Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother Chapter 154

Penny is asleep in my lap, her small body curled against my chest, her head resting over my heart. She’s finally breathing evenly, her fingers tangled in my shirt, her lips slightly parted. Her legs are still wrapped around my waist, and I’ve pulled a blanket around both of us, cocooning her in warmth. I’m not moving. Not a fucking inch. She can sleep on me like this forever if she wants.

I run my hand up and down her back, feel the delicate curve of her spine through the thin fabric of her shirt, the warmth of her body seeping into mine. I trace my fingers over her waist, up to her shoulder blades, then back down to the soft curve of her thigh, and the small, warm stretch of her lower back.

It’s torture. Pure, unadulterated torture.

But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Earlier, when I picked her up and sat on this bed, she fell apart completely. Tears, broken words, shattered breaths. She kept whispering things like, *“I don’t understand… I’m not enough… I must’ve been boring to him… I should’ve worn more makeup… I should’ve gone to more parties…”*

Every single sentence was a knife to my chest.

And I countered every one. *“No, Penny. That’s not it. That’s not why. You’re perfect as you are. None of this is your fault. You’re enough. More than enough. It’s him. It’s him who isn’t enough.”*

I whispered the words against her hair, my hands running soothing lines up and down her back. And eventually, she fell quiet, her breaths deepening, her tears drying, her small body relaxing in my arms.

But then, an hour in, her phone started ringing.

At first, I ignored it. Just wrapped the blanket tighter around her and rubbed her back to keep her asleep. But then it kept ringing. Over and over. Buzzing angrily against the floorboards where she’d dropped it.

Finally, I leaned over, careful not to disturb her, and grabbed it.

**Tyler.**

I clenched my jaw, every muscle in my body locking up.

It rang again.

I exhaled slowly. *Control yourself, Hayes.*

I hit answer, brought it to my ear.

“What.”

There’s a beat of silence. I can almost hear him freeze on the other side.

“Asher?”

“Yeah.”

“Where’s Penny?”

I glance down at her. Her eyes are still closed, but her fingers tighten in my shirt, her body tensing. I feel the small tremor of fear in her, and my anger spikes again.

“She’s here.”

He lets out a breath. “Good. Put her on, yeah?”

Penny’s body shakes against my chest, her little fists clenching tighter. I rub a hand down her back, hold the phone tighter with my other.

“No.”

He goes quiet. “What?”

“I said no.”

“What the hell, Asher? I need to talk to her.”

“You’ve done enough.”

“Look, I—”

“Did you really punch Max?” I cut him off, my voice going colder.

He hesitates. “What?”

“You heard me. Did you really punch Max? And grab Penny’s arm?”

“It’s not like that, okay? He was getting in my face and I—”

“You bruised her.” I grind the words out, my jaw tight, my eyes locked on the small, red mark just above her elbow.

“What? No, I—”

“You bruised her,” I snap, my voice lowering to a dangerous growl. “You grabbed her. Hard enough to leave a fucking mark. Wasn't it enough for you to cheat on her? To lie to her? You also had to go and physically leave a mark?”

He stutters. “I—I didn’t mean to. I swear, it was an accident. I regret it. I’ll talk to her. I’ll break things off with Zo—”

“Oh, *now* you’ll break things off?” I bite out, my hand tightening on the phone. Penny shifts slightly in my lap, her breath hitching, her hands clenching my shirt even tighter. “You told me it wasn’t you whose phone rang. You lied to me.”

He goes silent.

“It wasn’t,” he says, but his voice cracks. “It wasn’t my phone, okay?”

“No,” I snarl. “But you were there. And your girlfriend did it. You lied. You knew.”

“Asher, I—”

“You’re my brother,” I cut him off, my voice a low, dangerous rumble. “And I want that to mean something. I really do. But where I’m from, a brother is someone you trust with your life. A brother never, ever lets you down. A brother doesn’t betray you. Doesn’t betray the people you care about. You betrayed her. You lied to me.”

“It’s not like that!” Tyler snaps back, his voice rising. “I didn’t mean for this to happen, okay? I just—”

“Don’t,” I bite out. “Don’t fucking try to explain it away. She’s done with you, Tyler. You hurt her enough. Give her time. Leave her alone. You're fucking lucky that she stopped me from coming to you in person because *then* I know you'd be really sorry.”

“But—”

I hang up before he can say another word, my jaw locked, my heart thundering in my chest. I toss her phone to the side, wrap my arms around her again, and bury my face in her hair, breathing in the soft, vanilla scent of her shampoo.

Penny shifts in my lap, her breath hitching again, her fingers loosening slightly in my shirt as if she knows, even in her sleep, that I’ve got her. That I’m not letting her go.

I close my eyes, tighten my hold on her, and try to calm my racing heart.

*You’re mine now, princess.*

*Mine to protect.*