Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 111038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 555(@200wpm)___ 444(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 555(@200wpm)___ 444(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
Zeke belched again. “On it. Oh, and Daniels was asking about you last night. Am I correct that your absence had something to do with the chick in the back of your very fine G Wagon?”
Crap. My stomach took a nosedive. “Mara was asking about me?” I was hoping to not deal with that whole scene, but I couldn’t if she was going to push it.
“Yeah.” He was quiet. “Should I avoid her?”
I barked out a laugh. “Nah, man. You don’t have to avoid her; just pass on that I’ve got family drama happening.”
Mara hated family drama more than I did. Her mom was diagnosed with histrionic, so those words would keep her away for a good week. She’d overheard one of my fights with my mom and turned into mist for almost a month. It was kinda nice, except her blowjobs were the best I’d had.
I wonder what Aspen was like on that front?
I felt a kick in my gut and looked down. Oh yeah. He was excited about that too—if we ever got there with her. She’d been excellent with the hand job.
“See you in a few.”
“See you.”
We hung up, and I stopped at the store before heading home. It’d take Zeke a while to leave his house. No one ever wanted him to go. Taking my stuff to the checkout counter, I wasn’t paying attention when I heard from behind me, “Shit. That all for Aspen?”
It was my brother.
I tensed, then noticed the two packs in his hand. I nodded at them. “Those better not be for Aspen.”
He paused a second, then looked away, but I caught the grin. “Fuck you,” he said.
I smiled. “That’s the point of those, brother.”
The cashier looked at us, the previous customer done and departing. She reached for my box of condoms, saw me, saw Cross, saw what was in his hand, and blinked a few times.
Shaking her head, she ran the boxes over the register.
“Maybe this place could get self-checkout, hmmm?” I murmured as the screen showed what I owed.
“Uh, yeah.” But her cheeks grew red as she looked from me to my brother and back again.
I flashed her a grin. “I know. I’m richer, but he’s better looking.” I whistled under my breath. “Which would you want at the end of the day, huh? What a dilemma, right?”
“I—” She gaped at me.
I frowned. “No offense, but I already got a girl like you that I might have feelings for. Next time, meet me first.”
Cross cursed, shaking his head. “You are the biggest dick I know, and if you make a joke about your dick, I’ll punch it. Happily.”
I nodded at him, backing away and waving, the condoms in full view of everyone. “See you at home, brother.” I winked.
The exit doors swished open, and I walked out. I could see Bren waiting in Cross’ truck, and I smirked as I walked past. “Didn’t know you two were into handcuffs and whipped cream. Right on.”
I only noticed she was wearing a dress after I was past and almost to my Wagon.
I faltered. Crap. Maybe they were going on a nice date and I was being a dumbass making wisecracks?
The store’s doors opened again, and Cross came out, his condoms in a bag.
He saw that I’d faltered and looked from me to Bren before his jaw firmed. He tossed the bag inside the truck through an opened window, and headed for me in two seconds. “What’d you say to her, huh?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Excuse me?”
He pushed against my chest. “You can be an ass to some girl I don’t know, but when it comes to my girl, I tend to go nuts. Or don’t you remember from the last time?”
My jaw snapped shut. “Yeah. About that last time…” I pocketed my condoms and shoved him back. He was surprised, so I was there again, harder the second time.
A door slammed shut. I could hear feet running over.
“He didn’t say anything.” Bren tried to push between us. “Fuck’s sake, Cross. Stop.”
I was rattled, though not because this was the first run-in I’d had with my brother. This was number three by now? We’d traded no punches the first time, and I hadn’t hit back the second. This time, I felt my nice guy starting to fade. And, I still had Griffith to deal with.
I was rattled because I wanted to fight him. I hadn’t thought I cared. I thought I could give two pumps about this guy, but I guess somewhere deep down I did, because I really wanted to knock his teeth out. How fucked is that? Realizing you might care about someone because you want to hurt them? Was that an indication of how truly messed up I was? Because being raised by Griffith was sure to do that to even the best kid.