Page 84 of Vega

Then Wise introduced himself. “I’m Wise, Vega’s big brother.”

Her eyes whipped toward mine. “You have a big brother? I guess there wasn’t much time to tell me about yourself while you were snatching me from home and holding me captive.”

Prodigy and Wise laughed like she had just said something that would put Mojo Brooks out of business.

Lowe pointed toward Lux. “Unfortunately, that’s my twin. I’m Lowe.”

Sonnet looked between them. “I noticed the resemblance immediately, but you seem less annoying.”

Prodigy laughed. “She figured Lux out fast.”

Then he looked her over with an easy smile that stayed on her a little too long. “You always this pretty before breakfast?”

Sonnet blushed to the point that her banana-colored cheeks started to turn pink.

Prodigy leaned one elbow against the island, looking at her. “Pretty, smart, funny, and you cook? Vega’s been hiding you from us on purpose.”

Her laugh came softer that time. “I didn’t realize he had so much family.”

Prodigy looked back at me with this taunting smirk before he put his eyes back on her. “Yeah, you have options.”

Sonnet’s eyebrows lifted behind her glasses. “Options?”

“Better company. Better conversation.” His grin widened. “Men who don’t kidnap women as a first impression.”

I would have fucked any other nigga up for doing this in my face, but I knew my bro was just fucking with me, so I let it slide.

But she laughed again, and that big, green monster started growing inside me.

“I like her,” Lowe said, staring her up and down obviously before looking at me, fucking with me.

“You like anybody willing to feed you,” I mumbled.

Everybody heard it.

Prodigy remained leaned against the island, smiling at Sonnet. “Ignore him. He’s been acting strange ever since you got here.”

“Strange how?” she asked, glancing at me.

“Meaner than usual,” Prodigy replied. “Possessive too.”

“I’m standing right here.”

“I know.”

Sonnet pressed her lips together like she was trying not to laugh, but she lost the fight.

My expression showed my irritation before I could hide it.

Lowe noticed immediately. His eyes moved from me to Sonnet, and the teasing grin on his face shifted into something more observant.

That nigga understood.

This wasn’t as casual as I had made it sound.

Sonnet moved around the kitchen, trading jokes with them without appearing intimidated. She was nerdy, but she wasn’t sheltered or soft in the ways people assumed. Life had forced her to survive without anyone protecting her. She had enough street sense to recognize bullshit and enough backbone to respond to it.

That turned me on more than her phat ass.