“A box,” Cain asked, and I slowly stepped away from the two men to let them speak and sat down to continue my painting and sip on my delicious coffee.

“Yes, a box. Here I’ll show you what I want. I drew it on this napkin,” Abel said, and I smiled, sensing Cain wanting to groan at the napkin. I tuned the two brothers out, their voices becoming background noise.

“Why did you do that,” Cain asked, making me jump as he knelt in front of me. I blinked as I looked up from my work and stared into his serious expression and intense blue eyes. “Why did you stick up for my brother? I know you were lying, and I want to know why.”

“Are you going to kill me if I don’t tell you?” His eyes narrowed, his jaw twitched, and I knew I was pushing his buttons and enjoying it way more than I should’ve been. For a reason I couldn’t explain, I dipped my finger into the green paint and wiped it on his nose.

I yelped as he grabbed me and hauled me to my feet by the front of the shirt I was wearing. My back banged against the wall, and my heart jumped into my throat. His eyes searched my face, and I wasn’t sure what he was looking for until he spoke. “Do you want him? Do you want my brother?”

My eyes went wide, and my mouth curled up at the corner. “Is that jealousy I hear in your voice,” I teased, pushing my limits.

A growl left his mouth, and he pushed me harder against the wall. I could see the needy beast inside of him. The thing that made him a serial killer was staring back at me, and god help me, I wanted to poke at the beast, push its limits.

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I leaned into him, and he loosened his grip so I could hold him.

“No, I don’t want your brother,” I whispered in his ear and then kissed the side of his neck right on his clown tattoo.

“Then why,” he asked, his voice breathy.

I leaned back enough so I could see his eyes. “Because he is the one you’ve truly cared about your whole life, and I could tell that you were getting ready to hurt him, which may have ended your relationship with him.” I kissed the corner of his mouth. “He’s the only family you’ve ever loved. I didn’t want to come between that.”

Cain smoothed back my hair and searched my face. “You do know that he would’ve killed you, right?”

“Yeah, I know,” I said and loved that he hadn’t wiped off the paint.

“You could’ve let us kill one another, and you would’ve been free.”

“But would I really be free?” I said.