Me: you know I don’t
Josslyn: are you this possessive over every woman you hook up with?
I frown and lower my phone. What am I supposed to say?That she consumes my every thought? That no woman has ever made me feel these … emotions before? Fuck no. The fact that I’m even thinking those things pisses me off. I lift my phone and answer honestly.
Me: no
I set down my phone and shut my eyes as I lean back on the couch.
“I don’t think she’s going to be a one-and-done,” Lucas says out of nowhere.
I sit up straight. “Yes, she is.”
He laughs. “You sent her flowers!”
I bite my tongue and pick up some papers. “Flowers have nothing to do with me fucking her one time and being done.”
“To you, maybe.” He cocks his head. “You’re going as her date to a charity event.”
“For charity.”
“You sent a woman flowers, are accompanying her to an event, which is unheard of, and almost got into a fist fight with a guy.” His brows lift. “Damn, saying it out loud…” He tilts his head. “You like her.”
“I’dliketo fuck her.”
He chuckles. “Keep telling yourself that.”
Am I just telling myself that?No.I’m attracted to her and I know she’s worthy of more than a douchebag cheater who doesn’t even know what kind of flowers to buy her. That doesn’t mean I like herin that way.
I sigh heavily. “I sent her flowers because Iampetty. Roses don’t even match her personality, and I’m going to acharityevent with her.For charity.”
“Don’t match her personality…” he says with a quiet chuckle.
“You’re making something out of nothing.”
“If you like her, you need to at least call off your hounds. What do you think she’s going to say when she finds out you’ve had someone following her for over a year?”
I shrug. “I genuinely don’t give a fuck what she says. I have my reasons.”
“I’d drop it. She’s not hiding anything. Not that there’s anything to hide.”
I lower the papers and stare at him. “You still don’t believe someone killed Mallory.”
“No, I don’t.” He takes another sip. “What happened was awful, but I think you need to make peace with it and let it go. For your own sanity.”
I push back the anger that threatens. “She’s my sister.”
Every time I say that, I feel unworthy of the title. I was a shit brother to her. We all know it. I may be a lot of things, but I’m self-aware enough to know that’s the reason I’m seeking justice. I should’ve done more when she was still here. She was younger than me, so we didn’t have the same interests or friends. By the time she got to high school, I was on my way out, and things were so hectic that year, I barely had time to see her.
Still, we kept in touch. When I left, I made sure she knew I was still there for her. Not that she ever needed me. She’d call, though, when she was bored, to tell me about her day and her friends. It was usually a one-sided conversation, but I didn’t mind. Growing up, I had my friends—Ella, Hammie, and a few other guys I’ve lost touch with. Mallory didn’t have that. Her friend group was full of vipers waiting to strike. And still, she must have liked them. Even after she got closer to Olivia and later, Josslyn, she never stopped hanging out with the other girls.
When she started college, I noticed a change in her, but I never thought to question it. It was college and she liked to party; there was nothing wrong with that. She never told me about Onyx, though. I knew she’d been there the night I hooked up with Josslyn, but I’d scrubbed that from my memory. I didn’t know she went there as often as she seemed to. There are a lot of things about my sister that I should have known, and would have known if I’d been paying closer attention. So no, I can’t just “let this go.” I’m going to find out what happened that night. Mallory deserves that much.
“Did you talk to Donnie about the building across from the arena?” I ask, changing the subject.
“He said it’s not for sale.”
I shoot him a look. “Everything is for sale.”
