Because of Us (My Best Friends Brother)

NINE | Gap Year

POV | Landon

I woke to a soft hand gliding itself across my bare chest. Peeking down, I smiled at my sleeping beauty. Her disheveled hair cascading across her rosy cheeks. With a single finger, I gently pushed the strands from her face, tucking them gently behind her ear, careful not to wake her.

Trailing my finger lower, I traced the soft marks across her neck. Each kiss and bite from the night before staining her skin. Slipping down again, I pushed away the duvet, admiring the curve of her waist as she nuzzled herself deeper against my side.

As much as I wanted to lay here with her I had something I needed to do today. Gently Pulling myself from beneath her I held back a chuckle as she groaned. Rolling away from me onto her side revealing her naked self as the duvet was pulled between her legs.

The red mark of my hands still welted on her ass catching my attention. Leaning forward I knelt on the bed, kissing the tender skin that was still warm to the touch.

Only a few hours ago had we fallen asleep after an endless night of loving and disrespecting her body. I felt myself grow hard at the thought of covering every inch of her skin with a reminder of me. But that would have to wait.

Heading to the shower I regretfully washed the smell of us away. The only evidence of the night before being the small marks Belle had managed to bite into my skin. The small red grazes of her teeth along my neck and nails across my chest only made what I was about to do today even more enticing.

I pulled on black slacks and a dress shirt, ensuring the top few buttons stayed undone keeping the small marks in view for any gazing eye.

One last time I admired my beauty as she peacefully slept in our sheets before heading downstairs. Too not much surprise Ryan was already up, the smell of coffee hitting my nose to which I sighed happily.

"Keep waking me up like this and you're gonna make me regret leaving" I joked, accepting the mug Ryan offered me.

"Coffee's going to make you regret being able to make your Princess scream like that every night?" He chuckled into his coffee cup, raising his brows as he took a sip.

"Too loud?" I questioned.

Sarcasm lacing my words to which Ryan laughed "Is there such a thing?"

Leaning back against the counter I shook my head with a smile, sipping on my coffee beside Ryan just like every other morning when we lived together. As much as I liked this, I loved the idea of waking Belle up with a hot coffee in bed. Naked and draped in our sheets after ruining them all night.

I had to bite my tongue before my mind drifted too far away for what I was doing today. Pulling my phone from my pocket I glanced over the texts I exchanged last night.

Ethan: Thanks for inviting me, it was really good to see Belle again.

Landon: Anytime, are you free tomorrow? There’s something I’d like to discuss.

Ethan: Of course, time and place?

Landon: Artisan Co. 9am.

Ethan: See you then.

Checking the time I saw it was currently Eight before slipping my phone back into my slacks.

“What have you got planned?” Ryan asked casually, crossing his arms.

“I’m going to see Mr. Whittenbur… and Ethan” He smirked with raised brows at my admission.

“Why? Did you three not eye fück each other enough last night?” This time I was the one smirking as I tipped back the rest of my coffee.

Ryan was the only one who knew about Belle, Ethan and I. Others were told a lighter version, a version in which I just asked Belle to be mine under the stars. Ryan however, knew the version where Belle was pinned to the ground beneath the stars and two men.

So when his words came with a hint of caution behind them I understood. But I brushed it off, placing my empty mug in the kitchen sink.

I wasn’t seeing Ethan to invite him into our bed or to scare him away. Part of my reason was because of the way Belle reacted to him, the way she clenched her thighs between us while her cheeks flushed. If I saw it, I knew he did too. But the other reason was because of how he made Belle smile.

I knew she valued their friendship, and I didn’t want her to lose that because of me. Collecting my keys I walked past Ryan, tapping him on the shoulder as I spoke.

"By the way, you and Zo' aren't hiding it very well. Belle's going to notice if you don't tone it down" I had to stifle a laugh seeing his eyes go wide as he choked on his coffee.

After a minute of coughing and a few taps to his chest he mumbled, awkwardly awkwardly scratching the back of his head as he did.

“Dude don’t die on me” I gave his shoulder a squeeze of reassurance.

"I came to terms with it a long time ago. You're the best thing for my little sister and you have my full blessing" Ryan's demeanor changed as I spoke, in place came a smile and a nod of thanks.

“I wanted to talk to you about it, I just, right now I don’t know. She is so stubborn and….” He glanced to the floor looking for the right way to put what I already knew.

“Bratty?” I finished his sentence knowing he didn’t want to admit to me my own sister was a brat. I suspect it was because the way that he was referring to her being Bratty, had an underlying meaning. One I really didn’t want to discuss.

The brief smile on his face turned to shock horror as a loud groan sound from upstairs. Knowing Belle was peacefully sleeping, it could only be one other.

“Good Luck” I gave Ryan’s arm a quick pat and headed for the door. No way was I staying around to watch the mess that was about to unfold. If there’s one thing about my little sister that I will agree to till the day I die, it’s that when she’s hungover, she would kill a man. And today, that man was Ryan.

After a forty-five minute drive I pulled up to the small cafe. Though from the outside the place looked substandard, the gold detailing and unique art that decorated it's walls from within said otherwise. I had asked Ethan to meet me here at nine due to the fact I was meeting our new client here at Ten. Plenty of time to knock out two birds with one stone.

As the clock ticked closer to nine I stepped into the building and made my way to the dark wooden bar. This place, though open for brunch, was very well known for those low-key high clientele meetings. Serving alcohol to guests by nine am' seemed like a stretch, but if it worked for Mr. Whittenbur then it would have to work for Ethan.

“I was not expecting this” Ethan's voice sounded behind me as he too approached the bar taking the seat beside mine.

“It’s a good little hidden gem” I smiled over at him as he did. As he settled in it only took the bartender one second to offer us a drink.

“Just coffee’s Thank you” I waved her off as Ethan chuckled. His eyes grazed over the shelves of alcohol that decorated the wall. I could feel his sense of relief that Our choice of drink wasn’t being poured from one of the many top shelf bottles.

“I was about to say, getting me drunk before 10am?” Ethan stated.

“Not today” I shook my head as the bartender came back with coffee, milk and sugars.

“How was your year abroad?” Ethan sighed in relief.

“Well needed. I got to explore so much more than a life working in dad's shop” I didn’t know much about Ethan beyond the handful of times he had hung out with Zoe and Belle.

But through the years I had learnt that his dad owned the mechanic shop just off the same road as their school. As far as I knew business was quite well, and it was something that of Ryan’s company. One that you keep in the family.

“I need to take Belle one day” I replied, taking a sip of my coffee.

“She would love it” Ethan smiled at the thought. Seeing him get lost I placed my cup down remembering why we were here.

“She missed you” His eyes flicked to mine.

“I missed her too, I’m really happy for you guys” I turned myself in my seat inching closer to him.

“It was good having you over last night, it reminded me of old times” I saw the recognition flash in Ethans eyes, his reaction being exactly what I was looking for. Belle's reaction was one thing. But Ethan had it written all over his face the moment he stepped in our door, his mind was the first to drift back to that night.

“Uh, y-yeah. It was really good…” he stuttered looking back down to his coffee. I continued to stare at him, feeling a smirk pull at my lips watching him compose himself.

My suspicions confirmed that the air last night definitely was carrying heat from more than one. This time I couldn’t help myself seeing him struggle under my gaze as the words slipped out.

"So what made you harder last night, Belle, me, or both perhaps?" Letting my breath hit his neck I reached around his shoulder for a menu.

His body tensed at my action as he froze in place. Watching his eyes fall down to the marks on my neck I couldn't help but smirk as he swallowed.

With the menu in hand I retracted my arm, opening the pages and looking down to scan items. Ethans eyes however stayed glued to me to which I laughed before glancing back up to him "So both then?"

He turned his gaze back down to his cup, staring at the porcelain in his grip as he took a breath “If I say yes is it going to be a problem?”

“Never” I stated, making him look back at me “I trust you, and Belle misses you. Forgive me for teasing you that’s not why I asked you here”

“Then why did you ask me here?”

“Im about to be really busy with work and Belle is going on break. I’m just not going to have enough spare time to help occupy her days. She's missed you, so I wanted to clear the air and ask you to watch over her on the days I’m gone” Ethans brows furrowed for a second at my request to which I understood.

It sounded like I was essentially asking him to babysit Belle, however that wasn’t the case nor my intention. I’d just asked something big from her, the last thing I wanted was for her to be alone in a big new house for days on end.

Work was about to become very tense with new investors looking to sign, and with how much Ryan was occupying Zoe’s time I just wanted Belle to have a friendly face to turn to.

A moment of silence passed before Ethan spoke “You know i’d do anything for Belle, if you need me to be there for her I will”

Though I already knew Ethan would be there for Belle, this felt like a necessary conversation to have. I knew I could’ve just told Belle to call him and see him whenever she wanted. But knowing my princess, I had to instigate this so she knew it wasn’t a boundary that she was crossing.

After a small chat with Ethan and my meeting with Mr. Whittenbur I was finally home. Stepping inside I pulled off my shoes before heading upstairs. The house was still meaning Ryan had most likely taken Zoe home. Thank god I didn’t have to walk back into that car fight.

Pushing open the door to our room my smile fell. Belle was on the floor curled over in pain. I rushed to her side as she sobbed, the beads of sweat covered her forehead I wiped away with the back of my hand.

“Hey baby what’s wrong?” I asked soothingly, trying not to panic as she willingly curled into me.

“M-my stomach is j-just a little uncomfortable” She mumbled into my shirt as her hands found their way around my neck.

“Do you want to go to the doc-“ I didn’t even finish my sentence as she shook her head and stuttered.

“C-can we just lay in the b-bed please?” Without a word I pick her up off her feet and lay her back in bed. She immediately reaches for me to which I quickly take off my shirt.

Letting her hands reach mine I slip in beside Belle, her body sinks against mine while she tucks one knee up resting it on my hip as she begins to relax.

“Better?” I whisper, pressing my lips to the warm skin of her cheek, she sighs with content before nodding.

“Yeah, I think I’m just cramping because I’m due for my period” her voice is light as she seemingly begins to drift off to sleep again. I run my hand down her side, worry filling me as she tenses from the action.

“Promise me you’ll keep an eye on it?” A small hum sounds from her as she nods before the light sound of her breath fills my ear. As her heart steadies, so does mine, them finding the same rhythm as I too feel myself drifting off to sleep.