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I glare at my phone as it rings incessantly, irritation bubbling under the surface. Finally, I pick up as I walk towards my room, not bothering with a greeting. "Where the fuck are you?" I demand, my voice clipped.
Noah's voice comes through the line, slightly muffled. "Uh, something came up, so I left early with Tiana," he explains casually.
I scoff inwardly. Of course, something came up. "No shit," I mutter under my breath.
Noah doesn't miss a beat. "Fine! We had a moment. Now tell me what happened at the club," he presses, his tone curious.
I debate whether to divulge the details, but I decide to keep it brief. "Don't worry about it. Someone needed a lesson, and I taught him one," I reply cryptically.
Noah chuckles on the other end. "Poor guy must be suffering like he's fresh out of hell," he comments, amusement evident in his voice.
I smirk, a sense of satisfaction washing over me. "Can't say I didn't leave a mark," I admit, my tone smug.
Noah's curiosity doesn't wane. "Where's Jack and Nick?" he inquires, his tone shifting to one of concern.
I glance over at my brothers, who are engrossed in their own conversation. "They're here. I should go," I reply shortly.
Noah understands, "Yeah, man, I'll stop by in the morning," he offers.
I nod, even though he can't see me. "Okay," I say before ending the call abruptly.
I grab some painkillers from one of the drawers in my dresser. With the pills in hand, I make my way back to the living room,I find only Jack and Nick present. There's no sign of Evara. Did she leave? Alone?
"Where is she?" I inquire no one in particular, my voice tinged with urgency.
Jack responds first, his tone steady, "She offered to fetch the first aid kit from the gym."
Nick chimes in, "Yeah, she asked us not to worry, Alec. She's got this. Chill. She understands the emergency," he adds, trying to ease my worry.
But does she really? I wonder silently, Got this? I mutter to myself, uncertainty clouding my mind.
"I'll be back," I announce, glancing at Jack and Nick. "Take these painkillers," I instruct, passing them the pills. "Not more than one," I emphasize before turning and heading towards the gym.
I approach the gym door, a sight catches my attention-Evara, standing precariously on a stool, her delicate frame stretched to reach the locker. A faint sigh escapes my lips. She is going to be the death of me.
Just when I'm about to reach her, her toes slip from beneath her, and she starts to fall. Instinct kicks in, and I lunge forward, catching her mid-fall, before she hit the ground. Her eyes are shut tightly, and she clutches onto me like her life depends on it. I can feel her warmth seeping through my clothes and her arms tighten around me.
The unexpected closeness sends a jolt through me, and for a moment, I'm acutely aware of her presence, her scent filling my senses. Her face is buried against my neck, and when she lifts her head, I can't help but meet her eyes, concern evident in my gaze. Holding her close, I can see the blush that creeps onto her cheeks.
But as quickly as the moment comes, it passes, and I release her and carefully set her back on her feet. She's standing right in front of me, her back plastered to the locker. I can practically feel the tension crackling between us as I move closer, my hand finding her waist, pulling her in. Her hands rest lightly on my chest, her body pressed against mine and I can sense her nervousness.
I'm seething with anger, every muscle in my body tense. "What were you thinking?" I demand, my voice low and controlled, but the frustration evident in my tone, as I glare down at her.
Evara's soft voice reaching me like a whisper in the wind, "Alec, I was just grabbing the first aid kit," she says, her eyes meeting mine with a hint of defiance.
My face is inches from hers as I respond sharply, "No! At the club," before I could finish, she injects, "Are you mad at me for throwing water? I didn't know you were right there."
"Not that!" I cut her off, pull her closer to me, "What the fuck were you thinking punching that guy?"
Her anger flares, her gaze now matching mine. "You think he didn't deserve that?" she retorts.
I hold her gaze, my expression firm, "What? Hell no. He definitely deserved it. This is about you! What if I wasn't there for the aftermath?" I can feel my frustration boiling inside me as I continue, "You can't just go around throwing punches like that. You could have gotten seriously hurt."
Evara's eyes flash with anger, and she pushes against my chest, trying to break free from my grasp, "I can take care of myself and I don't need your protection."
My grip tightens around her waist, refusing to let her pull away as I shoot back, "You think I don't know that? You think I don't want to believe it? But damn it, Princess, I can't just stand by and watch you put yourself in danger like that. Don't ever do anything that makes you a target when I'm not around."
She's practically seething now, her eyes ablaze with defiance as she retorts, "I'm not some delicate flower that needs to be coddled, Alec. I can handle myself just fine."
I can see it-the shift in her demeanor, the sudden change in her expression. I have never seen her angry before. Sure, she got frustrated from time to time, but she always regained her composure in the blink of an eye. But right now, as I look into her eyes, I can see the anger simmering beneath the surface. It's like a storm brewing in those usually calm waters. She's furious, and I can feel the intensity radiating off her. There's a fire in her eyes, a determination to prove herself, to show that she can handle herself just fine without anyone's help. She's angry because she doesn't want to seem weak, doesn't want to appear like she's incapable of taking care of herself. It's clear as day, written all over her face-the defiance, the stubbornness, the desire to stand her ground.
I can't deny the raw attraction I feel towards her in this moment. "You think you can handle yourself, huh?" my voice low and husky as I lean in closer, my lips tantalizingly close to hers.
Evara's breath catches in her throat, her eyes darting between my lips and my gaze, uncertainty mingled with desire. "I know I can," she whispers, her voice barely above a breath.
The tension between us is almost suffocating, a palpable heat that hangs thick in the air. Evara's lips are mere inches away from mine, her breath warm against my skin as I lean in closer, unable to resist the magnetic pull between us. I can feel her heartbeat quicken, matching the frantic rhythm of my own as desire courses through me like a wildfire.
Just as our lips are about to meet in a searing kiss,
"Aleccccc", Nick's voice slices through the air like a knife from a distance, shattering the moment like glass. My jaw clenches in frustration, and I pull away from Evara, cursing silently under my breath.
With a sigh, I tear myself away from Evara's intoxicating presence and grab the first aid kit, shoving it into her hands without a word. The moment is gone, no thanks to Nick's untimely interruption. He's going to pay for being an ultimate cockblock.
Turning on my heel, I make my way back to the living room, my mind still reeling from the close call. The image of her lips mere inches away from mine lingers in my mind, taunting me with what could have been.
My thoughts come to a screeching halt as I see my mom's furious expression.
"All of you," gives each one of us her unmistakable death stare, "explain yourselves." She demands an explanation from all of us, her gaze piercing through me like daggers.
Nick, always quick to speak, beats me to it. "We were in a fight. We won, Mom," he says confidently, but her disapproving stare remains fixed on me.
Jack attempting to ease the tension hanging in the air, "Uh, it's nothing, Mom. We're fine."
"It's not a big deal, Mom," I reply, trying to downplay the severity of the situation.
No matter how grown-up we are, Mom always sees us as her little boys. And she's not a fan of violence, not one bit. So, we do our best to keep all that rough stuff far away from her.
Mom's voice slices through the air, loud and clear, practically echoing through the room. "I came here to drop off your patient's report, and I walk in on you three covered in bruises?" Her tone is borderline yelling, and just when things couldn't get any worse, Evara walks in. Mom's expression shifts from anger to shock, mirroring Evara's own surprise. This is going downhill fast.
Evara manages a smile, trying to diffuse the tension. "Hello, Mrs. Oberoi-Carson."
Mom's features soften at the greeting. "Hello, who do we have here?" she asks, her tone much gentler now.
Nick coughs and points at Evara, drawing Mom's attention. "Yeah, that's Evara. Noah's wedding planner. Our friend, and the woman whose honor we were defending", he begins, then lifts his shirt up to show his bruise, "These are just our winning badges," he adds with a chuckle.
Mom's concern shifts to Nick, "Oh my God, are you hurting?" she asks, her tone filled with worry. Nick grimaces in response, "Very badly." She takes a seat next to him, concern etched on her face as she says, "Let me take a look."
Then, her attention turns to Evara, standing next to me. "Are you okay? Are you hurt too?" she inquires, her voice gentle.
"No. They didn't let anything happen to me," Evara's gaze briefly meets mine before she focuses on Mom, her voice soft but resolute. Then, with a hint of guilt tingeing her tone, she continues, "I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. They were just helping me."
Mom's features soften, a hint of understanding in her eyes. "Don't be. If it were any other situation, I'd be furious," she admits, her voice tinged with resignation. She's always been wary of the boys' penchant for getting into fights, our history of violence not forgotten. "But this time, they get a pass," she concludes, her tone firm but compassionate. "They did what they had to."
Evara begins, her voice soft yet heartfelt, "Thank you, Mrs. Oberoi-Carson."
"You are Indian, aren't you?" Mom asks, her tone gentle yet probing. Evara nods, her confusion evident.
Mom clarifies with a chuckle, "What's with 'Mrs. Oberoi-Carson' ? Call me Hira Aunty."
Evara's smile widens, her dimples deepening as she nods enthusiastically, "Okay, Aunty."
Nick had to speak now because he was quite for whole 5 minutes, "Aww, this is all cute, but hellooo?? I'm suffering here," he interjects, his words punctuated by a pained expression.
I roll my eyes inwardly, knowing Nick's tendency for exaggeration all too well. He thrives on attention, and a little pain is just another opportunity to steal the limelight. That punch probably did about as much damage as a mosquito bite. But Nick being Nick, he'll milk it for all it's worth, spinning tales of heroism and martyrdom to anyone who will listen. It's all part of the show, and Nick loves playing the lead role. That's just how he operates, and I've learned to take it with a grain of salt.
"I swear I broke a few ribs. Mom, order a CT scan-I need it. Alec, get the OR ready just in case," he announces, his flair for theatrics on full display.
Mom reassures him, "It's not that serious. Take a painkiller, everything will be fine."
Nick gasps, "Mom! I'm telling you, it's serious!"
Mom's response is nonchalant, "Uh-huh. Are you going to shut up, or should I call your Dad and tell him how serious this is?"
Nick's frown deepens, "You didn't have to bring that scary man into this painful situation."
Jack interjects, "I'll make sure to let him know you said that." Mom's laughter fills the room, and Jack's smirk only adds to Nick's offense.
Evara, standing on the sidelines, observes the scene with an expression that suggests she's enjoying the spectacle.
I clear my throat, "Mom, I've already given Nick the painkillers. Could you dress up Jack's cut while I go drop her off?"
Mom agrees, "Yeah, sure," as Evara hands over the first aid box.
"Hold on," I say to her, as I walk to my room.
I grab one of my hockey jackets and return to where she stands.
I hand her the jacket, my fingers lingering on the fabric for a moment longer than necessary. "It's cold out," I state, my voice low and rough.
She takes the jacket from me, her fingers brushing against mine briefly, sending a shiver down my spine. "Thanks," she replies softly, slipping it on with ease.
I nod in response, watching her as she exchanges pleasantries with my mom and brothers. There's a hint of warmth in her smile, a genuineness that I can't help but admire.