“You didn’t tell me Vanilla was smart.” Jackson dropped his arm from his lady and extended his hand.
“What?” Rome had a blank look on her face, having no idea what vanilla meant.
I glared at Jackson and told him to knock his shit off with just my eyes. I wasn’t afraid to kick his ass right in the middle of this goddamn bar.
Jackson ignored the question and shook her hand. “I’m Cal’s brother. Jackson. Pleasure to meet you.”
“You too.” She shook his hand then let go.
Jealousy like I’d never known swept through me when she touched my brother. The embrace was innocent, more than just innocent, but I wanted to kill Jackson anyway. I didn’t want her touching anyone but me. The impulse was so strong I had to take a deep breath and wait for it to pass. If she were my sub, I would order her never to look at my brother or acknowledge him when he was in our presence.
Like she’d ever cooperate.
“And this is…” Jackson stared at his date as he tried to remember her name. “Uh…we just met. Sorry, beautiful. I can’t remember your name.”
She was too smitten with him to be offended. “Cassie.”
I shook her hand. “Cal. Pleasure to meet you. This is my girlfriend, Rome.”
Jackson grinned like an idiot. “Girlfriend?”
I glared at him again. “Yes. Girlfriend.” If he made a scene right now, I’d kill him. Like, actually kill him.
Rome picked up on the tension between my brother and me. It was obvious by the look in her eyes. “Would you like to join us?”
Fuck no.
“That sounds like a great idea.” Jackson pulled Cassie into his side again. “We’re just going to get some drinks.”
Goddamn nightmare.
When they were gone, Rome looked at me with a wary expression on her face. “Is that okay?”
It didn’t matter if it wasn’t. The damage had been done. “We’ll find out.”
Christopher and Bridget left because they were ready to upgrade from making out to fucking.
I wished Rome and I were doing the same.
Jackson and Cassie took the seats across from us. Cassie had tattoos along her right arm and black gauges in her ears. A small tattoo was just behind her right ear, a simple image of a circle. Without asking her a single question, I knew she was one of us—a woman who wanted to be ruled.
Jackson ordered a scotch just like I did, probably copying me to annoy me. Jackson had always lived in my shadow since as far back as I could remember. He thought I was favored among my parents. If he knew the truth, he would understand he was the lucky one. But I would never tell him.
“So…” Jackson leaned forward, fascinated by Rome. He stared at her a little too long and a little too hard. He was clearly attracted to her, understanding my infatuation with her once he laid his eyes on her beautiful face. “My brother is pretty hard up for you.”
Rome immediately smiled, a blush coming across her cheeks. “That’s flattering…”
If only she knew what he really meant. “Leave my girlfriend alone, Jackson.”
“I’m not bothering her.” Jackson swirled his ice cubes in his glass. “You talk about her so much, and now I’m finally meeting her in the flesh. I have to say, she’s out of your league.”
Rome blushed again.
“I like that color on your face.” Jackson gave me a knowing look, understanding I would catch his meaning.
“Sweetheart, I apologize that my brother is such a wang.”
“I’m not a wang,” Jackson argued. “You’re the douchebag trying to hide her.”
“I’m not hiding her.” I was trying to protect her from my brother’s nonsense.
“Look, this is a big deal.” Jackson stopped looking at me, his gaze focused on Rome. “This is your first girlfriend. And now I understand why vanilla is your new favorite flavor.” He waggled his eyebrows at her.
“Vanilla?” Rome asked. “That’s the second time you’ve called me that.”
I placed my arm around her shoulder. “Ignore him.”
“Have you been to Ruin?” Cassie asked. “Is that where you met?”
My eyes snapped wide-open in terror.
Jackson caught my expression and knew I wasn’t ready to tell her the truth. He was an ass, but he wasn’t that big of an ass. “No, baby. They met at a bar. Let me tell you the story…” He told her about how Rome slapped me right in front of everyone. She put her back into it because I was red for nearly a day afterward.
Rome turned to me. “What’s Ruin?”
I didn’t lie, but I didn’t tell the whole truth either. “It’s a bar my brother works at.”
She accepted the story without question.
“My brother likes being treated like a bitch, so naturally, he fell for her.” Even though he saved my ass, he was still a dick about it. He gave me a smug look like he was enjoying every second of my unease.