Taste of it

Chapter 3:Under the roof

"Look," Gabriel uncrosses his legs and presses his elbows onto his knees. "It will only be for a little while, my parents got into a bit of s**t. They need me to keep her safe, so I told her it's okay for her to come here."

My eyes narrow towards him, Gabriel loves to make decisions and fill me in at the last minute. I hate him for it, he thinks he can get away with everything and that he can keep me sweet but there will be a day where I break.

"I don't like strangers."

"She's my sister."

My hand runs down my face and I shake my head. This is the last f*****g thing I needed today, all I wanted was to come home and be alone, drink some whiskey in peace. But no, I cannot get a single day to myself where I don't have to think about someone else.

"And I don't know who she is." My voice grows louder than his.

Gabriel tuts at my tone. "She needs our safety. My parents wouldn't send her here unless they thought something would happen, she's my blood, she's my family." He hits his chest with his hand.

I hold his stare for a couple of moments and my lungs rumble out a distressed sigh. This on top of all the other s**t I need to sort out? I swear things are never easy anymore.

"Lonzo, you won't even know she's here. You're barely here for starters and she's going to be doing whatever she's doing at the moment," Gabriel tries to explain but this conversation is only making me more frustrated. "She'll stay out of our business."

My finger grazes down my stubble and I clutch my jaw.

"You can't say no, she's my family. You don't turn your back on your family."

"It's my house."

"Our house."

I scoff at his words and he shoots me a warning look. "Really?"

"My name is on the lease, don't act like you're a f*****g idiot." He grumbles under his breath and settles back into the chair.

"Fake name," I correct. He ignores my comment.

"You know this is a joint house."

My eyes roll into the back of my head and I lean onto the desk with my elbows. "Whatever, fine." I want this conversation to be over now. "But don't let this change anything, she does not have any say in anything, she is here to sleep and that is it. I don't give a f**k what you say."

Gabriel holds up his hand. "Never said it was anything more than a bed."

"This won't be a permanent thing."

"Trust me, I don't want that either." Gabriel pushes up from the chair and walks two steps backwards towards the door. He clutches the handle and pulls it back, he pauses and then turns to me suddenly. "I swear if you even go near her, if you even touch her or look at her the wrong way. I will f*****g kill you. Don't even think about it and you better tell everyone else the same. If you or anyone touches her, everything will be over. I promise you."

His words are deathly and I don't doubt he would kill someone for touching his baby sister, Gabriel is a protective guy but I can't help but laugh. "The fact you think I'd go for your sister is comical, that would be a disgusting line to cross. I'd see your damn face every f*****g time. It would haunt me in my dreams. Charming you think so though."

"Good," he puffs out his chest. "I hope you do see my face when you meet her so you stay the f**k away."

I clear my throat and look back to my laptop. "I keep business and pleasure apart, she's your blood. That s**t would be weird, this whole conversation is weird. Let this be over. You can go now."

"She's landing here tomorrow evening."

"I said this conversation is over, Gabriel."

Gabriel slams my office door on the way out and I find myself not being able to read a single thing on my laptop screen. I exhale a sharp and loud breath and extend my head up to the ceiling, resting my hands on my forehead. How has my day gone from bad to worse in a matter of seconds?

I've gone from having to source a couple million pounds to playing babysitter with my best friend's sister.

This whole day has gone to f*****g s**t.