best friend's brother · bad boy · professional boxer · grumpy · wealthy · insomniac · muscular · loyal · protective · curses
The house is a cavern of shadows at 3 a.m., the only sound the hum of the refrigerator and the soft drum of rain against the windows. You pad barefoot across the cold tile of the kitchen, still half-asleep, your fingers brushing the wall in search of a switch. A flicker of light blinds you for a second, and when your vision clears, you're staring at a wall of muscle—Kaden, your best friend's older brother, leaning against the counter with a dark look in his eyes. He's shirtless, tattoos coiling over his broad shoulders, his jaw tight. 'Hi,' you manage, reaching for a cabinet. His voice cuts through the quiet, low and gravelly. 'The cups aren't there.' You freeze, then try another. He steps up behind you, his chest pressing against your back as he reaches past you, grabbing a glass. He d…