XANDER (The Caine Brothers Book 2) by Margaret Madigan Page B

too short, and when they pulled into the parking lot it occurred to him he’d have to let her go, if only for a few hours. If nothing else, he had to deal with Prez, and there was the rest of his club, and rally events.
    He parked the bike and they stood beside it holding hands like lovesick teenagers, unwilling to say goodbye.
    “I’m going to catch up with the guys and see what they have planned for the day. You go check on Lily,” he said.
    “I’ll see if I can find Prez so we can talk to him. Maybe we’ll get lucky and he’ll be reasonable.”
    “I don’t care about reasonable as long as we can agree on a truce.”
    She smiled. “That’s more likely, but don’t hold your breath.”
    “Call me later.”
    She pulled her phone from her pocket, fiddled with it, then handed it to him. “I don’t have your number. Go ahead and add it.”
    She’d started a contact profile for him, so he entered his number and handed it back to her. “Thanks,” she said. “Now expect all kinds of heart-and-emoticon-filled texts.”
    He caught her hand and brought it to his lips and kissed her knuckles, then leaned in and kissed her lips. “I can’t wait. The guys will love it, too. They’ll torment me endlessly.”
    Before she could respond, a huge hand grabbed Xander by the shoulder and spun him around. “Did you just kiss my sister?”
    He caught a glimpse of the rabid face of Titan Buckner screwed up in anger before Titan’s other fist swung out of nowhere and smashed into his face.
    Xander slid to the ground in a semi-conscious fog. It was like being smacked in the face with a sledgehammer.
    “Back off, Troy,” Gracie said.
    “What are you doing hanging out with that Huntsmen scum? You know what he did to your sister’s husband, don’t you? He almost killed him. Your family. And here you are with him. Did you fuck him? You let him touch you? I should kill him now.”
    Gracie put herself between Xander and Titan. “You won’t lay a hand on him. He’s mine, not yours. What are you even doing here, anyway?”
    “Prez and I have been looking for him and his sidekick.”
    Xander’s vision cleared and he climbed to his feet, standing next to Gracie. He straightened his jacket and stretched his neck side to side. He didn’t get sucker-punched very often. It was embarrassing. “Well, you found me. What you want, Troy ?” Xander asked.
    Titan’s jaw muscles twitched. The disrespect of calling him by his real name irked him. Good.
    “Payback.”
    “For giving Hank a taste of his own medicine? I don’t think so. He got what he deserved. Let’s just hope he gets the message and keeps his hands to himself. Better yet, when he feels the urge to hit a helpless woman, he can come look me up. I’m happy to spar with him.”
    “It’s none of your damn business.”
    “It is, actually.”
    “Oh, because you fucked my other sister you think you’re suddenly part of the family? Like you have a say, or something? I got news for you asshole, you got nothing. If Gracie feels like slumming, I guess I can’t stop her, but you’re just a piece of shit I owe an ass whipping to. Before the rally’s over, you’ll get it, too.”
    Xander tried very hard not to launch himself at Titan and return the punch. It hadn’t escaped his attention that Gracie had called him hers, which aroused a certain pride, so out of respect for her he restrained himself. Barely.
    “Reel it in, Troy,” Gracie said. “What are you doing here?”
    Titan glared at Xander for a moment longer, reminding him of a heaving, pawing bull ready to charge. All he needed was the red flag. Titan finally snorted his disgust with Xander and turned his attention to Gracie.
    “Lily called and asked about Bug,” Titan said. “Said she needed to talk to him.”
    “And she told you where she was?” Gracie asked it like she meant to yell at Lily later for doing something so stupid. Xander agreed.
    “I’m her brother, Gracie, not the enemy.”
    Gracie made a