He glared down at his twin. “Why are you here?”

Growling, she struggled out of his arms. “To check on you and to make sure that idiot,” she pointed at Mitch, “didn’t steal all your good china. But I had no idea you were entertaining canines. Or getting them pregnant!”

“Pregnant?” Brendon knew he was potent, but to go through latex…wow.

What should really worry him? That the idea of Ronnie carrying his baby didn’t scare him at all. He’d bet she’d look beautiful pregnant.

Then it hit Brendon like a brick to the head where his mind had happily wandered.

Look at that. Your heart can just stop in your chest but you keep on breathing.

To keep himself from asking if Ronnie wanted to go maternity clothes shopping, he looked at her and softly asked, “Pregnant?”

Ronnie shrugged. “Nah. I was just fuckin’ with her. As soon as she tried to kill me she would have smelled I wasn’t pregnant.”

Okay. He really liked this female. He’d always loved a woman with a healthy sense of humor. But one who refused to be intimidated by his sister made him all horny and anxious to get her back into bed.

Trying not to laugh in the face of his sister’s blinding anger, he said, “Ronnie, this is my twin sister, Marissa. Rissa, this is Ronnie. She and her Pack saved me the other night.” He yanked Marissa back. “So be nice,” he snarled in her ear.

She didn’t apologize and Brendon didn’t expect her to, but she stopped talking and looked away.

“Ronnie, could you give us a minute?”

“Yeah. Sure.” Thankfully, she didn’t seem angry he’d asked her to leave.

She pushed through the door and Rissa turned on him. “Couldn’t you at least fuck one of the small ones? She’s built like a linebacker.”

Not surprisingly that swinging door slammed back open, denting Brendon’s wall as Ronnie walked in yelling, “You tree-climbing heifer!”

“You car-chasing slut!”

Mitch came around the counter and grabbed hold of Marissa while Brendon put his arms around Ronnie and pulled her back. Unfortunately, the two females were in full rage, and even Brendon’s roar didn’t get them to shut up.

But Mitch’s quiet “You know, lions really don’t climb trees” brought the yelling to an abrupt end, and the three of them looked at him.

He shrugged. “I mean…we can climb trees. Especially ones with low branches. But then we can’t get down again. Leopards, however, are quite spry. So they take their prey up into trees. So other predators like us or hyenas can’t steal their meal.”

After a long moment of silence, Ronnie shook her head and pulled out of Brendon’s arms. Without a word, she walked out of the kitchen. Hewaited until he heard his bedroom door close, then he looked at Marissa.

“I think you better get used to something.”

“What?”

“Her.” He stepped up to his sister. “Cause if I get my way, she’ll be around. A lot.”

“Are you giving to the ASPCA, too? I didn’t know you’d become so altruistic.”

Knowing he was way close to popping his own sister in the mouth, Brendon picked her up and dumped her in front of Mitch.

“What the hell am I supposed to do with her?”

“Take her to your room. The two of you can have lunch and discuss other fascinating cat trivia.”

Marissa stepped away from Mitch. “Brendon—”

“Out!” He took a deep breath. “Out of my sight. Until I’m ready to see you again. Of course that may not be until after New Year’s.”

“Fine! Do whatever you want. And when you get fleas, don’t come complaining to me.”

Mitch shoved Marissa out the door. He stopped and looked at Brendon. For a second, Brendon thought he had something really deep to say. But the kid only shook his head and said, “I’ll see ya later, bruh.”

His family left and he walked into his bedroom to find Ronnie back in her own clothes.

“Ronnie—”

“Forget it.” She turned and glared at him. “I’m leaving you. And I never want to see you again.”

He swallowed the lump of panic in his throat. “If you’ll give me a—”

She cut him off. “Shaw…”

“Yeah?”

“I’m just kiddin’.” She burst out laughing. “You should see your face!”

His eyes narrowed. “You think that’s funny?”

“I think it’s hilarious.”

“You’re mean.”

“Not as mean as that sister of yours. I’ve met snakes nicer. But compared to my momma she’s a lightweight. And I don’t scare easy.”

“That’s good. Now get over here.”

“You want me all the way over there? That’s like a really long walk.”

“Don’t make me come get you, Ronnie Lee.”

“Oooh. And what if I do make you come get me? Whatcha gonna do, Yankee?” He watched her nipples harden under her worn T-shirt. “Whatcha gonna do to poor little ol’ me?”

Slowly, Brendon moved around the bed. “I gave you an order you didn’t follow.” He made a tsk-tsk sound. “That requires punishment, Ronnie Lee.”

“Punishment?” He watched her fight a smile as she took steps away from him. “You’d punish me?”