Sharing my Best Friend's Brother

Chapter 9

Alyssa

After finally putting the twins down for a nap, I collapse into the living room with Ashley and Chelsea. Meanwhile, Zuri and Ben are tearing through the place like sugar-high puppies, their squeals ricocheting off the walls.

Coffee in one hand, chocolate-sprinkle donut in the other, I watch the chaos like a referee who already knows she's losing the game. My gaze stays half-trained on the kids—because if there's anything I've learned, toddlers can turn anything into a death trap the second you blink.

After the morning I've had, caffeine and sugar matter more than sleep. If I close my eyes now, I'll probably be out cold until next Tuesday.

"So, what's going on with you?" I ask Ashley, keeping my tone casual as I bite into the donut.

"Nothing," she lies, badly.

Chelsea cuts me a look. I arch a brow in Ashley's direction.

"Try again."

She sighs, dramatic as hell. "Fine. I guess I'm just a little bothered I haven't seen or heard from Gray since yesterday morning."

Chelsea narrows her eyes. "And you didn't want to tell us that because...?"

Ashley tucks a braid behind her ear, shifting like the couch suddenly grew spikes. "I don't know. I guess because I told myself I wouldn't catch feelings for him. We've been messing around, and it's been fun and exciting, everything I dreamed it would be, but he told me from the start he didn't want anything else."

A frown pulls at my mouth, unease sinking heavy in my chest.

I knew it was supposed to be just s*x. But nine months of watching them together? There's something real there. Something Gray's too stubborn—or too damn broken from Christine—to admit.

And now he's pulling away. Classic Gray. The second vulnerability shows up, he slams the door in its face. Distance feels safer to him.

Somebody seriously needs to shove a steel-toed boot up his ass before he loses someone who's actually good for him.

"You've had a crush on him since we were kids," I remind her. "Catching feelings was inevitable."

Ashley groans, dragging her hand down her face. "Ugh, I know. But I was hoping I could just keep them buried. Just... enjoy our really great time together."

"You mean the threesomes with the strippers?" Chelsea teases.

"They haven't all been strippers," Ashley fires back, quick to defend herself. "Just a few. And don't sleep on them. They're super flexible. Believe it or not, Gray likes—"

I slap my hands over my ears. "If I hear one more detail, I'm going to throw up."

Because yeah, it's bad enough knowing they're sleeping together. I don't need the highlight reel too.

That is still my brother, for f**k's sake.

Chelsea grins wickedly. "Oh, right, I forgot—we can't talk about this in front of you. Fine. Let's talk about your s*x life with your men instead."

"Please. We barely have time for that with all these kids," I shoot back, rolling my eyes.

Hence the vasectomies.

There are more than enough of us. My body agrees.

Ashley's gaze snags on the wall near the door. She points at the jagged crack spiderwebbing through the drywall. "By the way, what happened to the wall? That wasn't there when we were here the other day."

Heat rushes to my cheeks. I take a long sip of coffee like caffeine can erase the evidence. "Umm... we're getting that fixed soon. King was a little... frustrated."

Both of them burst into laughter as my face flames hotter.

Chelsea nearly doubles over, clutching her stomach. "Looks like you gotta start giving him a daily dose of vitamin V."

Ashley cackles so loud Zuri and Ben pause mid-play to look over—then go right back to tearing through their toys. "Daily? Please. King looks like he needs it three times a day just to stay civil."

I shake my head, wishing I could melt into the couch. "Y'all are the worst."

But my traitor mouth twitches, because as much as I want to act offended, I can't lie—King probably does need it multiple times a day just to keep his temper in check.

The man treats my p***y like it's therapy.

And without it? He's one bad day away from turning half the city into a crime scene.

"Ugh, talking about that's got me missing Gray again," Ashley pouts, her lips downturned but her eyes giving her away—disappointment and longing written all over her face.

"Is the D really that good?" Chelsea asks, smirking over her coffee.

"Better," Ashley says without hesitation, her tone so flat it's clear she's not exaggerating.

I nearly choke on my donut.

Fantastic.

Now my appetite's gone. Nothing kills a sugar rush faster than hearing your best friend rate your brother's d**k like it belongs on Yelp.

Tuning them out before Ashley can scar me further, I slide my phone out of my pocket and open the group chat. My thumb hovers for a second, hesitation twisting in my gut like it always does when I feel like I'm bothering them while they're handling club business.

Still, the silence from Gray has me uneasy—and the fact that all three of my men have been gone all morning isn't helping.

They could be in danger right now, and I wouldn't even know.

Finally, I type out a message.

Me: Is everything okay?

Niko's reply comes immediately, almost like he had his phone in his hand waiting for me.

Niko: Don't worry, sweet girl. We're perfectly fine. Gray just needed a few extra hands for a job today.

Relief loosens in my chest, but it doesn't completely settle me. Because Niko's always quick to say whatever he has to in order to soothe my nerves, even when there's more going on than they want me to know at the moment.

And if Gray needed all three of them? That's not just a job. That's business—the kind where they end up covered in blood, cuts, and bruises.

I chew the inside of my cheek, staring at the screen like the rest of the truth might magically appear if I wait long enough.

Of course it doesn't.

So I decide to pry, because Niko knows better than to lie to me.

All of them do.

I'll sniff it out like a bloodhound.

Me: Umm okay. So are you like... in the middle of a shootout right now or something?

My fingers hover over send for a beat before I finally hit it.

Because if he answers quick, I'll know he's safe. If he takes too long, I'll know something's wrong—and then I'll be the crazy wife pawning the kids off on my best friends so I can go storm in wherever the hell they are and save my brother and my husbands' asses.

The bubbles pop up almost instantly, and I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

Niko: Lmao. No shootouts, baby. Promise. Just business. We'll be home before dinner. Hope the kids aren't giving you too hard a time.

Another bubble appears right after.

Niko: And if we were in the middle of a shootout, you really think I'd be texting?

Me: Idk. Sometimes you do really dumb s**t. Figured now was one of those times.

Me: And I'm okay. Twins are napping and Zuri's playing with Ben. Ashley and Chelsea are here keeping me company.

Niko: I'm gonna choose to ignore that first message, and thank f**k for that. The thought of you being overwhelmed with the kids by yourself was really f*****g with our heads.

Me: Well, unfuck your heads and handle business. I'm fine. Just make sure you all come home to me.

Niko: Yes Ma'am.

I can't help the little smirk tugging at my lips. He always throws that "ma'am" in like he's teasing, but I know it's really his way of letting me feel in control when really, I'm not.

Not out there, anyway.

In their world, I'm just the anxious wife sitting on the couch gnawing her goddamn lip off, praying a text means more than bravado.

Pretending caffeine and sugar can drown out the fact that any minute, someone could call me with the type of news that would shatter my entire world.

And I hate it.

Hate that I don't get a seat at the table. Hate that I don't get to protect them the way they protect me when I know damn well I'm more than capable.

I grab another donut from the table, biting into it just to give my jaw something to do besides clench.

Instead of spiraling in the group chat, I decide to change the subject to an equally pressing matter.

Me: Tell Gray when he gets a chance to stop being a f*****g d**k and talk to Ashley. She actually cares about his dumb ass.

Niko: Got it. I'll make sure to use both the words d**k and dumb ass when I pass it on.

I snort, rolling my eyes.

Me: Good luck. Don't get shot for real.

I set my phone down on the coffee table and force my mind to calm the hell down.

To stop spinning worst-case scenarios until they drive me insane.

They're safe. They'd tell me if they weren't, I remind myself.

Ashley and Chelsea are now sitting cross-legged on the floor, playing along while Zuri and Ben shove plastic food at them like tiny, ruthless gangsters running their own five-star kitchen.

Ashley pretends to chew dramatically, gagging like she's seconds from meeting her maker, while Chelsea gives a solemn nod of approval like she's judging on a cooking show.

"These nuggets are exquisite, Chef Zuri," Chelsea says, bowing her head. "Truly, you've outdone yourself."

Zuri giggles, delighted, and immediately shoves another fake nugget into her hand. "Eat more."

Chelsea obediently pretends to pop it in her mouth with a straight face, while Ashley tips back a plastic baby bottle full of magic apple juice.

Her laugh rings out, but her smile doesn't quite reach her eyes.

She's still thinking about my brother.

Worrying about him.

And I get it. Because if my men didn't keep in constant contact with me while they were out handling business, I'd lose my f*****g mind too.

Which is exactly why Gray needs to get his s**t together.

If he doesn't take my message through Niko seriously enough, then fine. I'll be the one to knock some goddamn sense into him.

I only asked one thing before this all started: If he's done with Ashley, he needs to be a man and say it. Straight up.

Instead, he's ghosting her.

Keeping her in the dark like she doesn't deserve better.

And trust me—he doesn't want me to be the one to call him out on it.

King, Niko, and Mason wouldn't stop me, either.

They'd probably just pour a drink, kick back, and enjoy the show.

Because if Gray's stupid enough to push Ashley away, he won't just be hurting her.

He'll be dealing with me.