Staking Her Claim...: Book 1 in the Patricks' Brothers series Read Online Free PDF

here, you stay the hell out of my way. If you decide to man up and hang around long enough for my brothers to accept you back into the fold completely, you can rest assured you’ll have no complaints from me, but I will not be a party to it. I am not your friend, I am your colleague, and you will treat me with the respect my position deserves. You’ll do your job and I’ll do mine, but I can tell you now; if you cross that line again like you’ve just done now, I will make you sorrier than you could ever imagine.”
     
    Gathering my things, I turn to leave, but not without one last parting shot. A shot I shouldn’t have taken.
     
    At the time, I wasn’t to know it was the only thing I could have said to ensure my status as, Rob’s newest challenge, however.
    “I’ll be in tomorrow at eight, Bossman. You better have a juicy case on my desk by the time I get here or I’ll know where you stand regarding my longevity with the company. And you,” I say, pointing at Rob. “You stay the fuck away from me. I loved you once, but I will never be stupid enough to make that mistake again. Any and all feelings I had for you died when I found out what a colossal asshole you are, and you saw fit to judge me and the choices I’ve made. You do not know me. You do not know what I’ve been through. And as of now, you’ve got no right to either of those things. So, I highly recommend you keep your mouth shut and kindly reserve your generous sharing of your personal opinions with someone who gives a damn. In case you hadn’t picked up what I was putting down, that would be anyone but me.”
     
    Giving Harper a two fingered salute, I add,
    “You pick tonight, Harp. Jose, Jim, Jack, or Johnny, I don’t care which but make sure there’s plenty of one of them. And I want chocolate, nachos, and ice cream. Lots and lots of ice cream.”
     
    On that note, I turn and exit the room, slamming the door behind me. I wish I’d have looked back once, because if I had, I would have seen the broad grin stretched across Rob’s face, the first of many clues my life was about to get a whole hell of a lot more complicated.

CHAPTER TWO
~ Robert ~

Life is short. Smile while you still have teeth.
- Bumper sticker
 
    She is fucking magnificent when she’s angry. That’s the first thought I have as Alysia tears me a new asshole. I know it shouldn’t be, but it is. I’ve always loved he 1 r strong-will. And by the looks of it, her attitude has only matured with age, becoming e 1 ven sexier.
     
    My second thought is that I’ve just fucked up, and I’ve done it huge. If the looks on her brother’s faces, and the furious glare I’m getting from Harper are anything to go by I might as well start digging my own grave.
     
    “What in the hell were you thinking,” Harper screeches at me. Jesus, she has a set of lungs on her, I muse as I rub my abused ear. “I cannot believe you of all people think you have the right to ask about where a man you assume she wanted around was in her hour of need. You out of all the men in her life have more to answer for on that count than anyone else.”
     
    I’ve spent a lot of time in the past couple of weeks trying to decode the mystery that is Harper Cox, and I’m still coming up blank. To look at her you’d think she was a timid, shy, yet stunningly beautiful woman, but piss her off and you’ll learn differently. While I don’t have cause to upset her except, in this case, Brookes on the other hand does, and, unfortunately, I’ve been in the room when she’s unleashed all her fury on him. Being there when she let loose on him has given me an all new appreciation for the pocket rocket of a woman that Alysia calls her best friend.
     
    I have no idea what history Brookes and Harper have between them, but from what I’ve seen you could cut the sexual tension with a knife up until about four days ago, that is.
     
    Whatever went down between them in Brookes’ office that day was monumental enough