Their Best Friend

Unexpected

Sammi POV

I shower, letting the hot water wash away the day’s frustrations, and wrap myself in a towel. Sitting on my bed, I scroll through my phone, my eyes landing on a dating app.

Dating is rare for me, mostly because of my brothers. Bringing a guy home is awkward, and going back to his place feels wrong. The last time I brought a guy here—Harry, when I was nineteen—we were just sitting in my room, talking. But you would have thought we were doing something far more scandalous from the way my brothers reacted. Legally, I could have been doing anything I wanted, but they made it clear that my s*x life was not going to happen under their roof.

As a result, my love life is practically nonexistent. My experience with relationships is limited to what I’ve read in books. It’s not exactly the best conversation starter to tell a guy, “By the way, I’m a virgin.” The word alone is enough to make most guys look at me like I’m some kind of anomaly—a church girl saving herself. But it’s not about religion; it’s about the looming presence of my brothers. They’ve made taking that step feel impossible as if it’s something I need their permission for.

I slip into a silk robe, the cool fabric sliding against my skin, and head downstairs to make something to eat. I need to fuel up before my shift; standing on my feet all night on an empty stomach is a bad idea. As I’m cooking, I hear something clatter onto the counter behind me. I turn and see Grayson sitting at the kitchen island, his eyes fixed on my legs.

It’s almost laughable. Here he is, the guy who’s supposedly not interested, yet he can’t seem to tear his eyes away from the bare skin my robe is revealing.

“You should rethink your demands, Sammi,” Grayson says, his gaze finally lifting to meet mine as I start plating my food.

“Demands?” I raise an eyebrow, genuinely curious. “Which demands are we talking about?”

“You know what I mean,” he replies, a slight smirk playing on his lips. “Your brothers are just trying to protect you and keep you safe.”

I scoff, setting my plate down. “See, that’s the problem. You guys think you’re protecting me, but I see it as controlling my life, trying to dictate what I can and can’t do.” I pause, watching his reaction. “Would you be happy living my life? Having siblings and their friends constantly meddling in your business when they have no right to?”

He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “To them, you’re their little sister.”

I roll my eyes. “Thanks for the obvious, Grayson. But here’s the thing—I’m twenty-one, and I have no real life because they won’t stop interfering. So no, I’m not rethinking my demands. I want my life back.”

He stands up, moving around the island until he’s standing directly in front of me. His eyes travel down my body, and I realise that my robe has slipped slightly open. Part of me wants to pull it closed, to cover up, but another part of me is curious—what will he do?

“Is there an issue, Grayson?” I ask, shifting slightly. The robe slips further, and I feel a cool breeze against my n****e. His gaze darkens as his finger trails along the edge of the robe, brushing against my n****e.

“Do you have any idea how hard it is to ignore you?” His voice is low, filled with something I can’t quite place.

I laugh, but there’s no humour in it. “Not hard at all, apparently. You’ve already proven that. You don’t like me, or want me—it was all just a game, right?” I wait for him to deny it, to tell me I’m wrong. But he doesn’t. He just stands there, silent, confirming what I already knew deep down.

The silence stretches between us, heavy and unresolved, until finally, I break away. Without another word, I turn and head back upstairs, leaving Grayson standing there in the kitchen. Tonight, I’ll work my shift at Luxe Nights and prove to myself that I don’t need anyone’s help or interference.

This is my life, and I’m finally going to live it on my own terms.