A Broken Family Ch. 04

"Why are you in here?" He didn't remove his hand.

"Do you want me to leave?"

"Depends why you're in here."

"I want to be." He dropped his hand, but rolled towards the side of the bed. "What are you doing?"

"Pulling on some shorts."

"Are you going out?" I sat up and tried to find him in the darkness. He didn't answer me, but returned a couple seconds later. "Would you have kicked me out had I said I had a bad dream?"

"Most likely. I don't like dealing with emotional women." This time he pulled me back against his chest. "Go to sleep." I carefully laid my own arm against him, wishing I'd just stayed in Alex's room as I blinked at the darkness.

"How many girls have you been with?"

"Holly, shut up and go to sleep."

"No really. I want to know."

"I don't know."

"How can you not know? Do you not have like a roundabout number?"

"Some of them I didn't sleep with; I was satisfied else ways."

"That's a lovely way of saying you shoved your dick down her throat."

He groaned. "I don't want to talk about this."

"Give me a round number and I'll leave you alone."

"Fine. Let's go with forty." I didn't say anything, half shocked into silence despite knowing he slept around a lot and a part of me thinking the number might have been higher. "What's wrong?"

"You told me to shut up. I'm shutting up."

"Get out of my room if you're going to lie. There's a reason I don't do girlfriends."

"That's just a big number. That's all I was thinking. I'll go to sleep now."

"You better never get over one. Got it?"

"That's hypocritical."

"No, it's knowing. You find the right guy and you only screw him."

"Did someone hurt you? Is that why you sleep around?"

"No, Holly. No one has hurt me. I sleep around because I feel like it."

"Okay, I'm leaving you alone now. Goodnight." His arm went slack around me a couple minutes later and he snored lightly.

---

I gasped, my eyes slipping shut and my muscles clenching as JT shoved his cock inside me. "JT," I whispered, arching my back.

"Breathe." He pressed kisses along my shoulders and neck as I got used to having a man inside me. "Fuck, you're so beautiful. Are you okay now?" His hands gripped onto my hips.

"Yes, just go slow for a minute." He eased out of me and watched my face as he slid back in and I moaned softly. "I'm your last number, okay? Promise me."

I jerked awake, pushing myself into a sitting position and raking my fingers through my hair. "Shit. Shit shit shit."

"Have a nice dream?" JT's hand rested on my thigh, and I looked back at him. He was wide-awake and had an amused look on his face.

"Fuck you."

"Hmm." He smiled at me.

"I'm leaving." I shoved back the blankets and scooted towards the edge.

JT caught me around the waist. "You should stay."

"I'm not going to let you make fun of me for having sex dreams when I'm so fucking frustrated by not being able to get any." I pulled at his arm, and he sat up and moved closer to me, wrapping both arms around me.

"I'm not making fun of you. I like knowing you're dreaming about me."

"I am not dreaming about you." I pushed at his arms around me more.

"So you just happen to know another JT you like to gasp over?"

"Fuck you."

"If I said only in your dreams, it would be accurate, huh?"

My face was heating up and I was getting frustrated with him, so I scooted closer to the side of the bed and tried slipping under his arms. He caught my wrists though, and pulled me to lay sideways with my head in his lap and my legs off the bed. "Let go of me." I twisted my wrists, hating the fluttery feeling his grip was giving me.

"You look cute when you're struggling at putting up a fight." That made me relax and shut my eyes. "Awh, don't stop."

"I hate you right now."

"Really? I thought you were more along the lines of lusting for me."

"If you weren't so fucking psychotic I wouldn't be lusting after you. I'd be normal and fucking my steady boyfriend."

"So you like psychos? I suppose it's a good thing we keep you from boys. Who knows what you'd come home with." I made a frustrated sound, re-attempting to rid myself of his grasp. "Give me a kiss, and I'll let you go."

I stopped struggling. "Promise?" I looked up at him to see him smiling.

"Promise." He leaned down and pressed his mouth to mine, quickly taking over my mouth with his tongue. It was a demanding kiss and the grips on my wrists only added to the feeling, making my stomach flutter more. He finally pulled away and released me, and I hurriedly slipped to the floor and didn't look back at him as I walked to the door. "Oh, and good morning, Holly," he called as I closed the door behind me.

I'd made it to my door as Alex walked out of the bathroom, steam spilling out around him and the towel slung around his hips. I swallowed, my eyes trailing down his body as I hurried to enter my room. The door opened two seconds after I'd closed it and I stood with my back to him, messing with the ends of my hair nervously.

"Have a nice night," Alex asked, and I felt his hands on my hips as he pressed against my back, resting his head on my shoulder.

"I can't deal with this."

"With what?"

"Nothing. Never mind." My stomach knotted more at his touch. "Can you give me a few minutes alone please?"

He pressed a couple kisses up my neck. "I can, but I can also help."

I pressed my eyes shut. "I thought you said you didn't want to fuck me."

"I don't. I want to love you and kiss you and hold you. I don't want to just have mindless sex like JT does all the time." His arms wrapped around me and he nuzzled against my jaw.

I took a shaky breath before turning in his arms to face him. "Maybe you should go."

"If that's what you want."

I shut my eyes and nodded. "Yes." He pressed a kiss to my forehead and stepped back. "I'll be downstairs in about ten minutes."

---

A sharp coldness on my stomach had me jerking in consciousness. "What the hell?" Alex sat down on the chair beside me holding his cold beer.

"You shouldn't fall asleep in the sun."

"But it's so warm." I closed my eyes and tilted my head towards the sun again.

"You're going to be red and then you won't want to be warm."

My eyes snapped open. "Oh shit. Am I pink? I only put a little bit of sunblock on earlier."

"Just a little bit. Come inside." He stood up and held out a hand. I took it and he led me inside. "You want aloe vera now to help fight off the sting later?"

"Sure." I sat down in a chair as he grabbed the bottle off the counter. "Where is everyone?"

"JT is out somewhere, Eli is at football practice, and Drew had to do something with his brother." He pulled a chair out and handed me the bottle.

"Why aren't you working?" I opened the bottle and started covering all the visible skin with the blue gel.

"Felt like staying home—the beauty of being the owner and not an employee." His eyes followed my hands and I felt my face turn pinker.

"Stop it. You're making me nervous."

He smiled and closed his eyes, leaning back in his chair and tilting his head to the ceiling. I watched him as I rubbed in the gel everywhere. "Hey, you can't be staring at me either."

"I'm not." He opened his eyes and looked at me. "Okay maybe I was. So?" I got up and walked over to the sink to wash my hands.

"What do you want for dinner? I was going to start cooking soon."

I turned back to him and leaned against the counter. "We should try making pizza again. We haven't done that in like a year."

"Probably because it turned out gross."

"Well, let's try again. Maybe it will be better this time. And if not, we can buy a frozen one at the store just in case."

"You going to the store with me?"

I looked down at my now-sticky and pink skin. "I can if you want me to."

He grinned and stood up. "Nah. I don't want you getting my car all sticky. Go lay down somewhere and let it dry, then I should be home and we can start cooking." He picked up his keys from the counter and walked out the door. I heard the front door close and his car start up soon after.

---

"What are you doing?" Alex asked me as he walked by to set groceries down on the counter in the kitchen.

"You said to lay down somewhere and let it dry. Well, I figured lying in the center of the room like this would let more air get to me." I was spread-eagled and staring at the living room ceiling when he walked back into the room.

"Are you dry yet?"

"Yes, but my skin feels all tight, and I'm too lazy to move."

He dropped to sit beside my head and I leaned my head back to look at him. "I bought pepperonis for you and sausage for your brothers."

I wrinkled my nose. "Sausage is nasty. Besides, I bet you JT won't even be home. He only stayed home last night because he had a headache."

"He can eat it when he gets home to offset the amount of alcohol in his system. I'm still obligated to feed him too, Holly, as long as he lives here."

"Yeah, well, he aggravates me." I returned to staring at the ceiling. "He actually had the nerve to make fun of me this morning. Jerk. Like it isn't all his fault I'm wound up so damn tight."

Alex brushed some of my hair from my forehead. "Is this when I get to return the 'I like you when you're all growly and bothered?'"

"Fuck you, Alex." My words didn't hold strength though, and he kept brushing my hair back with his fingers.

"Want to come cook now?"

"Do I have to put clothes on? It's really hot."

"No, but if Drew decides to drop by I'm sending you upstairs."

"Why? Drew doesn't respond to any advancements. I think I'm more of eye candy to him that he never plans to do anything about."

"What do you mean advancements? Holly, you had better not be trying anything on him."

"I wanted him in the pool. He wouldn't get in." I smiled. "Besides, he's like you, but with slight differences like not being related to me." He pulled his hand back and I sat up to look at him as he got up. "Come on, I'm kidding. I don't like Drew. He's got a nice body and I was like in love with him when I was little, but I'm not anymore. Don't be jealous."

"Come on and get up so we can start rolling out this dough." He held out a hand to me, but his face told me he wasn't very happy right now. He pulled me up and let me go.

"Alex." I followed him into the kitchen and watched him put up the other things he'd gotten at the store. "Really. You're prettier than him and aren't afraid to touch me. I don't like him." I pulled myself up on the counter.

"Prettier? You make me sound like a little girl with self-esteem issues."

"Well. If I said sexier, then that would imply I found Drew sexy and I don't." He turned to face me and raised an eyebrow at me. "Well, not anymore. I don't like men who listen to rules against me."

He stepped in between my legs and rested his hands on my thighs. "Do you want to make yours first or Eli's and JT's?"

"Mine of course. So that if I get lazy we don't have to make the last one." I smiled and he shook his head at me.

"If you make one, you're making both."

"Party pooper. Think of what we could have done with that extra time."

"Holly."

"What? I'm just saying. I could have beaten you at strip poker or something."

"You're wearing two pieces of clothing. I doubt that."

"Well, I have faith in my abilities even if you don't. Besides, I could lose one and I'd be okay. Not like you haven't seen it all before." He shut his eyes at that and his hands slid back to my knees. "Hey now, I didn't say I didn't like it, so don't be all shy." I laughed at the glare I received. "For real though," I tugged on the front of his shirt, "we could just make mine and yours and give them the frozen pizza." I pressed my lips to his and his hands tightened on my legs.

"This is why you're not allowed to date. You're manipulative," he told me as he pulled back. His eyes dipped down to my cleavage before he ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Go put clothes on."

"No. I like having minimal clothing on around you." I smiled at him as he glared at me again.

"Go put clothes on."

"I have clothes on. I could take them off and put them back on though if you want."

He ran a hand down his face. "Holly Elizabeth, stop being a pain."

"Hey, if I can't tease other men, then I'll tease you. Your reactions are already fun to me."

"They're not going to be fun when I buy that paddle I said I'd get to make you mind."

I shrugged. "Sounds kind of kinky. Are you into that kind of stuff, too, Alex?" I tugged on one of his belt loops as he tried moving away.

"You're annoying me."

"I am not. I'm bothering you. And in a good way, so you'll be okay." He made a growl-like sound and I smiled. "I love it when you make that sound. It makes me want to kiss you all over."

"I'm about to kick you out of the kitchen."

"So you can join me in the bedroom?" I knew I was being awful, but his reactions were amusing me too much. I tugged on his belt loop again, "I can get rid of it for you."

He smacked my hand and I jumped, tearing my hand away. "Stop. I'm not kidding. I'm not your plaything, Holly. Now either go change, or be good and help me cook."

I frowned at the serious look on his face. "Fine." I rubbed my hand and he took it from me and kissed it.

"Sorry. I just don't want you messing with me."

"It's fine. Back up and I'll help you cook." He moved back and I hopped off the counter, moving to wash my hands before starting the dough. We worked silently for about ten minutes, him making one pizza crust and I making the other. We put them in the oven for a few minutes so that the inner dough wouldn't be soggy, and I took the time to go upstairs and pull on some shorts.

The door opened and closed as I walked out of my room and I met Eli on the stairs. He'd already stripped down to just his pants, carrying the rest of his things and looking utterly exhausted. "Rough day?"

"They had us run suicides because all the new members keep fumbling the ball." He dropped his stuff on the top step and dropped down to sit and look up at me. "Why are you half-dressed and bright red?"

"I fell asleep in the sun. Why are you half-dressed?" I kept my eyes on his face and not dipping down to admire his softly muscled torso, not that he kept his eyes on my own.

"My shirt is kind of soaked right now. It's hot out there."

I wrinkled my nose. "Go wash your clothes before they start stinking. Alex and I are making pizza if you need anything." I turned and continued on my way down the stairs.

"I'll be down there after I shower," he called to me as I reached the bottom and I waved my hand back to show I heard him as I walked to the kitchen.

"Alex," I started as I walked in to see him taking a drink of a beer, "how come you've started drinking more lately?"

"What?" He set the can down.

"I never see you drink, but lately you've been doing it a lot."

He looked me over a minute before taking another drink. "I don't know." He grabbed the oven mitts and pulled the two pizza crusts out of the oven. I grabbed the toppings out of the fridge as he got the jar of pizza sauce out of the cabinet. We quickly arranged the pizza toppings and put them back in the oven just as Eli came down stairs. Alex wandered into his office after taking the timer for the pizzas with him, and I followed Eli into the living room to watch movies.

---

"Get up and go to your room," I was told as I was shaken and I slapped my hand at whoever was bothering me. "Come on, you'll get a crick in your neck if you sleep on this couch."

I opened one of my eyes to see Alex. "Where'd Eli go? We were watching a movie."

"He probably went upstairs earlier. It's three AM. Get up."

"Why are you awake?" I closed my eyes again and he shook me. "Stop shaking me; I'm awake."

"I had paperwork to finish. Come on and go to your room."

I groaned and curled up towards the back of the couch. "I'm not getting up. If you want me upstairs, then you can carry me." Hands moved under my knees and back, and I instinctively grabbed onto his neck as he picked me up off the couch. "I didn't mean it literally. Let me sleep."

He continued towards the stairs and I tightened my hold as he climbed. He entered my room and laid me on the bed, but I held onto him as he went to pull back. "Holly, let go."

"I want to sleep in your room," I mumbled sleepily.

"I told you no last night."

"Then stay in here."

"You need to sleep in your own bed alone."

"Stop parenting me and just take me to your room, Alex." He started to pull my arms from around his neck and I twisted to wrap my legs around him, too.

"Come on, stop being difficult."

"You're the one being difficult. You woke me up, now you get to hold me until I fall asleep again."

He sighed and picked me up, pulling back the covers and moving me to the center of the bed before climbing in beside me. "Go to sleep. I'm only staying in here until you're asleep."

I heard him, but I was already half-asleep as he talked. "Alex, did you ever teach Bianca anything else?"

"No. I knew it was wrong, and I only did it after she begged me. It was only once." His arm around me tightened.

"Don't ever do it again," I mumbled and felt my mind slipping more. If he responded, I didn't hear it as I fell asleep.

---

Alex pushed me against the wall and I gasped at the feel of the cold wall on my front. "You need to stop teasing." He brought his hand down on my ass repeatedly until I started leaning into his smacks. I felt his cock slide along my slit before gently pushing in me. "I should fuck you raw for the torture you put us through." My only response was a soft moan. "But of course you'd like that too much, so I won't."

"Please," I whispered and pushed back against his unmoving cock.

"Please what, Holly?" He moved just slightly in me.

"Just fuck me, dammit." I received a harsh thrust and he went from stationary to quickly thrusting in me in a matter of seconds.

"Holly?" I was gently shaken and I groaned at being woken up twice in one night. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Eli. I'm trying to sleep." I put my arm over my face.

"You were breathing funny and shaking."

"Yeah? Well, it happens I suppose. Why are you in my room?"

"I woke up early and noticed you weren't downstairs anymore. Did you walk up here in the middle of the night?"

"No, Alex carried me up." I rolled over towards his voice and buried my face in his chest. He stroked my hair down my back and I sighed. "What time is it?"

"Ten actually. I thought you'd be up by now." I didn't respond, just focused on my face against his naked chest.

"Why aren't you wearing a shirt?"

"I just took a shower."

"Oh." I pulled back and rubbed my eyes. "I should probably go do that, too." Eli took one of my hands from me and pushed it over my boob. "What?" I looked down. "Oh, my bad." I adjusted my swim top I still had on to cover me.

"You should probably stay inside today. You're all pink."

I crawled over him and got off the bed. "You're probably right. I'll just go swimming at night." I walked over to my dresser and pulled out some clothes. "Think I'd get in trouble if I try to go without a shirt today? I don't relish feeling fabric on my skin."

"Just stay upstairs," JT's voice came from the door and I jumped. He wasn't there when I turned around and I figured he was just walking by.

I looked over at Eli who was watching me with his arms behind his head. "I kind of like how they're being nice to me." He didn't say anything and I walked towards the door. "I'm getting in the shower. Go put a shirt on."

"Does it bother you?" he asked, rolling off the bed and following me out the door.

"Yes. Little brothers aren't allowed to be beautiful."