Pawned Virtue - #wattys2015 BK4 TPBS - Completed 1st draft

-60-

Not edited. Good grief we're at 60 chapters already? Woah! At some point I'm going to do a proper word count cause I think it'll shock us all to know how long this story actually is.

"So where is she?" Maxon and Damon strolled through door with Maxon demanding to meet Tara.

Lucas grinned, his relief evident. Yes he was a cruel man but when it came to his family, the people he loved and was closest to, he was a softie at heart. They were the only ones to ever see the real Lucas Porter.

Damon swiped Maxon's arm.

"Hey, what about saying hello to your little brother first?"

Maxon looked at Lucas as he came towards them.

"Hey Lucas. Where is she?"

Damon started to laugh.

"Smooth brother. Real smooth. Hey Lucas." He met Lucas halfway and hugged him. It wasn't long before Maxon did the same thing.

Maxon understood the way that Lucas thought and knew he needed the distraction. Tara was his weak spot and after the mess he became from losing Maria and finding out the truth about her, he was scared for his younger brother. They all were.

"Ok, mushy crap over. Where's my little sister?"

Maxon moved away from his brothers and headed towards the kitchen where a mix of voices were coming from.

"Where's my sister?" He stood at the door and scanned the faces and as his faze fell on Tara he smiled.

"There she is! I'm Maxon, Lucas' oldest brother... and now yours."

He pulled a stiff Tara up from her chair and gave her a quick hug.

She didn't know how to react. No one had done this before. Never had she met a stranger and been hugged like she was some lost family they hadn't seen in ages.

In one way the contact from Maxon was comforting but in another it scared the hell out of her and her basic instincts were to fight the contact. Then he was gone and his presence before her was replaced by Damon. She braced herself but Damon just held out a hand.

"Damon. Second oldest brother. Nice to meet you little sis."

She took his hand hesitantly completely unaware that she'd held her breath until she gasped for a breath.

"Um... hi." her voice squeaked and Damon grinned.

"There's another one of us, that's Grayson. He'll try to get over here from Jessers but his wife just found out they're having a baby and he's gone all over protective Daddy."

Maxon humphed.

"He's an overprotective daddy? Maybe we should ask Anna what life was like with you while she was pregnant with Andrew and Flynn?"

"Oh piss off Max. I just made sure she was ok.

"Yeh right. Poor girl couldn't stand up without you asking her what was wrong. Hell if you could of then you would have locked her away till they were born."

Maxon and Damon kept going back and forth with all eyes watching. Some, like Tara's were wide with disbelief while others were amused by the brothers banter.

Lucas moved from the door to stand by Tara and placed his hands on her shoulders, squeezing slightly to give her reassurance. She unconsciously moved back into him.

"Guys, you need to settle down before my wife runs screaming out of the house."

Damon and Maxon stopped and looked at them.

"Nah" Maxon said "she loves her big brother... I mean who wouldn't love this?" he made a sweeping motion towards his body.

"Well it is pretty sexy".

Maxon turned quickly towards the voice.

"Who are you?"

"Keiran. Tara's brother.... and yes you're just fine to look at!"

Maxon's mouth hit the floor as others who knew Keiran started to laugh.

Keiran looked at Tara.

"Well sis, I have to give it to you. You married into a family of seriously sexy men. Can't wait to see if their árses look as good as the rest of them in that denim."

Grown men, two very dominant and almost overbearing men were left speechless.

Lucas started laughing loudly. Finally, Keiran's attention was on someone else! Oh he knew that Keiran did it to tease him but it was good to see his brothers completely out of their league.

"Keiran leave the poor guys alone."

"Oh but Dad..."

"No Keiran."

Keiran stamped his foot and turned away from Maxon and Damon sending a wink to Tara as he did. She grinned.

He'd broken the ice. Tara would be OK. Now they could concentrate on the bítch who was after her.

*****************

Gotta love that boy! And Maxon is a hoot!