***
“Fuck!” Dean swore and threw the bunched-up drawing sheet angrily across the room.
“Wow, wow! Someone is in a bad mood.” Josh Broody, Dean’s eldest brother drawled from the doorway, looking at the number of bunched-up drawing paper scattered across the room. “What crawled up your arse, little bro?”
“Nothing,” Dean muttered rising up from behind his huge desk to meet his brother in the middle of the room, with his hand stretched out to take the envelope his brother was holding.
“Nothing my arse,” Josh said taking in Dean’s dark expression. “You have a problem, you talk to me, kiddo. Now let’s hear it?” Josh said, throwing the envelope onto the closest table and folding his arms across his broad chest.
Dean stared at his big brother and sighed. As the eldest brother, Josh took his duties to another level, always making sure he helped his siblings solve whatever problems they had. And Dean would be the first person to acknowledge that Josh always made sure problems go away. If it wasn’t for Josh and his penchant for solving problems, Dean didn’t know where he would be right now.
Dean signed and run his fingers through his hair in frustration. Then he looked up at Josh with so much worry and confusion in his eyes, his big brother just drew him into his arms, holding him tight. Dean sighed and relaxed into Josh’s embrace, allowing all the tension of the past weeks to drain out of him…even if it was for a few minutes.
After a while, Dean stepped back from Josh muttering, “thanks, I needed that.”
“Welcome. Now, are you going to tell me what the problem is?” Josh asked, looking at his brother.
“Where’s Jake’s drawin…”
“Jake’s drawing can wait. Come and sit down and talk to me, Dean.” Josh said moving to sit on the plush couch at the seating area of Dean’s insanely huge office.
Dean actually needed the space for the type of work that he did. The office was so uniquely well-designed that anyone who walked into it appreciated the skill and planning that had been put into it. Besides the elegant seating area, there was another desk where he did his manual drawings and sketches whenever he felt like it. He however used his main desk more often as most of the time, he used his computer to design and create technical drawings. There was a well-stocked bar, and a 102-inch screen projected on the wall, that was currently showing a documentary on the National Geographic channel.
Dean fell onto the couch beside his brother with a groan. “Josh really, it’s nothing you have to worry yourself over.”
“Let me be the judge of that kiddo. Besides, your face shows whatever it is, is really eating you up. Let’s hear it.”
“It’s about a girl,” Dean murmured.
“What?” Josh bellowed, making Dean wince. “You’re mooning over a girl?”
“It’s not like that. I’m jus…”
“Who are you? And what the fuck have you done with my brother?”
“Fuck off Josh.” Dean gave Josh an angry look.
“Sorry bro, but put yourself in my shoes. You? Having female trouble? No!” Josh finished, shaking his head.
“I’m crazy about her Josh,” Dean muttered.
Josh looked at his brother incredulously, wondering whether he had heard Dean right. “Listen kiddo, if you want her, just go for her. What is stopping you?” Dean had girls throwing themselves at him all the time so Josh couldn’t understand why…”Unless of course she…”
“She doesn’t what me Josh.” Dean finished dejectedly and promptly groaned when Josh burst into uproarious laughter. “Now you see why I didn’t wanna tell you?”
“I’m so…sorry bro,” Josh said trying to bring his laughter under control. “Sorry. Why doesn’t she want you? Are you losing your touch? And why must her not wanting you bother you anyway? You are Dean Broody. Just move on to another chic. What is this girl? Gold?”
“Just a thought of her and BAM… I want to have her. Problem is, I can’t stop thinking about her, Josh. See my problem?”
Josh grinned. “So…you’re in lust with her. All you…”
“It’s more than that,” Dean said heatedly, cutting Josh off. “I have all these feelings inside me…I don’t understand it, Josh. I’m totally confused.”
“Do you know anyone the girl is close with? What’s her name by the way?”
“She’s Kayla. And she’s close with Cole.”
“Cole? Has he hit it already? Are you guys…”
“No nothing like that. She’s his personal assistant but they are really close. He sees her as his kid sister.”
“Oh, now I get it. You don’t want Cole to know you have the hots for his PA, who he protects as though she were his sister. ‘Cause if I were Cole and I knew this, I’d kill you.”
“Thanks a lot, bro. And for your information, Cole knows.”
“And what is he saying about it?”
“That’s just it Josh. He hasn’t said a word.”
“How did he find out?”
Dean remained quiet for a while, remembering Kayla’s words. “Kayla told him. More like, he drilled it out of her.”
“Like I’m doing now huh?”
“A-huh.”
“So she told you she’s told Cole about you two and you didn’t think it was necessary to talk to Cole?” Josh asked with raised brows. “Am I missing something here?”
“What am I supposed to say, Josh? Hey, I fucked your PA and I want her to be mine…”
“You fucked her?” Josh looked incredulous. “And what did you just say? You want her to be yours? Dude, she’s not a toy.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” Dean snapped.
“Great. I was going to suggest you get someone close to her to link you guys up, fuck her and get her out of your system. But it looks like…”
“Been there, done that.” Dean drawled.
“And that makes this more serious and complicated. Talk to Cole, Dean. That’s your best bet. Trust me. As for this chic, I need to meet her.” Josh grinned.
“You really think I should talk to Cole?” Dean asked quietly.
“Yep. Maybe you should take Kyle along when you’re going to talk to him. He looks like the only sensible person amongst you lot.”
“Don’t you mean the most quiet?” Dean drawled. “Don’t let the idiot fool you. He’s only moody because of his brother’s illness.”
“Okay, Chris then. Just someone who’ll have the sense to hold Cole back when he starts throwing punches.”
“And you think Chris would stop him? Thanks but I’ll take my chances. I’ll talk to the idiot. And if he makes one violent move, I’ll beat him to a pulp.”
“Settle down Tyson. You want his ‘sister’. It will be better if you pretend you can’t make a fist to save your own life. Go have that talk and keep me posted. Jake’s stuff is on the table. Call him directly if there’s anything to discuss. I don’t have time for your bullshit.” Josh said, heading for the door. His son wanted his quarters done in a certain way which he had sketched for his Uncle Dean to work on.
Dean leaned his head on the back of the couch and closed his eyes, thinking back to that fateful evening a week ago, when Kayla had crushed his hopes.