"Okay,” Juniper nodded. As she walked to the bathroom, she shot a cold, warning re over her shoulder at her three brothers.


    They were speechless. They weren''t even officially together, and their sister''s loyalties had alreadypletely shifted!


    In the living room, Jimmie, Harold, and Melvin sat in a row on the sofa, six eyes drilling into Shanley like daggers. They had "agreed" to let him pursue their sister, but he hadn''t even started yet. He didn''t even have the title of "boyfriend," yet he was already making moves? If they hadn''t walked in, would they be expecting to be uncles in a few months? The thought made their teeth itch.


    "Juniper may have graduated, but aren''t you being a little too eager?" Melvin burst out angrily. "Shanley, my sister is only eighteen!"


    "That''s right," Shanley replied, meeting Melvin''s gaze with his deep eyes. A faint smirk yed on his lips as he said slowly, "At least Juniper is eighteen. Some girls, I hear, haven''t even..."


    That one sentence hit Melvin right where it hurt. He immediately deted and said, "Pursue her if you want, but you should also be mindful of your methods.”


    Juniper''s younger cousin, the girl he was interested in, was still a couple of weeks shy of eighteen. If anyone was a cradle robber, he was far more shameless than Shanley. Melvin sank back into the sofa, not daring to say another word.


    Damn it. The old fox had him cornered!


    Jimmie and Harold were silent. Was cradle robbing contagious?


    "It was a misunderstanding," Shanley exined, his tone sincere. "I know my limits."


    Juniper was their treasure, but she was his as well. He would never dream of letting her get hurt. Besides, he wasn''t even sure of her feelings yet; he was afraid of offending her by simply holding her hand.


    "You''d better," Jimmie huffed, though he knew he could trust Shanley''s character. “Juniper is used to being with you. Just take her back."


    "But you guys..." Shanley began, a confused look on his handsome face.


    "My sister''s heart is with you," Jimmie continued. “She''ll only be truly happy when she''s with you."


    Besides, the girl was bound to be a part of the Schwartz family sooner orter. What difference did it make if it was now orter?


    "What does Juniper think?" Shanley asked.


    As if on cue, the light patter of footsteps sounded from the staircase. All three brothers turned to look. The sister who had been listless and zombie-like just


    verr


    moments ago was now practically glowing with energy, Right on time. Shanley had arrived, and her soul had returned to her body.


    "And..." Jimmie added with a helpless smile, "Juniper has to deal with the Wilcox family matter With you by her side, we''ll be more at ease."


    "Alright," Shanley said, unable to hide his delight. "Don''t me me for this."


    "Now you''re just gloating," Jimmie


    grumbled, his voice thick with


    "If I had found Juniper first,


    galo''t have even stood a


    you


    ance."


    He was sure he would have been the one Juniper depended on most.


    "I wouldn''t be so sure," Shanley countered, raising an eyebrow with confidence. “I


    have something Juniper likes most."


    The three brothers stared at him, their curiosity piqued.


    "My face," Shanley said with a slow, self-satisfied smile, “and my money."


    Face and money. With either one of those, he was invincible in the eyes of their sister.