Chapter 1292
Jerrick’s heart pounded violently against his ribs.
He couldn’t even process the hurricane of emotions surging through him.
His blood was burning hot in his veins.
The sheer adrenaline high made him feel like he was floating. He couldn’t stop the massive grin spreading across his face; he practically wanted to throw his head back and laugh at the sky.
This felt infinitely better than any wall of medals he had ever earned.
His family had hit the absolute jackpot.
No wonder everyone at home obsessed over her, treating her like glass and bragging about her until they were blue in the face. They wanted to wrap her in bubble wrap and fight anyone who looked at her wrong.
It all made perfect sense now.
With a sister this insanely talented and fiercely loyal, who wouldn’t be obsessed?
He wanted to spoil her rotten too.
He wanted to place her on a pedestal, and if anyone dared breathe in her direction, they’d have to answer to his fists first.
*Damn right. This is my sister p>
As the thought settled in, Jerrick’s gaze slowly drifted back toward Nicholas.
That infuriatingly handsome face, which had already annoyed him, now looked absolutely intolerable. He wanted to punch it.
In a flash of clarity, Jerrick finally understood why he had felt such an intense, biological hatred for the man the second he walked through the door.
It was his blood instinctively recognizing a threat before his brain even knew she was his sister.
It was the agonizing realization of seeing some sleazeball making a move on his little sister.
Jerrick’s face darkened completely. He casually sidestepped, sliding right next to Serena.
He planted his broad shoulders firmly between them.
He successfully completely blocked Nicholas’s view of her.
He glared at Nicholas like a guard dog warning off a thief.
He might as well have had “Back off my sister, you creep” tattooed across his forehead.
Nicholas, now staring at a wall of military muscle instead of his fiancée, narrowed his dark eyes.
Initially, he had assumed this Elyndorian operative was just an overstepping guard with a massive crush on Serena.
After all, she was magnificent. It was only natural for other men to be drawn to her.
His own possessive instincts flaring up had been a standard reaction.
But to find out this aggressive, boundary-crossing obstacle was actually her second brother?
Nicholas fell silent for two seconds.
Then, he let out a quiet sigh.
Fine.
What he thought was an annoying rival had just been promoted to future family.
And if he was future family, Nicholas had to play nice.
Swallowing his usual arrogance, Nicholas put on his most charming, agreeable expression, deciding it was best to make a good impression. He smiled warmly. “Jerrick p>
Jerrick wasn’t having a single second of it. “Don’t you ‘Jerrick’ me! Let me make one thing crystal clear I do not approve of whatever relationship you think you have with her. She just returned to the Lancaster family, and you think you can swoop in and steal her? In your dreams p>
He maintained his absolute blockade, refusing to give Nicholas an inch of space near Serena.
Nicholas: p>
Another massive roadblock on his path to marriage.
The quiet, intense standoff happening in the room almost made Julian laugh.
He didn’t bother intervening in the childish territorial dispute between his brother and his future
brother-in-law Instead, he calmet
opened the takeout contamers and arranged the extravagant meal on the table. sŵnovels
“Sit down and eat first,” he said gently. “Serena, come here p>
Serena glanced at the feast, then at the two men silently glaring at each other.