MY BROTHER'S BESTFRIEND

Chapter 3: Protective of her

Chapter 3 - Protective of her

Jake's Point of view

I lean against the wall, trying to enjoy the party like the rest of the guys, but I can't get the image out of my head. Valerie and Alec. Kissing. The moment I saw them, something inside me snapped. The way he looked at her, the way he dared to touch her... it makes my blood boil. 

I clench my fists, trying to push the anger down, but the thought of his lips on hers keeps replaying. I want to punch him in the face, wipe that smug grin off, make him regret ever touching her. Alec's not good enough for her. Hell, no one is. The fact that she let him kiss her makes my chest tighten with frustration. I don't know why it bothers me so much - why the thought of her with someone else pisses me off so much - but it does. It's like a fire I can't put out.

"Jake. Hey, Jake!" 

Kaden's voice snaps me back to the present. I blink, trying to focus. He's grinning at me clearly unaware of the storm in my head. 

"Dude, you zoned out," Kaden says, laughing. "You good?"

I shake my head, trying to force a smirk. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Mason, standing beside us, groans dramatically, dragging his hand down his face. "I'm not fine. I can't believe I lost that bet. I knew Val would be late, but not that late."

"Yeah, well, now you gotta own up," I say, glad to have something else to focus on.

Finn claps Mason on the back, a wide grin on his face. "Time to pay up, buddy. You lost fair and square." 

Mason groans again, shooting me a glare. "You're evil, you know that? What kind of person makes a guy sing Britney Spears in front of people you're going to see every single day?"

I grin. "The kind of person who knows how to win a bet."

Kaden snickers. "Come on, Mason. You gotta give the people what they want. They're waiting for you and your voice."

With a sigh, Mason heads toward the dj, talking to him. He gets a mic from him and then prepares for his punishment. The songs opening tones spread across the room and he starts singing - horribly off-key - "I think I did it again. I made you believe we're more than just  friends. Oh baby. It might seem..." and the whole room erupts into laughter. People take out their phones, recording the embarrassment, and Mason being Mason, even throws in some dance moves. 

The boys and I are bended over with laughter, and for a brief moment, I forget about the kiss and the anger I felt, while seeing it. 

But then I look around the room. 

It's instinct, really. I look for Valerie. I don't know why, but I just do. I see Viktoria and Connor nearby, but Valerie's nowhere to be found. Panic starts to creep up. I scan the room quickly, my eyes darting from face to face. Then I spot Alec, standing with some guys, laughing and talking. Relief floods through me for a second - at least he's not with her. But then again, where the hell is she?

The relief quickly turns into worry. My eyes move across the room again, searching, and then I see her. 

Valerie's in the center of the dance floor, her body moving to the beat, moving in a way that makes it hard to look away. I just watch her. But then I notice the guys. The way they're staring at her - watching her with hungry eyes. My jaw tightens, and a flash of anger surges through me again. 

I hate that they're looking at her like that. Like she's something they want to eat. Something they want to claim. And something about the situation makes me feel... protective?

I watch as a guy makes his way to her and then puts his hands on her hips from behind her. Valerie doesn't even look back to check who it is and then and there I realize how drunk she is. My blood boils. 

Before I can stop myself, I'm walking toward her, the anger building with every step. He's dancing closer to her for every second and she is letting it happen. When I reach them, I grab her arm - not too hard, but firm enough to make her stop dancing. She stumbles a little, her eyes widening in surprise. 

"Jake, what the hell?" she slurs, trying to pull her arm free. "What's your problem?"

My jaw tightens as I pull her out of the crowd, away from that guy and into the hallway, away from the music and the crowd of people. "You're drunk, Valerie." 

"So what?" she snaps. "I don't need you to take care of me, Jake."

I take a deep breath, trying to keep my temper in check. "Well, you're wrong about that. You need to go home. You're not thinking straight and you're making bad decisions." 

Come up with some bad decisions! Is the first thing that crosses my mind, cause she hasn't really done anything bad. She was just hurting me and she didn't know. Hell, did I even know?

She crosses her arms, glaring at me. "What bad decisions? Dancing? Having fun? If you're so uptight to party, then why are you even here? You can't control me, Jake." 

I run my hand through my hair, frustration boiling over. "I'm not trying to control you. I'm trying to take care of you, Valerie. Did you even realize when some boy came over to you and started dancing with his hands all over you? Every fucking guy was staring at you like-"

"Stop!" she cuts me off, her voice rising. "Why do you even care, huh? Is it Mason? Did he tell you to keep me away from boys?"

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut, and for a second, I don't know what to say. Why do I care? It wasn't because of Mason and it was a question I've been asking myself all night, but the answer's there, buried deep under all the anger and frustration. 

"You're drunk, Val," I say, my voice softer. "And nothing good ever happen when you're like this. I'm taking you home." 

She shakes her head stubbornly. "No. I don't want to leave."

"Valerie, stop being so damn stubborn," I snap, my patience wearing thin. "You don't want to wake up tomorrow and regret something. I'm trying to help you." 

She glares at me for a moment longer, her chest rising and falling quickly, before she lets out a frustrated sigh. "Fine," she mutters, turning on her heel. "Whatever." 

The walk back to the car is intense, both of us too angry to talk. I help her into the passenger seat, and as I drive, the silence between us feels heavy. I can still see the way those guys were staring at her in my mind, and it makes me grip the steering wheel tighter. 

When we get to her dorm, I help her up the stairs, her arm slung over my shoulder as she  stumbles. Once inside, I guide her to the bed, laying her down gently. She looks up at me, her eyes glassy with the alcohol and something else... something softer. 

"Jake..." Her voice is small, almost vulnerable. "Can you stay with me? Please?"

I hesitate, my heart pounding in my chest. I don't know if I should, but the way she's looking at me makes it impossible to say no. I nod, and she shifts over, making space for me beside her.

I lie down next to her, the bed too small for the both of us, but somehow, it feels right. She turns on her side, facing me, her eyes fluttering closed, and I watch her for a moment.

God, she is beautiful.

Fuck. I need her. 

This isn't just about protecting Valerie like she was my sister. This is about something deeper. Something I've been trying to ignore for a long time.

As Valerie's breathing slows and she drifts off to sleep, I realize that whatever this is between us, it's only going to get more complicated.

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