Letting My Brother's Best Friend Take My V-Card

CHAPTER 71 LUKE

The second the words left Jess's mouth, the world around me collapsed. Everything slowed to a crawl. I turned to face Josh, bracing myself for the storm that was about to hit. He was already shaking with fury. His fists clenched so tight his knuckles were bone white. The air between us was suddenly

gone.

"Josh," I started my hands up in surrender, my voice steady. "I'm sorry. I should have told you-"

"You!" Josh's voice was a low, dangerous growl, the kind that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. "You and my sister! You!" His words were barely more than a breath, forced through gritted teeth, each syllable cutting into me. "You're my best friend! My brother! The next thing I knew, he launched himself at me, a wall of muscle and rage. I barely had time to brace myself before his shoulder slammed into my chest, driving the air from my lungs. We crashed into a table, sending drinks and glasses flying.

All I could see was Josh, red-faced and wild-eyed, coming at me again, and I knew I deserved it. But I was too proud to give him more than one shot.

Instinct took over. I rolled with the momentum, pushing him off and scrambling to my feet just as he swung at me. His fist connected with my jaw, and a white-hot burst of pain shot down CHAPTER 71

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my neck as my head snapped. But I was on my feet, adrenaline pumping, every nerve on fire.

in chaos around us. I could hear shouts and the scrape of furniture being shoved out of the way, but it was all background noise. All that mattered was Josh-Josh, who was supposed to

him off and landing a punch of my own square to his gut. He doubled over, but only for a heartbeat. Then he was back, and we grappled again, neither

set of arms hauled back Josh, and suddenly, we were both being dragged toward the exit, our feet barely touching the ground. "Bouncers," my brain registered through the haze of pain and anger. They were big guys,

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the cool night air hitting my face like a bucket of ice water. The bouncers didn't give us a chance to catch our breath. They tossed us out

the ground with a grunt, my palms scraping against the

to his feet, eyes locked on me, still seething with rage. But the bouncers were between us now, a solid

them barked, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. "Take

lip was split open, and I could barely move my jaw without wincing. Josh was next to me, looking just as messed up, if not worse. His left eye was nearly swollen shut. A bouncer took pity on us and threw us a couple of ice packs before heading back

pack to my lip, feeling the cold sting against the cut. Josh held his to his eye, not saying a word. We both just sat there, staring at

few minutes, I couldn't take the silence anymore. "Listen, man," I started, my voice rough,

waving his hand like

I get it." His

I couldn't let it go. "No, you don't, man," I said, turning to face him. "I tried to stay away from her. I

CHAPTER 71