Chapter 4
Faking It
Scarlett
My room is coming together; all the boxes are unpacked, and everything is in place, for now, anyway. Everything will remain tidy until two things happen. One, I’m having a breakdown over finding my outfit for my first day of school on Monday. Two, Grant comes in and destroys it. Both are highly likely; it’s just a matter of which one will happen first.
Rolling over in bed, I scroll my phone while my eyes are locked in, and my mind is running.Is it wrong to like this house?It doesn’t harbor any memories, good or bad; maybe that’s why I feel a sense of peace washing over me. Does that make me a bad person?Scarlett, stop. Go back to the people showing you what they had for breakfast on Instagram.Seeing everyone’s perfect life makes me wish I had one too.Perfect life. Hmm.Like having a mom who chose to stay, and a dad who wasn’t a piece of shit, ohhh, and friends.
Pulling me out of my trance, Levi is standing in the doorway. His pajama pants are checkered grey and white, paired with a black t-shirt stretched across his athletic shoulders that says, “Two-Seater” in white letters with two big white arrows, one pointing up to his face and the other pointing down to his dick.Gross. “Good morning, that is the shirt you’re choosing to have breakfast in?” I roll my eyes and laugh. “Could you be any more obnoxious?” He smirks before belly flopping on my bed, making me bounce as he laughs hysterically, my phone now somersaulting through the air. A surge of happiness flashes through me for a moment.
“Good morning, sunshine, time to get up, Grant made his signature last day of summer breakfast. Eggs and bacon with a side of fake Father of the Year smiles, and small talk that will lead to flipping his switch like a room light.” Levi smiles widely while mocking Grant, causing a genuine smile to appear on my lips. “Nothing like dark humor to start the day.” He rips off my covers, giving me no choice but to get up and follow him down the stairs to our fate.
Levi has always had rules; rule number one is that in the morning, I stay in my room until he comes and gets me. Why? Because Grant might have hit the bottle too hard the previous night and may still be under the influence. The mixture of anger, alcohol, and grief was a lethal cocktail, usually resulting in black eyes and bruised ribs.
Before we head downstairs, I go into Levi’s room to grab a sweatshirt. Grabbing the closest one hanging on the doorknob to the closet and throwing it on. I scurry out so as not to keep our fate waiting any longer. Levi waits for me in the hallway, looking down at his phone. “Ready?” I say with a cheap smile.
Levi looks up and smirks. “All your clothes are unpacked, and you chose a sweatshirt that’s not yours? It’s down to your knees.” His smile grows.
I look down at the sweatshirt. “First, I just woke up, and second, I always wear your sweatshirts.” He nods his head and gives a shit-eating grin before heading downstairs.
Grant is already sitting at the table, which is set to impress. Mr. Grant Allister can’t have anyone thinking his life is not perfect, even if the only thing he is feeding is his delusions. The long rectangular table sits perfectly in the middle of the dining room. He is seated at the far end, taking up one of the six chairs. “Morning, kids.” He nods, lifting his coffee cup.
Levi takes a seat in the middle, nodding at me to sit next to him, farthest away from the beast. “Morning, Grant, do you start work tomorrow?” Levi asked politely, sparking an easy conversation.
Plating my food, I glance up at them as they make subtle small talk. When Grant’s eyes meet mine, I stop, knowing he wants gratification for his new job. “That sounds nice. I’m sure the force is excited to have you on.” I give a small smile and take a bite in hopes that with a full mouth, I won’t have to say anything else.
We eat over small talk, and just when we think Grant is going to leave us in peace to finish, he places his hand gently on Levi’s shoulder. My heart speeds up, knowing how fast this could escalate, how quickly the flesh of his fingers could turnwhite with strain, and how easily he could manipulate the shirt into a noose around my brother’s neck. Blinking fast, I try to rid the images from my mind as I look between the two. Levi remains still, eyes focusing on the knife beside his plate, fingers twitching. “Come outside with me, I got you something.” Levi looks at me, confusion and wariness spread across his handsome face, and I shrug my shoulders,fuck if I know.We follow Grant outside to the driveway. Sitting next to our family car is a white Audi A3 with new dealer plates. “I got you a car so you and your sister can come and go while I’m working.” Levi’s eyebrows are still furrowed together, but there is a slight tug at the corner of his mouth, and a small flicker of something akin to hope starts igniting in my chest. This car could be a blessing, a chance at escape when things get too much.
“I took the courtesy of having the guys at the shop put a tracker in it, perks of the job and all,” he says as he reaches out to grab the keys. “There is, however, one condition.”
Grant’s voice turns stern. “When we have people over or we’re in front of my colleagues, you will call me Dad. I may not be your biological father, but I’m all you have now, so the least you can do is show some respect in front of my friends.” I watch Levi’s jaw tense, his nose flares, and his fist tighten as blood pumps through his forearm. Levi nods, not trusting his words. Grant throws Levi the keys. “Also, the folks around here believe your mother died in a tragic motor accident. The last thing we need is for this town to think our family is weak, just like she was.” I watch as Grant’s neck muscles flare and his lips press together in anger. It is best to let it go.Let it go, Levi, please let it go. My heart is pounding out of my chest as the sun beats down on us, but I’m sweating for an entirely different reason.
Levi shakes his head. “Okay, thanks for the car.” His voice is monotone, taming his rage that boils in him like fire burning him from the inside out.
Before Grant can respond, he looks over our heads and nods. “Good morning, neighbor, just showing my son his new car.” Grant stands there proud of himself, looking behind me, Spencer is rolling the trash bin to the curb. Seriously.Who looks that good at this hour? Sure as shit not me, and, oh fuck! He’s walking over here.Taking a deep breath, Spencer makes his way over to us.
He has on athletic shorts and a bro tank, which is wet and dripping with sweat. His hair is also damp as perspiration runs down the side of his face, and I feel my eyes tracing his body. He takes in every detail. “Morning. Looks nice, are you going to take it for a spin?” He looks at Levi and then at Grant.
Grant straightens, pleased with himself. “Go ahead, go have fun.” He smiles and walks back into the house.I hate him. I hate him. I hate him.
Levi swings the keys around his fingers. “Wanna go for a spin?” He smirks devilishly.
Spencer laughs. “Yeah, man, give me ten minutes to shower and change?”
Levi looks to Spencer and back at me. “Ten minutes, this girl here is gonna need thirty.” I jab Levi in the side with my finger as redness creeps up my neck.
Spencer’s eyes lock on mine. “Make it quick, Beauty Queen.” I roll my eyes and turn around. “Oh, and Beauty Queen, when you’re finished with my sweatshirt, I’ll take it back.” He winks and goes back to talking to Levi.
Immediately, when I get into my room, I rip off his sweatshirt. The new scent fills my nose, prompting me to inhaledeeply so I can savor it. A spicy wood scent wafts from the soft material draped over my hands, mingling with a faint tobacco aroma. I was so tired when I put it on this morning that I didn’t notice the smell and how different it was from Levi’s. Panic starts to set in.Why did I like the way he smelled? Maybe he just has good hygiene, which is normal and no big deal, right?The way my heart sped up when he looked at me is also no big deal.He’s a jerk, isn’t he? … Like, an attractive, hot jerk.
Quickly, I jump into the shower, washing his smell from my body and hoping like hell the random burst of feelings drowns with it. Lathering myself with my bodywash, I can’t help but wonder what a man’s touch feels like. A kind man, a loving man, would my fingers tingle as I dragged them across his body?Would my heart beat loud enough to hear? Would I be a terrible kisser?Touching my lips, I think about them for a slight moment.Scarlett fricken Allister, fix yourself, damn it.
Stepping out of the shower, I throw on some athletic shorts and a t-shirt while listening to Levi yelling for me to hurry.
Chapter 5
Fast Cars
