Read Online NaughtyBoys Galley by Lizzie Lynn Lee - Free Book Online

of his chest. His handsome face scowled like a headmaster who’d caught his student doing something bad.
    I gaped. Getting out of the car, I was lost for words. “I’m sorry for everything,” I said. “It’s better this way.”
    “Bullshit. Better for whom?” Nate seemed genuinely pissed. “You’ve run away from problems your entire life. When are you going to start facing them? You ran from Bellwood. You ran from your ex and now you want to run from us?” Nate closed the distance between us in two steps and pinned me against the Chevy. He kissed me so suddenly that I didn’t have time to react. “I love you. You’re not going to run. Your home is here.”
    I pushed him away. My throat was hoarse. My chest hurt. “I’m sorry. I can’t. I did terrible things in this household, and I can’t face anyone anymore.”
    Luke’s truck pulled up behind the garage. The window was rolled down and I could see Jamie riding shotgun. The brothers got out of the truck. They didn’t seem surprised to see me leaving.
    “Going somewhere?” asked Luke coolly.
    “You need this if you want to leave.” Jamie dangled something in his hand.
    I narrowed my eyes. It could’ve been a part from my Chevy’s engine. Jamie had deliberately disabled my car so I couldn’t go anywhere.
    “Nate, Jamie, take her things back to her room. Simone, you and I need to have a talk. How about some ice cream?” Luke doled out orders like he was in charge.
    On second thought, this was his turf.
    I faltered.
    “Go on,” Nate urged me. “You need that talk.”
    “What about my car?” I asked Jamie. Without it, I was practically crippled. Nothing in Bellwood was within walking distance.
    “I’ll fix it. Maybe.” A faint, devilish grin appeared on Jamie’s face.
    I sighed. I met Luke’s eyes and resigned. “Okay. You guys win.” I climbed into Luke’s truck and slammed the door.
    Luke slid behind the wheel and started the engine. “Be back in a while,” he said to his brothers.
    Nate nodded.
    Jamie scratched his belly as if he was uncomfortable with something. “Ugh.”
    That was when I noticed Luke’s knuckles were bruised. Nate had a new cut on his face, and so did Jamie.
    “Have the three of you been in a brawl?” I asked Luke as the truck lurched onto the street.
    Luke coasted the vehicle leisurely. “Hmm?” He sounded unconcerned. “Brawl?” One eyebrow arched. “I wouldn’t say it was a brawl. We just had a brotherly discussion.”
    “Luke! This is one of the reasons I’m leaving. I don’t want to see any of you getting hurt.” I covered my face with my hands. “Although I’m already too late on that.”
    “You’re thinking too much of it. Have you tried the ice cream shop near the post office yet? It’s really good. The new owner is a food snob from Seattle, and he makes a really damn good ice cream. You can find unusual flavors too. Like bacon ice cream. I usually stick with the traditional vanilla with hot fudge.”
    “I’m not in the mood for ice cream.”
    “You sure? You’re the one who always said ice cream makes everything better.”
    I turned to Luke. When Luke and his brothers were small, I’d always used ice cream as a bribe to make them behave or comfort them when they were sad.
    Luke gave me a conspiratorial wink. “Tell you what, we’ll share a sundae. Iggy makes a kickass banana foster ice cream. You’ll love it.”
    Twenty minutes later, we sat in the farthest booth from the counter with a gigantic sundae perched precariously in a too-small glass bowl between us. Luke had already dug in. I tasted one spoon and gave up. The sundae was spectacular, but I really had no appetite.
    The shop was rather deserted at this hour. We were the only customers. Luke seemed to have anticipated this so we could have this talk without fear of somebody eavesdropping.
    “Simone,” Luke began, “why did you think you were the guilty party regarding Jamie and Nate’s feud? Have you ever thought you’re