Ryke steps forward to my defense. “Says the guy who spent two hours chasing a girl around a ballroom, terrifying her beyond fucking words.”
“Wow,” Julie says, “you’re sexy when you’re mad.”
“Julie!” Aaron shouts. “Leave, now. Get the fuck out of here.”
Julie rolls her eyes and drops off the tips of her feet like Aaron popped her entertainment. She nods to me. “It’s nice to see you again, Loren. I’m sorry my brother can’t get over our relationship.”
“Yeah, he has trouble letting things go.” If I was him, I would still be full of resentment. I don’t blame him at all. I just hate that I drove him to this place—to a point where he could attack Lily while I was at rehab. I was such a stupid fucking kid. I still am sometimes.
I could be going about this the wrong way right now. But it’s the only thing I know how to do. And it works. I use my words. Threaten the guy who’s threatening me.
Julie walks off to the kitchen, in plain view. Mostly so Ryke can see her bend low as she grabs a pan from the cupboard. She looks back to make sure he caught sight of her ass. He didn’t. His eyes haven’t left Aaron. But as I watch her, Aaron is seconds from imploding, dropping on his knees, and giving me what I want. I can’t take credit for that. I think, partly, my father’s previous threats have already sunk in.
“Where’s your disposable phone?” I ask again.
Ryke puts his hand on my arm, and he whispers, “I don’t think he did it.”
I don’t want to believe that. Because then I’ll be clueless.
I’ll have no idea who else it could be.
Aaron holds up his hands in defense. “I don’t know what happened, but I’m not the only guy who hates you, Loren. So whatever is going on, maybe you should think about who else you pissed off all these years. I can’t imagine college was that pleasant for you.”
Yeah…I may be fucked.
I nod to myself. But if he is the guy who sent me those texts, I’m not just going to leave here without insurance that he won’t do something again. I have to have the last word. So I lean in and I say, “If you scare my girlfriend again, you’ll wish all you had to worry about was working for your fucking dad.” My eyes flicker to Julie once. “And you should start eating your sister’s makeup. Your insides are fucking ugly.”
He could easily sayas are yours.But nothing comes from his mouth. He’s solidified in a mixture of hate and fear—emotions that are floating all around his house right now.
I don’t wait for him to reanimate.
I leave.
And on the way to the car, Ryke says, “You didn’t tell me that you’d be fucking with his sister.”
“Does it matter?”
He stares straight ahead, his eyes dark.
“She was objectifying you, Ryke,” I tell him. “She was two seconds from pulling down your pants and climbing on your dick.”
“Like Lily?” he snaps back.
“Fuck.You.” I swing open the car door. It’s not the same thing. Lily—she’s my best friend. I’m not a conquest of hers. If that were true, she wouldn’t still be with me. I wouldn’t be able to satisfy her for so long.
“Sorry,” Ryke barely apologizes, his harsh tone never softening. “I just don’t want to see another girl get caught in the fucking crossfires of your feuds.”
“I’m not going to hurt her. He just has to think I am.”
Ryke stares at me for a long moment. “Did our father teach you that?”
“Yeah,” I say. “He also taught me how to get in a car and drive the fuck away.”
Ryke nods. “Glad to know you’re still an asshole, even without the booze.”
“Must be genetic.”
Ryke smiles at this, and we both climb into his Infinity. I don’t feel better after this. Because I don’t even remember some of the people I pissed off.
