Page 73 of Filthy Rich Brother's Best Friends

“Oh—”

Blaire stands in the doorway, one hand still wrapped around the knob, a perfectly timed smirk already pulling at her mouth.

“You’re up early,” she says, drawing the words out. “Geez, you must be exhausted juggling all these men. Wasn’t it Reid in here just the other night?”

I freeze. So does Jude.

She holds my gaze a second longer, then flips her hair over one shoulder and lets the door swing shut behind her.

Chapter 21

Jude

Istare at the space where Blaire just stood, then glance back at Lola. Everything in her posture has changed. I can see the spiral starting already.

I sit up and reach for her without hesitation. My hand slides gently around her waist, anchoring her back to me.

“Hey,” I say, looking her in the eyes. “It’s okay.”

She shakes her head, panic in her eyes. I press my forehead to her shoulder and pull her in. Her muscles are pulled tight.

“She doesn’t know anything,” I say. “And she sure as hell doesn’t get to talk to you like that.”

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.” I pull back enough to meet her eyes.

“I didn’t mean for any of this to get so fucked up,” she murmurs. “It just…happened.”

After a few seconds, she pulls out of my arms and stands. She goes back to throwing things in her bag.

“You want to talk about it?” I ask.

Her eyes meet mine, and for a second I see it. There’s part of her that wants to drop the whole act and just say yes. It passes fast. She turns back around and shakes her head.

“No,” she says. “It’s not worth it.”

I nod. “Okay.”

She crosses the room again and sits on the bed to lace up her sneakers. I sit up beside her, brushing the hair off her shoulder.

“I don’t need to know details,” I say quietly. “But I’m not blind.”

She freezes mid-lace.

“I see the way Reid looks at you,” I continue. “And I’ve seen the way you look at him. You don’t have to pretend with me, Lola.”

She stays still, staring at the floor.

When she finally speaks, her voice is hoarse. “It’s all a big mess.”

“Most real things are.”

She lets out a slow breath.

“I didn’t plan any of this,” she says.

“Reid?”