who never, ever broke a rule. Had his brother done something to give Molly the impression of being interested?
Dammit, this just struck him as so, so wrong, he didn’t even know where to begin.
His brother Garrett was ridiculously overprotective of the Devaney girls. The reason they’d become orphans in the first place was because their only living parent, who had been the Gages’ bodyguard, had died in the line of duty protecting Julian’s father and Garrett from an armed gang hired by the Mexican mafia to murder Julian’s father for newspaper coverage disclosing their names and operations. But the Gages’ bodyguard had died protecting Garrett, too. Though the gang members had been sentenced to life in prison, as the lone survivor of that bloody night two decades ago, Garrett had been sentenced to a life in hell.
Now he lived with a boatload of guilt and regret. When their widowed mother had taken the girls under their wing, Garrett had been rabid to protect them, even, apparently, from Julian—who had liked to tickle the hell out of Molly and make her giggle... Well, Garrett had always ridden Julian’s goddamn back about the rules where the Devaney sisters were concerned. This annoyed not only Julian but also Molly—who loved being tickled by him.
So now, after Molly had complained a thousand times that Garrett never let Julian and her have any fun, it was damned hard to believe that she suddenly had the hots for Garrett.
What in the hell was that about?
Julian and Molly were friends. Honest-to-God, die-for-you, chase-a-killer-for-you and do-all-kinds-of-strange-stuff-for-you friends.
Julian was Molly’s one, two and three on her freaking speed dial. The first number was for his office, the second for his cell phone and the third for his home. Molly even frequently admitted that their friendship was better than a romantic relationship, and it sure as hell had lasted longer than any marriage these days.
But after hearing her profess her love for Garrett several times today, Julian had realized that if she was serious—and apparently she was—he would have to help her.
He was going to “help” her realize that she was not in love with Garrett Gage. Period.
“I think we can get Garrett where we want him in about a month,” he finally assured her, gazing deeply into her eyes in an attempt to gauge how deeply in love she believed herself to be. Knowing what a romantic Molly was, he actually dreaded the answer.
Hell, she was probably already hearing wedding bells; she looked positively love-struck. Which just hit the wrong chord with him. Oh, boy, did it ever.
“Do you really think he’ll go for it? He’s so difficult to read most of the time,” Molly said in a dubious tone.
“Molly, no man in his right mind would stand by and watch his brother put his paws on his girl.”
Blushing in excitement, Molly leaped forward and hugged him tight, kissing his stubbled cheek. “You’d really do this just for me? You’re the best, Jules. Thank you so much.”
As her slim, warm arms tightened around his narrow waist, Julian’s entire frame stiffened as if she’d just zapped him. He was naked from the waist up, and he suddenly could feel Molly everywhere he didn’t want to. Warm and smelling of sweet things.
Worst of all was that she snuggled in comfortably, turned her face into his neck and whispered, “You’re the best part of my life, you know that, Jules? I never know how to thank you properly for everything you do.”
Was she for real?
Because the ideas those words put into his head were so, so wrong, Julian could’ve shot himself.
He tried remembering his past lovers’ names, in alphabetical order, but still could not relax a single inch until Molly extracted herself.
Letting go a long, long breath, he avoided her inquisitive gaze and grumbled, “Don’t thank me yet, Molls. Let’s just see how it goes, all right?”
“It’ll go splendidly, Julian, I just know it. Before the month ends, I’ll probably be wearing an engagement ring.”
He rolled his eyes because he still could not even believe this was happening. “Well, let’s not call the wedding planner yet, all right? Just remember that for this month, you’re with me, and heads up, baby, the rest of my family isn’t going to be too happy about it.”
She frowned in puzzlement and planted her hands on her hips. “Why on earth not? Am I not good enough for you?”
“No, Molls. It’s me.” He turned to gaze sightlessly out the window as a heaviness settled painfully atop his chest. “They think I’m no good for you.”
Two
“You’re jerking me around, toad, I just know it!”
Julian leaned back in his swivel chair and suppressed a smile as he watched his brother pace across the state-of-the-art conference room on the top floor of the San Antonio Daily, a thriving business the Gage family had run since the 1930s.
“Brother,” Julian tsked, “I realize I’m younger than you, but don’t forget I am stronger and I will take you down if you keep pissing me off.”
“So you’re basically admitting that you’re sleeping with our little Molls?”
“I never said that. I said we’re dating and she’s moving in with me.” This last was something Julian hadn’t discussed with Molly before, but it had suddenly seemed like a good idea. And when Garrett’s complexion turned the color of a ripe cherry tomato, Julian knew he’d struck the jackpot.
Garrett was livid.
Julian and Molly had discussed some basic rules yesterday—like no dating anyone else, a good dose of PDA for show when around family and strangers, and how neither would ever, ever disclose to anyone that their romantic liaison had been fake. This seemed especially important to Molly, who seemed to think it of utmost importance to be convincing in their new “relationship.”
Julian was right on board with that.
Hell, he was on board with anything that meant pushing Garrett’s buttons.
Not that he had anything against the guy, except the fact that he was maybe too honorable for his own damned good, and ever since Landon, the eldest brother, had embarked on a much deserved sixty-day honeymoon, Garrett seemed to think he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. Or at least, of the family business.
There was plenty of love among the three, yeah, but Julian had been planning to exact a special brotherly revenge on Garrett for a long. Long. Time.
A revenge made all the sweeter by the fact that Molly suddenly had it in her pretty head to get Garrett’s personal attention.
Hell, Julian hadn’t had a wink of sleep last night just thinking about it.
Now he took a moment to enjoy the fact that his brother’s face was taut with displeasure, his knuckles jutting out as he gripped his coffee cup. He stopped his pacing and stood across from Julian at the conference table, where they’d just wrapped up a meeting with their top executives. “Since when are you two interested in each other?” Garrett demanded.
