“I don’t need this,” she snarled. “You’ve had it, Billy. I’ll kick your ass for this.” Right after she called his stepbrother, Clay.

Dawg would go apeshit if Billy actually managed to touch the bumper of her car.

Just as she neared the turnoff to Graham and Lyrica’s home, the truck’s horn sounded behind her, raucous and strident. Red and green trim lights flicked on along the grill of the truck, assuring her she hadn’t been wrong about the identity of the asshole behind her.

That boy had a few screws loose, and that was all there was to it. Slowing, she let the moron race around her only to groan at the sight of Natches standing on Graham’s front porch through the trees separating the house from the main road. There was no doubt he’d heard Billy Ray, and he’d have definitely recognized the sound of her car, motor revving and tires screaming as she tore out of the side road. If she didn’t stop, he’d be at her place within minutes of Graham’s arrival, which would probably coincide with Doogan’s arrival at her apartment.

Turning onto the narrow road again Zoey made the turn into the narrower lane leading to her sister and brother-in-law’s home.

Turning off the ignition, Zoey slid from the car and headed up the walk.

“Okay, sis?” Concern filled Natches’s emerald-green eyes when Zoey stepped to the porch.

He was her cousin, but Dawg, Natches, and Rowdy were often mistaken for brothers by those unaware of the Mackay family history. And she loved them like brothers. Overprotective, affectionate, always loving, brothers.

“The little moron.” She rolled her eyes at Billy Ray’s antics as his hand settled at her back, leading her into the house.

“Where’s Lyrica?” she asked.

“Her room, with the babies,” he answered, his voice relaxed enough, but there was an edge of tension in his expression that warned her that Billy Ray’s future could be in question. “That was Billy Ray tearing around you, wasn’t it?”

She heard that carefully bland tone and knew it for what it was. It wouldn’t be much longer before Billy was sporting Mackay bruises.

“Dammit, Natches, they’re friends. Let it go,” she demanded, turning to face him as she entered the hall, knowing if she didn’t confront it now then she’d only have to deal with it later.

“I heard you tearing onto the road a mile away, Zoey,” he refuted, concern flickering in his gaze. Concern and no small amount of anger. “The way the motor was screaming, you were scared. Don’t deny it.”

She didn’t hesitate. One never hesitated when it came to Natches. Going to her tip toes, she shoved her finger in his face, anger tightening her expression.

“If you, Rowdy, or Dawg or any of your cohorts lay one hand on my friends, Natches, I swear I’ll head straight to California. Seth and Saul have promised I could stay with them any time I want. Keep pushing me, Natches, and my ‘want to’ just may get real deep and intense. Know what I’m saying?”

The Navy SEAL August twins had made the offer more than once after hearing about her brother’s and cousins’ attempts to protect the sisters.

It distracted him, though. His gaze had strayed to her neck, where she’d pulled her hair over her shoulder to hide Doogan’s mark. At least, she hoped it was still hidden.

“That worries me?” he snorted. “Hell, Zoey, those boys of Cade’s and Marley’s are a hell of a lot more protective than we are.”

Natches might have to redefine their ideas of protection.

“And I wouldn’t forget, cousin,” she reminded him with a fierce glare. “The Mackay sisters and the August brothers are just kissin’ cousins, and those are some fine-lookin’ Texas boys.”

Natches actually stepped back in shock before he blinked as though he couldn’t believe she’d said something so outrageous. “You wouldn’t . . .”

Well, no, not now she wouldn’t. But he didn’t have to know that, now did he?

“The Mackay cousins could when they were my age,” she reminded him. “Do you think I wouldn’t get happy-happy with two of those bad boys if you dared me, Natches? Push me and find out.”

Walker’s Run Bar

Doogan saw the confrontation, outrage and pure white-hot, livid lust surging through him at the threat she made to her cousin.

“Oh, fuck!” Eli snickered as he watched the live feed from Graham’s security camera on John Walker’s large-screen television. Lyrica had called her husband the second Zoey had stepped into the hall and laughingly told him to pull up the security feed.

“Damn, Zoey.” Natches rubbed at his chest, the camera catching his wince and that expression of disbelief on his face.

“Acid reflux,” Graham guessed, chuckling as he glanced at Doogan. “This is about to get good.”

“You’re making my acid reflux burn,” Natches grimaced.

“Test me, Natches.” She bared her teeth, heavy black lashes narrowing over her pale green eyes. “Not a single bruise.”

“You wouldn’t . . .”

“Winter gets real cold,” she reminded him softly, and the faintest hint of sensuality flickering over her expression had his teeth grinding. “A set of those twins would keep me just nice and warm, don’t you think? You know how much I hate the winter. You really want to test me on it?”

Oh, like hell.

Doogan could feel every bone and muscle in his body tightening in outrage as he watched. Natches blinked. If her cousin’s expression was anything to go by, he was just as outraged. And furious. Not to mention fucking speechless.

“Not even one bruise,” she snarled. “Not by you or any of your friends, or you just watch me.”

Elijah and Graham were choking on their laughter. Doogan was grinding his molars to nubs.

Graham stood, legs braced and arms crossed over his chest, head covered as his shoulders shook. Eli leaned against John Walker’s desk, moisture building in his eyes as he tried to contain his mirth.

“Is she serious?” John questioned, barely getting the words out as Natches seemed to pale on the large screen.

“Oh, she would do it or die if he pushed her,” Graham chuckled. “And Natches knows it. If any Mackay or his friend touches Billy Ray, she’ll head straight to Seth and Saul. And they’d go head to head with anyone dumb enough to stand between them and a woman they took as a lover. Even a Mackay.”

Doogan felt his lips tightening. Thankfully, he wasn’t a friend of Billy Ray’s or the Mackays’. He could beat the shit out of the little fucker.

“I’m going to assume we’re finished here?” He’d had enough of the show Lyrica had informed her husband was being played out in their home.

“Now, I’m going to go see Lyrica and the babies,” Zoey stated. Settling back and taking a deep breath, she pushed the hair back from her face before giving her cousin a sweet smile, even as she flashed the dark mark he’d left on her lower neck, almost hidden by her curls until she flipped them back. “And I still love you, cuz,” she promised. “No matter what you push me into doing.”

Natches actually flinched, but not at her reminder. He’d seen that mark himself, and Doogan swore he paled further. There was no mistaking the fact that Natches’s gaze had lingered just that second too long on her neck or that he swallowed a little tightly, no doubt biting back his outrage.

“Well, Zoey, I love you too.” Natches cleared his throat. “But I really don’t want to kill one of those August brats.”

“Might be interesting to see the attempt.” She frowned, and Doogan wondered if she noticed Natches had a slow, deep burn rousing his notorious Mackay temper. “Navy SEALs. And they look pretty tough to me. You might have a fight on your hands there.”

Turning from him, Zoey moved quickly up the stairs while Natches blew out a hard breath and shook his head as though to clear it.

“Damn,” Elijah breathed out in amazement. “Fuck me. She won.”

“She usually does,” Graham assured him thoughtfully.