb went to the drawers, I looked into the picnic basket that didn't fully close. Sure, there was a bottle of wine poking from beneath the blue blanket, and a pack of cut strawberries and chocolates. Probably another pack of food below that. But the thing that stuck out like a sore thumb was the box that contained what I knew to conceal his items for piercing me.

Not a chance in hell would John be using that on me again!

"Red or black?" Caleb asked, startling me as I contemplated how to get rid of the items. I glanced over my shoulder to his charming smile. God, was he one of the sexiest men alive, and overflowing with charm.

My head whirled with the many emotions of the day. "Whichever."

His fiendish grin with pearly teeth almost looked as though a fang captured part of his lower lip. "How about you be my Little Red?"

My heart skipped beats in my chest at the thought. Abso-fucking-lutely. He knew how to set me alight.

But that box would have to go!

The moment Caleb reached into the drawer, I snagged the small box. No more torturing me! Unless, of course, John planned to return with something worse to torture me with. Villainous as he was, that might have been the only reason he chose to leave instead of punish me. Whatever guilt I had over what might have been a kind act or of insulting his lack of skill with women brought me to a truth of my situation.

John was the dark fantasy come to fruition. And I had no desire to endure what I loved to read. I needed to get away before the pain returned. I had no choice but to do it while Caleb took me out to play as his Little Red.