Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 93312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
“We’re still family,” Holden says, looking over at me with those puppy dog eyes.
A bitter laugh leaves my mouth. “You both treated me like shit.” Christian wasn’t ever particularly vocal about how he felt about me. I got the feeling that he stayed out of it, and as long as he wasn’t going out of his way to make me miserable, that was good enough for me, regardless of how he felt about me. Thayer and Holden, on the other hand…they hurt me. Because I cared for both of them in a way I didn’t care about many other people in my life.
“Families fight.” He shrugs.
Thayer doesn’t echo Holden’s sentiments, but he comes to sit between us on the oversized sofa. I lean my back against the armrest to face them both, wrapping my arms around my bent knees.
“I do have another question,” I say, changing the subject. I have a lot of other questions, but most of them are for Thayer, and I’m sure he made this little family meeting on purpose, knowing I wouldn’t ask him anything about us. “Why did our parents call off the engagement?” One day, things were fine—or as fine as things could be, all things considered. The next, I was told to pack my things.
Holden and Thayer exchange a knowing look.
“What?” I ask, looking between the two of them, feeling slightly on edge. “Tell me.”
“Word on the street is that your mom was having an affair,” Holden says.
I laugh, actually laugh out loud. “Word on the street?” That’s ridiculous. “Which jealous housewife started that rumor?”
“My dad,” Thayer says.
“What?” I frown, not believing that for a second. But then I remember the night I saw her with another man. Was that him? But why wouldn’t she say anything? If she was having a year-long affair, you’d think I’d have been introduced to the guy—or at the very least, aware of his existence. Is this what she’s been hiding?
“Don’t hurt yourself thinking so hard,” Holden quips.
“I’m gonna go pass out,” Christian announces with a yawn, standing. He’s been so silent that I almost forgot he was here.
“What, no sleepover with your boyfriend, Baker?” Holden taunts.
Christian gives him a mocking laugh and moves his wrist, miming jerking off, and then he’s heading upstairs, leaving Holden and Thayer chuckling behind him.
“I should get home.” I stretch my arms above my head, suddenly feeling exhausted. My earlier buzz is long gone, and there’s nothing I want more than to fall into my bed.
“I’ll take you in the morning,” Thayer says. “You can crash here.”
“Uh, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t live here anymore, because it’s weird, because our parents would probably lose their shit…” I tick off the reasons. “Take your pick.”
“Who cares, no, it’s not, and they won’t find out,” Holden argues each point. “Come on, we’ll put on a movie and have a sleepover in here like old times.”
I narrow my eyes. “We never once did that.”
“Then it’s about time we start.” He jumps up, grabbing some blankets from the back of the sofa and tossing them at me, grabs the remote, then he sprawls out on the blanket that Christian was occupying a minute ago.
I look over at Thayer, trying to read his thoughts. Unsurprisingly, he gives nothing away. “You’ll take me home first thing in the morning?” It’s not like I can’t walk home if it came down to it. I could technically walk home now, if I was up for a twenty-minute, late-night stroll through the woods. Alone.
Thayer gives me a nod, and I sigh loudly. I don’t even know what time it is. When Thayer left me upstairs to get dressed, I collected my shoes and wet clothes from the bathroom floor, rinsed my dress in the sink, then folded and stacked them in the corner of the bathroom, making sure to stash my underwear inside of my dress. After I called Valen to make sure she got home safe and promised to fill her in tomorrow, I tossed my phone on top of my clothes, then walked my half-embarrassed, half-still-turned-on ass in here.
Too tired to argue, I slump back against the cushions, pulling the cream-colored cashmere throw blanket over me, with my knees tucked into my chest.
“Atta girl,” Holden praises, and I detect a hint of excitement in his voice. Like he’s genuinely happy to have me here.
“I can’t promise I’ll stay awake,” I warn.
“Then you won’t mind if I put this on?”
Porn categories fill the screen, and Holden uses his phone to scroll through the options. He’s literally streaming porn from his phone to the TV. I didn’t know that was possible. He clicks on one titled Stepsister Fucked by Horny Brother While Parents are Away.
“Really?” I roll my eyes at his selection.
“I mean, unless you’re too much of a prude…”