Cella looked over her shoulder and she felt nothing but relief at seeing that searing scowl, those ancient jeans, and a goddamn Islanders hat on his head. The Rangers? Really? At least her bear understood loyalty.

“I said”—the bear she’d woken up naked with stepped closer, a bag of groceries in his hand—“what the hell’s going on?”

“Can’t we just come visit our brother?”

“Not and live to tell about it. No.”

“Can you believe the way he treats us?” the one with the Rangers cap asked Cella. “Born just a few minutes apart and he never has any time for us. Isn’t that unfair?”

“You never mentioned all that,” Cella observed, “when you were pretending to be him.”

Crush threw his bag of groceries down, his scowl turning worse, his big body vibrating. “You’re still doing that?” he bellowed.

Cella laughed and walked up the stairs. She could feel Jai’s hand swipe past her T-shirt, just missing her, as she made a wild grab to stop her.

“You guys,” Cella teased. “Did you do that to a lot of girls? Pretending to be each other?”

“We were kids,” the one with the hat explained, still grinning. “We didn’t know any better.”

“Well you know what?” Cella asked, stepping close to him. “I’m an adult. And I still don’t know any better.”

Then Cella punched the smug bastard in the face.

Crush only had a split second to laugh before Chazz was over the banister, landing on the porch. Crush shot up the stairs, ready to beat his brothers to death before he let either one hurt Malone. But Chazz grabbed a bleeding, roaring Gray and yanked him back.

“Dude,” Chazz said, eyes wide, “I know her.”

“What?”

“I know her. She plays on the Carnivores. That’s ... that’s Bare Knuckles Malone.” They both gazed at the She-tiger. “You were just hit in the face by fuckin’ Cella Malone!”

Crush’s eyes crossed. His brothers were such idiots. And how did Chazz know Malone on sight? Probably oozed his way into the team locker room, the bastard.

Chazz desperately searched the pockets of his jeans and Windbreaker jacket until he pulled out a marker. “Could you sign my arm?” He held the marker out to her.

“My chest. Can you sign my chest?” Blood pouring down his face, Gray grinned at Chazz. “I can’t wait for Marcie to see this.”

“Marcie?”

“His wife,” Crush explained to Malone. “Gray didn’t mention her?”

Malone pointed an accusing finger at his brothers. “You were hitting on me while your wi fe was sitting at home, waiting for you to come back?”

Crush doubted all that.

“What she doesn’t know ...”

Malone pulled her fist back again, but Chazz held up his hands. “Wait, wait. Hit me.”

Crush blinked. “You want her to hit you?”

“She’s Bare Knuckles Malone, dude!”

Crush leaned forward and said next to Malone’s ear, “Please tell me I wasn’t this bad with your dad.”

“You were, but you were really adorable about it. This is just annoying.”

“Wait a minute.” Gray stood straight, swiping blood from his nose. “What is she doing here with”—his brother eyed him with contempt—“you?”

“I’m his girlfriend,” Malone said.

Crush sighed. “Are we here again?”

“Don’t start.”

“You?” Gray and Chazz said together. “You?”

“You’re dating Marcella Malone?” And Chazz didn’t bother to hide his disgust. “How is that even possible?”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“We thought you were still a virgin.”

Crush went to hit Gray, but Malone stepped in front of him, managing to hold him back without doing much of anything.

Wanting his brothers to go, Crush asked, “Don’t you have wives and children to get home to? I’d hate to think you’re only making me miserable today.”

Gray smirked. “Aren’t you going to ask why we’re here?”

“I know why you’re here and you can tell her no.”

“We all know she doesn’t take no for an answer.”

“That, and the eventual liver damage she’s well on her way to experiencing, is not my fuckin’ problem. Now get out.”

Chazz threw up his hands and started to walk around them, but Gray snatched the marker from him and asked Malone, “Do you think I can still get your—”

Malone slapped the marker from Gray’s hand. His brother jerked back and Crush caught the feline’s arms before she could start slapping the crap out of him in front of the whole neighborhood.

Laughing, Gray followed Chazz. Crush watched until his brothers got in their truck and drove off. Then he went back down the porch stairs, picked up his groceries, and headed into his house—closing the door behind him.

CHAPTER TEN

Cella followed Crush, but stopped when the door closed in her face.

Gasping, “Oh, no, he did not!”

“Cella—” Jai began, but Cella didn’t want to hear it.

The bear hadn’t locked the door, so Cella threw it open and marched inside.

“What are you mad at me for?” she demanded, following the bear into his tidy kitchen.