I head to where she’s seated with friends and lean in to give her a brief embrace. “Scarlett.” I nod over to Rex, my stepbrother whom she happens to be sleeping with. The idea still sends me in a tailspin, so I try to push it the hell out of my mind. In all fairness, they fell for one another prior to the day my father married Rex’s mother. But that doesn’t excuse the fact that my family is fifty shades of fucked up, and this right here is a prime example why.
Scarlett gives my hand a tug. She’s pretty as far as girls go, and ironically the spitting image of the mother I haven’t seen in years. “Since Dad and Lynn aren’t really planning anything, Rex and I thought we’d host a surprise birthday party for the twins.”
“A surprise?” Knox and Trixy are pretty cool, but I doubt they’d be into an old school surprise party. And knowing my sister, it will very much include balloons and streamers, and perhaps even a rousing game of Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Knox has mentioned a time or two his disdain for being treated like a six-year-old, even the monikerthe twinswears on him. He and his sister were held back a year or they’d be here at Briggs with me right now, and I wish they were. I prefer both Knox and Trixy to Rex. Don’t get me wrong. I’m pretty proud of what Rex can do on the field, but it’s what he does behind closed doors that gets under my skin. “They’ll hate it.” There. At least someone is sticking up for them.
“They’ll love it,” Rex counters as he stands and offers me five. “We’ll have it here at the Black Bear. I talked to Bryson, the guy who owns the place, and he said we could have the poolroom.”
“Poolroom, huh?” I frown in that direction. A part of me wants to frown at the entire facility. Lucky and her little tantrum left a bad taste in my mouth. I’m not sure why I was messing with her so brutally other than out of sheer boredom. She’s wound tight like a nun in a whorehouse, and a part of me wanted to get under her skin. And, according to that micropenis comment, mission accomplished on that front. On second thought, Lucky is no nun in a whorehouse. She has a mouth on her, and she’s not afraid to use it. “Yeah, the party sounds good.” I’m quick to change my tune. “Just let me know when, and I’m in.” I’m sure Knox will get over any trauma my sister and Rex throw his way.
“A month from now.” Scar tilts her head and inspects me slantways. “So, what’s new in your life?” She scours my features as if they were somehow letting her in on the unlucky situation I just endured.
“I’ve got a game this Friday. You should come. Call Sabrina. It’ll be nice to see a few familiar faces.”
“I wouldn’t miss it,” Scarlett is quick to answer. She and Sabrina have been getting along for the first time since as far back as I can remember, and it’s nice to have my sisters on the same page for once. Sabrina hit below the belt last year when she flat out stole Scarlett’s old boyfriend. But, as it turns out, I think Scarlett is a happier person now because of it. She found someone new. I glance to Rex and can’t even force a smile.
“I’ll see you guys later.”
A beefed-up dude with tats sitting next to Rex pops up and follows me over to the bar.
“Hey, man. Can I talk to you for a minute?”
I turn, surprised to see him speaking to me. I’ve seen him at the football games with his blonde girlfriend, beautiful, tits for days. He’s Rex’s childhood friend. They couldn’t look more from the opposite sides of the track if they tried.
“What’s up?” I’m curious where this might lead. A part of me wonders if he’s about to tell me to lay off Rex, and for that alone I dislike him just a little.
“I saw you talking to that brunette earlier. Yay high?” He cuts his hand down to his chest. “Big blue eyes.”
Rex pops up, curious to know what this is about himself, and I frown at the two of them.
“Lucky.” I groan at the thought of her.
“Yup, Lucky.” The tatted dude nods as if impressed I got it right. “She’s a good egg.”
“She’s an egg all right. Arottenegg,” I say that last part under my breath, and Rex’s eyes enlarge as if I’ve just put myself in mortal danger, and I might have.
“Good.” His brows burrow into a hard V. “I’m glad you think so. My name is Jet Madden, and I’m her big brother. And for starters, I’d like for you to stay the hell away from her—not physically, just inthatsense.” Holy hell, he’s as deranged as she is. “In fact, I’d like for everyone with a dick to stay away from my little sister, and I’m willing to pump out a cool G to make sure that happens.” He plucks a wad of cash out of his pocket as I’m suddenly appreciating the crazy. “You in?”
“A thousand bucks to stay away from that—”
Rex shakes his head ever so slightly before I can round out the sentence with the wordnutcase.
“Thatluckygirl to have you as her brother? You bet.” I take the green just as fast as Jet counts it out.
“Rules are”— he points his finger in my face until I’m forced to meet up with his terrifying eyes—“no guy is to have so much as a carnal thought about my little sister. I can’t be in those frat house parties with all the booze running loose, but you can. I’m counting on you to be my eyes and my ears. What’s your name, anyway?”
“Lawson.”
“Lawson.” He gives a dark laugh as he looks to Rex. “You and your preppy names.” He shifts his attention back to me and my preppy name. “All right, Lawson. You make sure all those tanked frat brothers of yours find someone else to point their dick at. Lucky Madden is off-limits to any and everyone, and I’m counting on you to make sure she stays as chaste and pure as the driven snow in that parking lot outside.”
“You bet, man.” I stuff the bills into my pocket before slapping him five and he storms off back to the blonde waiting for him at the table. I hate to break it to him, but the driven snow in that parking lot outside is covered with soot and exhaust from a worn-out world just like his not-so-sweet little sister.
Rex steps in with a ticked look on his face. “Why the hell did you sign up for that crap?”
“It’s not crap. Trust me, the male population needs just as much protection from her psychotic clutches than her roided-out brother thinks she needs against them. The chick is certifiable.”
“Shit.” He pinches his eyes shut a moment. “I grew up with Jet and Lucky. She’s a good kid. She’s had a tough time. Go easy on her, okay? Jet means well, but he’s clueless to what’s waiting for him. Lucky is growing up. This is just a last-ditch effort on his part to keep that from happening.”
“I’ll go easy on her.” Like a sledgehammer.Micropenis. I shake my head at the thought. “Don’t worry, man. She’s in good hands.” I inch back and lock my eyes over his. “Sort of like my sister is in good hands with you.” I exit the Black Bear before he can respond. In truth, I don’t want to think of his hands anywhere near my sister—who just so happens to ironically behissister, too.
