I looked at mybrotherand let out a sigh. Iknew where this was going and while it wasn’t his business, wedidn’t make it a habit of keeping shit from each other. “No, shetold me…”
Gabe scowled.“And you decided to tear into the girl regardless?” he barked out.
“No!” Ibarkedback.What the fuck did he takeme for?
Our raisedvoices brought Michael and Aiden out from their rooms. “What’s going on?” Aiden asked as soonas he and Michael reached the kitchen.
Gabriel wasstill scowling. “Ask Mason,”he spat out.
I closed myeyes and prayed for patienceand Divine intervention. But, apparently, God wasn’t in anaccommodating mood, because when I opened my eyes, all three of mybrothers still stood before me awaiting an explanation. I sighedand went to get this over with. “Gabe’s concerned about some markson my back…”
“Some marks?”Gabriel challenged. “Turn around, Mase,and let Michael and Aiden decide for themselves ifthose are justsomemarks.”
I hung my headdown, let out a deep sigh and did as he asked. I wasn’t surprised at the vocal reactions thatcame from Aiden and Mike.
“What the fuckhappened to you?”
“JesusChrist, Mase. What thefuck?”
I turnedback around and addressedAiden first, “Nothing happened to me.”
“What the fuck,Mase,” Michael askedagain.
“Apparently,Shanewas a virgin before lastnight,” Gabriel bit out, cluing them in on the conversation we werehaving.
Aidenlookedmurderous, and I knew Iwas going to have to rein him in. While we all were vehementlyopposed to violence against women, Aiden always went off the deepend when the subject was harming a female. Like I said, Aiden’sweakness was how much he loved women and it showed when an innocentwoman was being mistreated.
“Look, Iappreciate the concern you guys obviously have for Shane, but she’s fine,” I said, looking atAiden. “The sting of her first time was unavoidable, but sheisfine.” I nodded towardsthe end table in the living room. “Call her if you guys don’tbelieve me.”
And Michael-thelittle shit-trotted off,grabbed my phone, and he fucking called her, putting her on speakeras he made his way back to the kitchen.
Her voice cameover the phone and I wasimmediately hit with how much I already missed her.“Hello?”
“Hey, PrettyGirl, how are you?” Michael saidinto the phone.
“Michael?” sheasked, confusion lacing hervoice. I had programmed my number in her phone under ‘My Man’, soher confusion was comforting to my pockets ofinsecurity.
“Yeah, and I’m herewith Gabe, Aiden and Mase,” he informed her.
“Oh…uh,okay.” We could hear her clearing herthroat. “Uh, what’s up?”
This timeGabriel spoke up, but I think that was because Aidenwas choking on his misguidedanger. “Mason has some pretty serious battle scars, and we werejust wondering if you were okay?”
She started coughing andsputtering-in shock, no doubt-and I had to smile. Her naivety wasso endearing. “They think I hurt you, Shane,” I said, clarifyingtheir concern.
“What?!” she screeched.“Good God! Of course, you didn’t hurt me! Of course, Mason didn’thurt me!” she repeated.
“Are yousure?” came three Buchanan voicessimultaneously.
This time shescoffed, completely offendedon my behalf and I loved her a little bit more for it. “It wasthe best night of my life. Is that what you guys needed toknow?”
“Yes,” camethose same three Buchananvoices simultaneously, again.
“You guys areso incredibly ridiculous,” she uttered, rightbefore she hung up on us.
I waiteduntil each of my brothers’faces looked up at me and asked, “So, do you believe menow?”
“Awe, come on, Mase,”Michael groaned. “What did you expect?”
