AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What the fuck?” He was no coward.
“What the fuck just happened?” Sterling asked, rushing in.
“You should be watching the monitors,” Brick told him.
“I made sure he was gone, and an alarm will sound on my phone if someone tries to get onto the property,” Sterling countered. “What’s happening?”
“I’m trying to talk some sense into Brick,” Elias answered, turning back to him. “Are you going to walk away? Let this guy, who hasn’t been around all week, just have her? Are you going to let him come in here and take what’s yours?”
“She’s not mine.” Except he remembered what she’d written against his hand with her finger. Had she meant it? That she was his? Or would she turn away from him?
“No?” Sterling asked. “Thought you declared her as yours in front of the whole bar last night.”
“That guy is probably a better fit. He lives here. He’s a fucking doctor. They know each other.” He had nothing more than a bankrupt business and five hundred bucks in the bank.
“What if Juliet said she wanted you? That she chose you? Would you just walk away?” Sterling asked.
“And what if she says she wants him?” he countered.
“What if she wanted you both?” Elias asked.
They both stared at him.
Elias shrugged. “Didn’t you share a girl with a friend of yours back when you first entered the marines?”
“That was a long time ago,” Brick said. “We were young.”
“But you know it’s possible. A girl with two guys. A guy with two girls. Sometimes more. There’s a whole section of romance dedicated to reverse harems.”
“Who are you?” Sterling asked, looking angrier than the conversation warranted. “You want a harem of women? That would never fucking work.”
“A reverse harem is the opposite, dickhead. And who says it wouldn’t work?”
The two of them glared at each other. Brick had often wondered if they had feelings for each other. Not that it was any of his business what they did.
Like they ever stay out of your shit?
“I wouldn’t share my woman,” Sterling declared.
Elias shrugged. “I don’t see why it would be a bad thing, especially if it was what she wanted. Think about it. Life’s so fucking busy, right? What if you had someone else that could help take care of your girl? Be there when you couldn’t? What if you weren’t good at something, like communication, but the other guy was? Way the economy is going, wouldn’t surprise me if more people ended up in relationships like this.”
“So, it should be a financial decision? That’s bullshit,” Sterling spat out.
“No. It should be what is best for them and who are we to judge? If your woman needs it, then would you really deny her?” Elias asked.
“All she should want is me.” Sterling turned and stormed away.
“Somehow, I feel like this stopped being about me,” Brick commented.
Elias sighed, running his hand over his face. “Just don’t let her go because you think she’s better off without you. If she’s worth it, you’ll fight for her. If you don’t think she’s worth it, then best to walk away before she gets hurt further. Because that girl doesn’t have any shields, Brick. So, if you don’t want her, walk away. But if you do, then march up those stairs and tell her.”
“I did tell her.”
“Then don’t fucking ruin it.”
Brick made it as far as the second-floor landing before he sat on the stairs. He leaned his head in his hands. What the fuck was he doing? Did he really want to do this all over again? Hadn’t Linda turned him off relationships? Then he went and fell for this complicated, confusing, beautiful girl who needed him.
And Brick liked to be needed.
