My eyes widen.
Is that a rabbit’s tail in the center of the thong?
Blood rushes between my legs, hardening my dick.
“Aiden?”
“Yeah, sorry. Let’s get you ready.”
The song’sbass pulses through my chest like a drum, the vibrations echoing through the rest of my body. A large crowd gathers in the wide living room, their bodies moving as one as they dance and wave their hands above their heads while the DJ mixes songs on the turntable. Drunk college kids stumble-jog from the gathering, their faces lit up with drunken grins.
I tuck Nova against my side and step out of the way as two women rush toward the front parlor of the frat house. My sister clings to me, her fingers digging into my back the further we walk into groups of people. Glancing at her, I check to ensure she’s not overwhelmed. Her eyes rise to mine, and she flashes me a smile, letting me know she’s fine.
I adjust the noise-canceling headphones I gave to her before we walked inside. Loud noises and confined spaces full of peoplecan trigger a panic attack for Nova. It’s the last thing I want to happen. Not because it’s an inconvenience—which it’ll never be, because her mental health is just as important to me as it is to her—but I don’t enjoy seeing her relive the trauma she can’t fully remember. I’d notice the instant she regresses. After years of helping her during panic attacks and drawing her out of her head from dissociating, I’ve memorized the signs. Oftentimes, I notice before she does.
So, the moment her eyes lose focus and she’s pain stimming more than usual, I’ll drag her out of here. She may fight me about it, given how badly she wants to help me, but shealwayscomes first.
We pass four guys circling a keg, chanting for the upside-down man to chug as two other guys hold him in place. He sucks on the end of the long tube, gulping as much beer as he can while fighting gravity and the blood rushing to his head. Nova leans forward as we go by them, her eyes wide.
I fight to suppress a grin. Her curiosity is adorable. She’s lost in some new world.
We leave the room and enter one with less of a crowd. I make a beeline for the loveseat tucked against the wall, the earlier occupants walking away hand-in-hand. It’s a perfect spot, allowing people to see what I plan to do with Nova, yet secluded enough so she isn’t overwhelmed.
“Aiden!”
I keep moving like I didn’t hear a chick calling out my name. Nova’s grip tightens, meaning she heard it too.
I guess there’s no avoiding this. It’s showtime.
“Aiden!” the woman screeches again.
Ignoring her, I walk with Nova to the sofa. A light touch on my arm stops me. My fingers clench Nova’s side, and I slowly turn toward the two women gathered on my other side.
“I was hoping you’d come,” the blonde purrs, her lips tugging into a sultry smile.
“And you are?” I drawl, not giving a single shit who this bitch is. I glance at her hand on my arm and raise an eyebrow when I return my gaze to her face.
Her friend is quicker to catch on to my subtle insult. Panic flashes in her eyes, and she looks at the blondestilltouching me like she has every right.
“I’m Mackenzie,” the blonde says, her smile tightening. “You promised we’d link up.”
I don’t remember her or promising anything. The women I’ve been with all blur together. They don’t mean anything to me and don’t even exist in my memories.
Nova steps away from my side. I snap my arm out to catch her and freeze when she moves in front of me and hugs me. Her breasts push against my chest, and bunny-tailed ass sticks out.
“Are they bugging you, pretty boy?” Her head tips back, her chin pushing into my sternum as she looks up at me with a pout.
My cock twitches. “If you keep calling me that, I’m gonna fuck you until your ass turns red and your hips bruise from my fingers.”
Nova’s eyes widen before she schools her features and flashes me a mischievous smile. “Promises, promises. You said that last time, and it never happened.” Her gaze slips to the two women who’ve been watching our interaction in stunned silence. “Oh, you’re still here.”
Mackenzie folds her arms over her chest and pops her hip out as she looks over Nova with a fake smile. “You’re withher?”
I scowl at the bitch.
“How cute.” She drops her gaze to the bottom of Nova’s bunny outfit and lets out a dry laugh at the fuzzy cotton tail. “I didn’t realize you were taking on charity cases, Aiden.”
Her friend snickers, feeding into the bitch’s ego as they insult my sister.
