As she walked to the door, I started to remake Micah’s bed, which hadn’t been messed up that much. Another sign that we hadn’t had sex. When I fucked, the bedding was usually obliterated.
The door creaked, and Courtney stopped and turned back.
“I guess this means we’re done then?”
“Done?” I asked with an arched eyebrow.
“Yes, as fuckbuddies,” she explained with one hand against the frame. I opened my mouth to deny her suggestion, but she held up a finger. “You talk in your sleep, Phoenix.”
Fuck. What had I said? “Really?”
“Yeah, really,” Court admitted with a nod.
Dragging in a breath, I agreed with her. “OK. Yeah. We’re done. If you’re cool with that?” She gave me another nod.
“Well, it was fun while it lasted,” Court replied with a small sniff. Oh fuck, if she cried, I didn’t know what I’d do. I couldn’t deal with bawling females.
I smiled warmly, something I didn’t do often. “It was.” Her face lit up, and she turned to leave, clearly placated by my comment.
Dropping the edge of the comforter, I called out to her. “Courtney.”
“Yeah, Brutal?” She popped her head back in through the open doorway, calling me by the nickname the guys used on the football field.
“Friends?” I questioned, and her expression shifted. Her lips curled into a ghost-like smile.
“Deal, Friends.” And then her following comment floored me. “Harper’s a lucky girl. Oh, and you need a shave.”
And then she left. A wave of relief crashed through my chest, followed by a twinge of worry that she’d name-dropped Harper. She must have been the one I was talking about in my sleep. I scratched the scruff on my jaw, wondering what I said about her. Enough to force Courtney to end things. Shit, shit, shit.
On the upside, for once in my life, I had cut ties with a hook-up in the right way. I had taken Hudson and his girl’s advice on board, and it didn’t feel so bad after all.
See brother. I can do it.
Now I had to work on the rest of my plan. But first, I needed water, some headache tablets, and my sports duffel. Hudson and Reed could clear up the mess. I needed to sort my head, and the only way I did that was by knocking the shit out of something.
I left my brother’s room as I found it, well, from what I could remember, and dashed across to mine. Harper’s bedroom door was closed, and I wondered if she was up yet. I knew I needed to see her, but I couldn’t face her looking like a sack of shit. Courtney was right, I did need a shave, although my little foster sister hadn’t made any complaints the previous night. The thought that she liked it rough made my dick twitch. What could I say? I was far from vanilla in the bedroom. And no, that didn’t include water sports or dumping on people. I just liked to be in control. I didn’t consider myself a Dom like the dude in that Fifty Shades shit. I was unique in my tastes, but I didn’t put a label on it. Labelling yourself in the bedroom was as tacky as fuck.
After packing my bag, adding my shaving gear, I grabbed my cell from where I’d left it on my nightstand and made my way downstairs. It was eerily quiet when I got into the hallway. I could see through into the kitchen, where a guy from college was asleep with his head on the table. The counters were littered with red plastic cups, beer bottles, and spilled chips, and then I heard the backyard screendoor being pulled back. That was my cue to leave, and I decided against checking the living room as I plucked the keys to Reed’s Jeep off the hook by the door.
I then slipped out of the house and left my brothers to deal with the fallout of last night’s party.
As I reversed Reed’s wheels slowly down the drive from where it was sandwiched between two other cars, I checked the time. Oh dear.
The boys only had two hours to sort out the carnage before Ma got home.
Yep, good luck with that.
I spent those next two hours training like a goddamn animal in the gym, ignoring every message sent from my brothers that I was to get my ass back home and help.
Where are you, cocksucker?Reed had messaged.
I suggest you get your ass back here now, dickwad,Hudson’s text read.
Yeah, not going to happen. Such brotherly love. I read Reed’s last message before turning my phone off.
Hudson says he's gonna pound your lazy ass into next week. Word on the street is that he’s off his meds. Aren’t you even slightly worried?
Nope. Not even in the fucking slightest.
