Free Relentless by Cheryl Douglas

I couldn’t be happier about it. But you didn’t come here to talk about me and Avery. Why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind?”
    J.T. raked his hand through his hair. “Okay, so here’s the deal. Nikki came to my room tonight…”
    “Shit,” Ty muttered. “I don’t suppose you had the good sense to send her away?”
    J.T. shot him a look that relieved him of the notion that he was that stupid.
    “Yeah, I didn’t think so.” He sighed. “Okay, so I guess I’m right in assumin’ you slept with Luc’s little girl?”
    J.T. claimed the armchair beside his brother before throwing back the amber liquid at the bottom of his glass. “Let me tell you, Nik’s no one’s little girl. She’s all woman.”
    Ty raised his hands. “I know, I know. Still, she’s too damned young and innocent for you, J.T. You gotta know that.”
    He may have only had ten years on her chronologically, but he’d had a lifetime of fun during that decade. No one knew that better than his older brother. “Look, I know you’re right, but the way I feel about her is different, Ty.”
    He raised an eyebrow, propping his booted foot on one knee. “What do you mean, different?”
    “When we first met five years ago, there was no question she was too young for me. I wouldn’t have even thought about going there back then.” He rolled his eyes at his brother’s scornful expression. “Okay, I may have thought about it, but I sure as hell wouldn’t have acted on it. You know I don’t mess with underage girls.”
    Ty shook his head in agreement. “Yeah, that’s a line even you wouldn’t think to cross.” He laughed. “Nice to know Mama and Daddy’s lectures about morality weren’t completely lost on you.”
    His older brothers, Dave, Ty, and Derek, had been do-gooders all their lives. The nice guys who would help a friend or neighbor, while J.T. had been the hell raiser of the bunch. His mama still swore she didn’t have a gray hair on her head until the day he was born. “I didn’t come here for a lecture, shithead.”
    Ty crossed his arms. “So, why did you come?” He smirked. “You just wanted to confess your sins, or what?”
    What he and Nikki did tonight wasn’t nearly as sinful as he would have liked. “She bailed on me,” J.T. muttered, dropping his head. “Can you believe that? I was in the shower and she snuck out.”
    Ty laughed, slapping his palm against his leg. “Damn, she’s even smarter than I thought. She had you pegged right out of the gate.”
    He set his empty glass down on the table, trying to hold his temper. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “You’re not that hard to figure out, man.” He shrugged. “She probably knew you were just after a good time. Obviously, she was on the same page. I don’t know what you’re complainin’ about. You’re usually moanin’ ‘cause you don’t know how the hell to get rid of all your buckle bunnies. Nikki’s making it easy on you.”
    J.T. clenched his fists. “Yeah, well maybe I don’t want her to make it easy on me.”
    He laughed. “Trust me, when her old man gets wind of this, you’ll be happy it was a one-time deal. If you got involved with her and broke her heart, you’d better believe he’d be gunnin’ for you.”
    “I don’t give a shit what Luc Spencer or anyone else thinks. I want her, man.”
    Ty frowned. “What’re you saying?”
    “I don’t know what the hell I’m sayin’.” He sat back, leaning his head against the headrest of the chair. Closing his eyes, he said, “She was downstairs flirtin’ up some piano player earlier. I seriously thought about kickin’ his ass.”
    Ty chuckled. “You? Get into a fight over a woman? That’s never happened before.”
    His brother was right. He’d fought plenty over the years but never because of a woman. “I know, right? It’s crazy. She makes me crazy, dude.”
    “So, your interest in her music has been more about your interest in her, huh?”
    “I guess so.” He