“Yes.”
I sigh. “Ced…he’s really fucking hot. And he’s a fan-fucking-tastic kisser.”
“Who isn’t always very nice to you. I don’t want that for you. You deserve better. Fuck, even with Dad, I—”
“I don’t want to talk about him,” I cut Cedric off. He always hates on himself for not standing up for me with Dad more, for working with him and following in his footsteps, when Dad has never wanted that from me—but I don’t want it from him either. Even if it’s what Dad wanted, I wouldn’t go into real estate.
But it wouldn’t be so bad if he at least wanted me to…wanted anything from me.
I push those thoughts away, stuff them in that deep hole where I can pretend they don’t exist.
“I’m sorry I’m not a better brother,” Cedric says.
“You’re the best bother. You literally listen to me talking about being between two men as often as I can.” That earns me another laugh, and before the conversation can go somewhere I don’t want it to go, I say, “Fine, I’ll stay away from him.” Lies, lies, lies. “I gotta go. My frat brothers will be here soon to help me move back into Alpha Theta Mu.”
“Okay, be safe, have fun, and call me if you need anything.”
“I always have fun,” I tease, then end the call.
I shower, strip the mattress of my sheets and blankets, and just as I finish, there’s a knock.
“Thank fuck my moving crew has arrived!” I say, opening the door. “I’ll direct, you guys load the truck.”
Jaxon flips me off as he comes in, followed by Leo, Damien, Andy, Teddy, and Keegan, with Aiden bringing up the rear. He’sMarty’s brother and a freshman at Peach State. He plans to rush Alpha Theta Mu, but has already been hanging out with us sometimes because of his brother.
“I brought donuts.” Aiden points to the box in his lap as he wheels himself closer.
It’s then I realize Andy has a ramp, which he lays down on the lip of the door so Aiden can get inside.
“Aw, freshman rush is sucking up,” I tease.
“Obviously. I’m not an idiot,” Aiden counters, and not for the first time, I’m reminded how different he is from his brother. Where Marty has always been a rule follower, something about Aiden tells me he’s not.
They all come inside, and we stuff our faces with food and then start loading. We put everything that’s going to the house in the back of the moving truck, leaving the things for storage in the front. I won’t need any of my living room furniture at the house. We make quick work of it, and before I know it, the apartment is empty. I drive the truck to the storage first, and after we unload there, it’s off to the frat house.
“I can’t fucking believe Miles was here last night,” Damien complains when we arrive at the house.
“And that he got involved in a fight,” Teddy adds.
Seems they weren’t close enough to understand what went down—either that or they don’t care. “He was actually defending me,” I tell them.
“Shut the fuck up,” Andy laughs.
“I’m serious. I was dancing with these two guys I thought I was going to hook up with. I went to get a drink, and when I came back, one was gone and the other was there. He got handsy, and then his fucking boyfriend like, fell from the sky or some shit, accusing me of trying to fuck his man—who clearly has an issue with cheating.”
“What a prick,” Leo says.
“No shit. Anyway, the boyfriend wanted to rearrange my face, but Miles was there to save the day.”
“I wonder what the hell got into him,” Keeg says. “He hates you.”
“From what I’ve heard, he hates everyone,” Aiden adds, probably having heard stories from Marty.
“I thought Ryan was going to kill him for starting shit with your brother,” Jaxon says.
They’re not wrong, but what they don’t see—and what I’m pretty sure of—is that more than anyone else, Miles hates himself.
Stay away, stay away, stay away.
