He’s up too, and he takes off his jacket and tosses it at Teddy.
“Guys, please.”
“Shut up, Teddy,” Sin and I say in unison.
“Come on.” I motion Sin forward. “You want to get fucked up? I’m happy to oblige.”
“You’re still the little brother. Don’t forget.” He comes for me, his long reach almost giving him a glass jaw shot on me. But I dance out of his reach, then propel myself forward, nailing him in the gut with one fist. When he doubles over slightly, I bring my knee up into his face.
“Fuck!” He yowls and dances back, blood running from his nose. “You piece of shit!” He runs at me, trying to wrestle me to the ground, but I tangle with him and shove him off.
He staggers back toward the window. “I guess her pussy was the best you ever had for you to be such a whipped piece of sh—”
Two things happen at once.
One, Teddy yells no.
Two, I charge Sin, and we both hurtle toward the window. For a moment, it only trembles. After all, it’s not plain glass. But then the full force of our impact rattles across it, and with a sharp crack, it shatters under the brute force. We both tumble out onto the lawn one story below.
The breath is knocked out of me, and my side aches where I hit the turf. But I get up. I always get back to my feet. It’s the only way to win a fight.
Sin is up, too, his breathing labored as he feels along his left shin.
“Broken?” I ask.
“It will be once I ram it up your ass.”
“Come on then.” I bring my fists up.
“Sin! Lucius! Stop!” Teddy rushes out the door and runs to us. “Just stop!”
“I’ll stop when this asshole comes to his senses.” Sin brings up his fists, too, and we start circling each other.
“Then this won’t end until one of you is dead.” Teddy, the only peacemaker in the entire Vinemont family tree, sighs long-sufferingly.
“So be it.” I thumb my nose and dart forward, jabbing in Sin’s face.
He knocks my fist away and aims a kick right to my thigh.
“Fuck!” I yell and back up.
Sin turns until his back is to the sun, taking the advantage. “Come on, little brother. Take your medicine.”
I take a deep breath and put my hands on my hips. “You’re right.”
Sin arches a brow. “I know.”
I shake my head and take in big gulps of air. The pain in my side and thigh are dull stabs of a rusted blade.
Sin drops his fists slowly and approaches. “She’s just a piece of ass. A dangerous one. That’s why you want her.”
“Mmm.” I suck in air between my teeth.
“Good, let’s de-escalate.” Teddy claps. “Come on, I can patch you two up inside.”
Sin comes closer.
That’s all it takes. I spring forward, tackling him to the grass with a bone-jarring thud. He fights back, swinging and struggling. He gets in some hard hits, but then he fucks up. He turns over to get up. I jump on his back and wrap my forearm around his windpipe.
“Get the fuck off!” He yanks at my arm and tries to get to his feet. I knee him in the back of the legs and drag him down, pinning him as he fights.
“Guys!” Teddy moves closer. “Come on.”
“Don’t say another shit word about Evie.” I squeeze harder.
“Fuck … you,” Sin grits out.
I add the leverage of my other arm, pulling on my wrist and completely cutting his air flow. “You had your chance.”
He fights even harder, but I can tell his energy is waning. No air will do that to anyone.
“Lucius!” Teddy taps my back. “He’s done. Let him go.”
“He better be done.” I release my hold and back away from him. He’s dangerous on a good day. Right now? He might try to take my head off with his bare hands.
Teddy moves between us again, his hands out, as Sin gets back to his feet.
His face is red, his clothing covered in grass stains.
“Can we stop this stupid shit and talk about what happened last night?” Teddy looks at me, then Sin. Back and forth.
“I’m happy to talk.” I shrug despite the pain in my side.
Sin stays silent for a while, his gaze sizing me up. He may be preparing for another attack. I keep my knees slightly bent, ready to clap back if I need to.
Finally, he walks past me, his shoulder crashing against mine. “Let’s go inside.”
“You’re paying for the window. It was custom.” I follow him as Teddy brings up the rear.
“Take it out of my pay. Like I give a fuck.” Sin takes the stairs two at a time and goes to the coffeemaker in the kitchen.
I hurry past him and check my bedroom and bathroom. No Evie. When I come back out, Teddy hitches a thumb over his shoulder. “She took the Lambo.”