“What the fuck, Corey?”

Groaning, his brother leaned against him when Liam lowered to give him an arm and pull him up.

“I was having a cigarette, and they rolled up-”

“Talking shit.”

“So much shit.”

“So you naturally talked shit back.”

Stilling, Corey searched his eyes, like he feared Liam might kick him back out into the street.

“Yeah... I-”

“Well, I can't blame you. They were on my fucking property, uninvited. You needed more man power to fuck with that many assholes, but I commend you for trying.”

Liam's eyes flicked down to the blood on Corey's knuckles.

“Come on. Let's get you cleaned up. How's your head?”

“Operational, but the big one knocked me the fuck out.”

“Yeah, he has a clear, size advantage... I'll be feeling the full brunt of his blows in the morning.”

~

Looking his brother over, Liam was struck with the thought that the kid might actually be taking everything he'd told him seriously. Tonight's little episode couldn't be helped. If Liam had been in the same position, he'd have talked shit and rumbled with those assholes, too. Hell, he had actually, when he'd pulled up.

Corey looked pretty banged up, but he was clean now, all of the blood washed away, and he was devouring the subs Liam ordered for them. Guys like them didn't just eat one. Whatever calories were there to be had tended to be burned off in the gym.

“You coming to the gym tomorrow?”

Corey's head popped up from his half-inhaled sandwich, and he quirked a brow.

“Don't you need me cleaning up? Doing the floors and whatnot?”

“Casey can handle it for a few hours. He'd a clean dude, anyways. His station is fucking spotless.”

An endeared smile touched his brother's mouth.

“Yeah, he is a little anal. Sick artist, though.”

“His hyper-attention to detail is one of the main reasons for that, actually. I'll take an anal-retentive inker over a slouch any day of the week. I know I can count on him. He'll always have a place here.”

“Yeah.”

Gobbling up another bite, Corey chewed thoughtfully before speaking again.

“So what took you so long? Thought you were just getting measured for dad's bullshit photo opp.”

Liam could hear the resentment ringing his tone. It wasn't directed toward Liam, but he had every right to feel the way he did. No one liked to be categorized as “not good enough.” And that's essentially what their father had done.

“I, uh...”

Corey grinned knowingly.

“You stopped by to see a chick, huh?”

“Well, no. She was... She was already there.”

“Yeah? One of the cashiers?”

Liam grinned. Cashiers. His brother's innocence was so refreshingly honest.

“Not an attendant, no. She's... the daughter of our step-mother to be.”

Corey laughed, a hearty, rumbling laugh.

“Get the fuck outta here. You're shittin' me.”

“I kid you not, brother.”

“How'd that happen?”

“It happened before we knew about our parents... We've decided; we don't give a fuck.”

“Huh,” Corey mumbled approvingly, finishing another bite. “I wanna meet her.”

Liam smiled at that. He wanted Corey to meet her. Hell, he wanted everyone who mattered to know who she was. She was a keeper, and he intended to do just that.

“After the gym tomorrow. We'll take her out for lunch.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

"At Donovan's. She has to experience Donovan's."

Jackie

Jackie stared at the Two of Hearts inbox, doing her best to come to grips with the enormity of what she and Liam had done. They'd crossed the line, and now... it was getting real. Swallowing her nerves, she answered back, her fingers flying over the keyboard: “Sure, what time?”

“Around lunch. You hungry?”

“Famished.”

“We're taking you out <3”

“Sounds good :)”

So, the “we” he was referring to? He meant he and his brother. The one who'd started the bar fight the other night. Jackie didn't know how she felt about that, but she was flattered Liam wanted her to meet his family.

She'd met his father only under mandatory circumstances, and in reality, Liam and his dad weren't close.

Being introduced to his brother actually meant something, and it wasn't something he had to do. It gave her a deepened sense of ease about passing over the diva line into the realm of “relationships” again. She couldn't help but feel that this was going to be different. It was the exact opposite of what she'd expected might happen. For a minute there, she'd given up on the idea of finding a man who wasn't afraid to open his heart to someone.

Rushing off to the shower, she dressed as quickly as she could, school-girl nervous when she emerged dripping in a towel, rifling through her closet for the right thing to wear. Eventually settling on a pair of particularly well-made leggings, and a half-vest over a long-sleeved rayon tee, she slipped into a pair of matching boots and headed back to the bathroom to settle the matter of her hair.

By the time she was done primping and preening, the door bell was buzzing, and Jackie ran to the intercoms to press the security release allowing them up.

Heart thumping in her chest, she took a last look in the mirror before she made her way to the door and pulled it open, her heart melting to see Liam leaning in for a kiss.

Slow and sensuous, he claimed her mouth like he was savoring her, eventually pulling pack when someone behind him cleared his throat. Grinning, Liam stepped to the side, so his brother could get a look at her.

“Get a rooooom,” his brother told them with a smile she couldn't resist.

“S'up, Sis?”

Ugh, was he really calling her that, while wearing that devilishly, charming smile to boot?

Indeed, he was. And she wasn't offended, she realized. Probably because he wasn't judging them. The only thing she felt coming from Corey was acceptance.

“Corey,” he informed her, extending his hand.

“Jackie,” she offered back, shaking hands.

“You guys ready? My stomach's ready to cave in after that spar.”

“That why you guys look like you've been run through a wood chipper?”

“That's... another story entirely. I'll tell you over lunch. Come on,” Liam answered, his hand closing over hers.

Making their way down the stairs, they piled into Liam's Mercedes and rode to a small spot set off from the beach, 'Donovan's.'

It was a quaint, little spot that specialized in a sort Anglo-French mashup. Everything on the menu had two different names, one in English, the other “en Francais.” And the prices... Well, they were more in Liam's realm of wherewithal, but Jackie didn't fret about it. Unlike her previous life, she was going to allow herself to be doted on. She'd always strived to be “the good girlfriend,” but in reality she'd had a problem with accepting things from others.

Maybe it came from the hard times she'd known in her mother's house, where they'd learned to make due on very little, DIY queens that they'd mostly been. The concept of having money was altogether new to her, and the way she saw it now, she might as well settle into it. Because she was doing well now, and her man? He was doing especially well.

 Sitting back and staring out at the ocean when the server put their orders in, a smile ticked her cheek. This was... maybe symbolic of what it was like when you connected with someone who wanted similar things. Things like peace and good times with the people you loved.

His brother Corey was friggin' hilarious.

She loved him already.