Loyalty Or Honour (Book 3)

Chapter Thirty

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"So what is it you wish to tell me about my new sister?" Jasper scratches the back of his neck and Hunter sighs when his question is not immediately answered. "Jasper, do not try my patience. I have noticed that you and Alice seem to be gravitating towards one another recently and Orion is not pleased. She is young and naïve and you better not be taking advantage of that."

"Naïve?" Jasper echo's, tone amused. "Alice has her wits about her. Just because she is young does not mean she is not intelligent about what is going on around her. Orion would never let her be naïve!" Jasper shakes his head and chuckles. "I did not come here to argue with you. I wanted to put your minds to rest and I thought it better to speak with the brother who would not attack me before I finished speaking."

"You may have been mistaken there." Hunter darkly answers but Jasper just gives an impish grin.

"Alice has been using me to wind Orion up. I know this for certain as she warned me beforehand. I have watched her grow up..."

"And you view her as a little sister..." Hunter continues for him.

Jasper grimaces and shakes his head. "No. I do not view her as a little sister. She has grown, matured and become a beautiful young lady since I last saw her. I was going to say that I have watched her grow up and I know she is still young and she loves to taunt her brother. This is her latest plan." He explains with a sweep of the arms.

"So there is nothing between the two of you?" Hunter asks, slightly disbelieving.

"She is still young. There is nothing between us now." Jasper answers carefully.

"Now?" Hunter repeats with his head tilted ever so slightly to the side. He remembers his promise to make Jasper shake in his boots and a twisted smile tugs at his lips. "What about in a week, a month, a year? Do you mean to tell me that you think something could be between you and my little sister then?" Hunter drills the questions quickly, without pausing for breath.

A frown takes over Jasper's features as he considers his answer rather than just blurting it out. "I cannot make any promises concerning the future; I do not know where any of us will be or how I will feel for different ones."

Hunter chuckles. He likes the answer but is not willing to make it easier for his new friend. "Well how about I make this very clear. Orion and I expect, no demand, you to come to us if you ever wish to court our sister. Even if I and Orion are miles apart you will journey to each of us to get an answer that may or may not be in your favour. If you ever hurt her we will personally make sure that hurt returns tenfold upon your head.

Your courtship will be chaperoned to the highest degree. You may not as much hold hands if one of her family members is not present. And that is if you are allowed to court her in the first place. Perhaps the twelve labours of Hercules may be quite apt in this situation. But do not expect to get off as easy as the man in that story."

Jasper gulps but he is still not shaking in his boots. Hunter takes a threatening step towards him. "Do you understand me?"

"Completely." Jasper answers, his mischievous twinkle in his eyes returning. "Nice big brother speech, I did not think that you had it in you." Hunter laughs and takes a step back. "Tell Orion that she is simply messing. I have seen the murderous look in his eyes every time I have spoken to her or escorted her on the dance floor."

"You have gone along with this plan of hers. I think you deserve the consequences." Hunter replies easily.

Jasper grins, "The consequences of upsetting Orion recently seem to lead to marriage. I neither want nor need to be married anytime soon. If you wish, tell him you scared the truth out of me and that he has nothing to worry about. I will not do anything to aggravate the situation further."