Claimed by my Brother’s Best Friends (Alyssa) novel Chapter 1

Alyssa

"Congratulations, Alyssa. I hope you and Isaac are very happy together," Mom says, her voice tender with emotion as she pulls me into a tight embrace.

"Thanks, mom." I give her a gentle yet firm squeeze, afraid that if I let go, she'll fall or something. She's too sick to be standing up right now, but she's always been a strong, very stubborn woman. She'd never let anyone here see that she's unwell.

After I eventually release her, Gray, my ever-watchful brother, carefully takes her arm, and helps her into a chair.

"Grayson, I can seat myself," she protests, a playful defiance in her eyes as she gives him a mock glare.

He smiles warmly. "I know you can, Mom," he murmurs, planting a kiss on her forehead before turning to me. "If your husband ever hurts you, I'll shove my foot so far up his ass he can taste it."

By the tone in his voice, he absolutely means it. But he has nothing to worry about.

I laugh and kiss my brother on the cheek. "No need to be so scary, big brother. Isaac would never hurt me. He loves me too much," I say confidently, my heart swelling with affection for my high school sweetheart turned husband. Despite the challenges we've faced, he's my soulmate, and he's proven his love for me over and over again.

When he asked me to marry him, I was the happiest woman on the planet. And now, here we are married. I've officially claimed the title...I'm Mrs. Isaac Carter.

As the time to depart for our honeymoon in Cancun approaches, I say goodbye to our guests. We invited most of our small town, but honestly I only cared that my mom, brother, and my two best friends, Chelsea and Ashley, attended my wedding.

"Have a great time!" Chelsea says, hugging me tightly. She always smells sweet, like berries. I assume it's whatever shampoo she uses to keep her blonde hair so luscious and perfect, but it could just be her vibrant personality.

I hug Ashley next, her hazelnut skin absolutely glowing beneath the bright lights. "Make sure you send me some pics. I can't wait to get a boo next summer, so we can go on a group vacation," she quips, her excitement contagious.

"Will do," I promise with a laugh, already looking forward to sharing the memories of our honeymoon with my besties.

Seeing that Isaac is saying goodbye to his parents, I step outside for a moment of solitude, relishing the cool night air. The stars twinkle above, casting a magical glow on our perfect wedding day.

As I lean against Isaac's car, a girl emerges from the bushes on the side of the house, quickly readjusting her dress and smoothing down her hair.

"Hey, Alyssa," she says breathlessly, her cheeks flushed as she rushes back into the house.

A moment later, a guy follows, lazily zipping up his slacks.

King Sterling. One of my brother's three best friends.

He's tall with muscles for days. He has dark, unruly curls that cascade to his shoulders, a medium beard, and a scar over his left eye. His amber eyes, sharp and intense, have a way of sending even the bravest men running for their lives. The fact that he's in a motorcycle gang is just the icing on the cake, completing his scary-as-shit ensemble.

When his gaze locks onto mine, he smirks, a devilish glint in his eyes.

I grimace. "You couldn't have taken her home first?" I ask, making no effort to hide the disgust in my tone.

"That's no fun. Besides, I would've missed the hilarious look on your face right now," he teases, his voice dripping with amusement.

He saunters over and leans against the car, enveloping himself in a cloud of cigarette smoke. "Want a puff?" he asks, holding the cigarette out to me.

Coughing, I wave it away. "No, that's disgusting," I retort. "You shouldn't be smoking those things anyway, you're going to get cancer, dumbass."