“Hurry up, fucker. If you're not down in five, I'm going to grab Archer from his place, and he can be my date for the night.”
My look is bland as I glance at him over my shoulder. “Love the guy, but he’s the dollar-store version of me. Don’t forget that,” I tell him with a smirk.
He presses his lips tight, then blows out a breath, shooing me up the stairs.
I take the steps two at a time and approach Hadley's door, knocking lightly. “Hads, can we talk?”
No response.
I take a deep breath, send up a quick prayer, and brace for whatever bullshit awaits me.
Then, with a slow push, open her door.
Two
Hudson
Monday rolls in with my shrill alarm clock blaring, snapping me awake and into another school day. I was up late, my brain refusing to shut off after witnessing Hadley and Cullen’s showdown.
Unsurprisingly, he never came back down after heading up to her room. It took less than five minutes before I heard a husky, groaned “fuck” travel down the stairs. I froze at the base of the steps, heat spreading low in my stomach. The gruff moans, the gasps, the steady creak of the bed drifted down and curled around me like a slow, haunting melody.
My chest ached as I pulled myself away. I wanted to stay there. To let Cullen’s pleasure sink into my bones.
But none of those sounds were meant for me, no matter how badly I wanted them to be.
I shake the memory off and drag myself to the dresser, grabbing clean boxers and a white tee before stumbling to the bathroom.
Yawning, I flip on the light and squint against the brightness. Hadley’s going to be pissed I beat her in here, but hey, you snooze, you lose.
Blonde bedhead and drowsy blue eyes greet me in the bathroom mirror. Most days, I don’t recognize the person staring back at me. I’ve worn a mask to hide the turmoil my mind keeps me in for so long that seeing who I truly am is rare. Today is no exception.
My neck cracks as I move it side to side, trying to release the uneasiness sneaking up on me. I brush my teeth quickly, strip off my joggers, and start the shower.
Turning to take my morning piss, I stop, something in the trash catching my eye. The shiny latex doesn't register until I do a double-take.
It’s a used condom.
My stomach twists.
“Stupid, reckless idiots,” I hiss, glaring at the bin like it personally offended me.
If Mom walked in and saw that, Hadley would be grounded until the end of time. And Cullen? Banned from the house entirely.
Yeah, not gonna happen.
Because I’m the good guy, and fortotallyselfless reasons, I scan the bathroom for something to hide the evidence of their extracurricular activities. My eyes land on an almost-empty black shower gel bottle in the shower.Perfect.I’ll shove the condom in the bottle, and no one will ever know it’s there. Overkill? Yes. But I’m not risking Mom finding the condom and banning Cullen from the house.
I grab the bottle and walk back to the wastebasket to tear off a few sheets of toilet paper. Carefully, I pick up the used condom out of the trash. I scowl.At least they’re having safe sex.
Rolling my eyes, I unscrew the bottle and start to shove it in the hole. Just as I’m giving it one final push, the knot slips loose, and cold, sticky fluid squirts across my hand.
I stop breathing.
Cullen’s release drips to the bathroom tiles, slick and milky. I should wash it off, but instead, my fingers twitch, rubbing the cum between them before I can stop myself.
My stomach flips. Not in disgust, but want. I stand there, stunned for a second too long, before a wave of shame crashes in.
“Jesus,” I mutter. “What the hell am I doing?”
