It Started with a Crack by Piper James
Chapter Eight
Noah
Iwalked into the diner and spotted my brothers already perusing their menus at our usual booth. Ever since we finished the ranch and moved into different residences, we’d made it a weekly tradition to meet here for breakfast on Sunday mornings.
The toast I’d made this morning had been strategic, giving myself a reason to be in the kitchen when Dakota emerged from her bedroom. It had done nothing to ease the hunger gnawing at my insides after eating nothing but chips and beef jerky last night before I went to bed and spent eight hours of restless tossing and turning.
The air mattress I bought was pure shit, deflating a little every time I moved until I was basically on the floor. I told myself it was the reason I’d lain awake all night, but I knew it had less to do with my discomfort than the woman sleeping down the hall.
Speaking of…
“I got a nice little surprise last night,” I said, slipping into the booth next to Ethan and giving Ryder a pointed glare.
“What?” he asked, barely sparing me a glance before looking back at his menu.
“I got a letter from my landlords. They won’t be renewing the lease, and I need to move out.”
Ryder looked back at me, his confusion written all over his face. “That sucks, but why are you giving me the death stare? I didn’t tell them to kick you out.”
“Well, brother,” I said, narrowing my eyes even further, “since I don’t have anywhere else to go, I decided to stay at the ranch until I find a place or it sells. Imagine my surprise when I got there to find it already occupied.”
Ryder’s mouth dropped open as I spoke, and I absently rubbed my fingers over my still-tender temple. Dakota’s weapon might’ve been flimsy, but she sure as shit knew how to use it to inflict the most damage.
“Oh, shit. I forgot to tell you guys. Dakota is staying at the ranch for a while,” he said, shooting me an apologetic look.
“What? Why?” Chase asked.
“She hasn’t been able to sell a house in months, and she’s broke. And when she tried to get an extension on her rent, her dickweed building super tried to make her suck his cock in return.”
“What?” I roared, startling the others, as well as the few other patrons in the place.
Ethan placed one hand on my arm, jerking me back down into my seat from my half-standing position. I hadn’t even realized I’d risen. Chase waved a hand at the other customers, mouthing apologies for my outburst.
I was seething, my rage making me see red as I imagined finding that asshole manager and choking the life from him. Dakota failed to mention that part when she was telling me about her eviction. If she had, that little prick would be nursing his injuries for the next month.
“She handled it,” Ryder said, a slow satisfied smile curving his lips. “Dude is going to be trying to dig his balls out of his stomach for the next week.”
His words eased some of my anger. Of course, she handled it. She didn’t need me, or anyone coming to her rescue, if her stealthy attack on me last night was any indication. But that didn’t mean I wouldn’t fuck that guy up if I ever came face to face with him.
“Anyway,” Ryder said, his smile dropping, “you can understand why I felt the need to intervene and help her. Besides, she’s one of Belle’s best friends. And she outright refused to take any money from us. It was the best idea I could come up with and the only one she’d agree to.”
“It’s fine,” I said, leaning back against my seat. “We worked it out.”
“What does that mean?” Chase asked.
“We’re going to be roommates for a while.”
“Shit,” Ryder said, scrubbing a hand down his face.
“Just come stay with me,” Ethan offered. “I have plenty of room.”
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Chase asked.
“What the hell is wrong with all of you?” I blurted, looking at each of them with confusion. “I just told you, we talked it out, and we’re in agreement. What’s the problem?”
“You can’t sleep with her, Noah,” Ethan murmured in a low voice.
My head jerked back, eyebrows shooting skyward as I stared at him. When I turned my gaze to Ryder and Chase, they were looking at me with the same stern looks.
“You don’t have to worry about that,” I said, feeling defensive. “I haven’t even considered it.”
Their matching skeptical expressions called me out on my lie. Of course, I’d fucking thought about it. Many, many times since the night I met the feisty brunette. But it didn’t matter, because she was very obvious in her dislike of me.
“Fine. I have thought about it, but it’s not going to happen,” I said. “She’s not interested.”
“And you’re not going to try to get her to change her mind,” Ethan said. “Right?”
“Right,” I said, and anything else I might’ve added was cut off by the approaching waitress.
As my brothers placed their orders, I thought about Dakota and what she’d been through over the last week. If I’d intended to try to charm my way into her bed, those plans were dead in the water. I’d hate myself if I somehow made her feel like she had to sleep with me in return for the roof over her head, putting me in the same class as that sleazy building manager of hers.
No. I would be the perfect, platonic roommate.
Even if it killed me.
