FORBIDDEN TIES {My brother's best friend}

Chapter 21

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to calm down before joining my friends. Mia's eyes widened as she took in the surroundings.

"Your house is huge!" Mia exclaimed, her voice filled with awe. I managed a nervous smile, but my mind was elsewhere. Eva's gaze met mine, and she seemed to understand my unease, letting out a small sigh.

"Hi," I said to Marco, trying to keep my tone neutral. He smiled warmly at me.

"You look beautiful," he said, his voice gentle. The other girls-Stephanie, Rachel, and Mia-giggled, but Eva stayed silent, her expression sympathetic.

"we are going to stick around," Stephanie teased as she, Rachel, and Mia moved away, leaving me with Marco and Eva.

"Can I talk to her?" Marco asked, glancing at Eva, but I cut in before she could respond.

"No... she should stay," I said firmly. "My brothers wouldn't like it if I talked to you alone." Marco nodded, looking a bit deflated but still hopeful.

"I know you're surprised to see me," he said, trying to maintain his smile.

"You shouldn't have come," I replied, my voice strained. "I told you not to."

"You said you'd get back to me," he countered.

"And I didn't, which should have been a sign for you to stay home," I said, glancing nervously at my brothers. Reggie's piercing gaze was fixed on us, and I felt a shiver of apprehension. He was the last person I wanted to see this.

"I'm sorry, but I'm your friend. What's wrong with having a male friend?" Marco asked, his confusion evident.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "You don't get it, Marco. I know my brothers, and you don't want to mess with them. Trust me on this."

"If I tell my brothers that you're just a friend, it won't cause any immediate trouble," I explained, trying to find the right words. "But they'd still keep a close watch on you, even if we aren't close anymore. They'd make sure you're not a threat in any way."

Marco's expression turned more serious. "Why would they do that? I'm not trying to cause any problems."

"You don't get it," I said, my voice tinged with frustration. "They're protective to a fault. It's their way of making sure I'm safe, even if it means overstepping boundaries. They'd follow you around, ask questions, and maybe even scare you off. It's just how they are."

Marco looked conflicted but nodded slowly. "I understand. I don't want to make things harder for you."

"Thanks," I said, feeling a pang of guilt. "Just stick with the girls for today, and we'll talk more about this later."

Eva gave me a sympathetic look. "Let's go," she said gently, steering me away from Marco.

As we walked off, I couldn't help but glance back. "He really shouldn't have come," I murmured to Eva, who nodded in agreement.

"I know. I told Stephanie not to invite him, but they thought you'd be happy to see him," she said.

"I just feel awful now," I said, exhaling deeply.

"You did what you had to do. Your brothers are intense, and it's okay to set boundaries for everyone's sake," Eva reassured me, squeezing my arm gently.

"Hmmm," Reggie said, his eyes narrowing as he approached us, a suspicious smile playing on his lips.

"Hi," Eva greeted, her voice cautious.

"Hey. Can you give us a minute?" Reggie asked, his tone leaving no room for argument. Eva nodded, casting a worried glance at me before walking away.

I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "Have you come to withdraw your bet?" I asked, attempting to sound casual.