Page 140 of My Brother’s Best Friends Entanglement

Craig's face changes. It's small at first, a tightening around his eyes, the smile going hard at the edges.

“Course she did,” he says, louder than it needs to be. “You always do like coming first, don't you, Alexia?” A pause, just long enough for people to realise something is going on. “Is that your rule with men when you date or something? I mean, it's not like you gave me a chance to show that I could toe the line, too.”

The laughing drains out of the crowd in patches as everyone starts to understand what he's saying.

“Craig,” I warn low, just for him. “Just drop it.”

“Hey, I'm not saying anything.” He spreads his hands, all wounded innocence, playing to the people watching. “Just pointing out you're very popular, aren't you? It's hard to get a look in, really. Busy, busy girl.”

“Craig,” Rhys says, his voice hard and cold as he gets up from the table and storms towards us, the other two behind him.

Leon leans across the table to ask Patrick what's going on. Patrick just shakes his head, confused.

“What?” Craig's voice climbs, pitched for the whole clearing. “She clearly didn't need to make room for me, when she already had the three of you. And those are only the ones I know of. So which one is it that gets her this week, out of curiosity?” His eyes flick past my shoulder, to the guys circling me, clearly delighted at the attention he's getting. “Hmmm. Or do you rotate? Daily? Hourly? Or do you not care, as you all get a turn at her?”

A hand closes around my wrist. Zachary. I'm yanked back as all three of them step in front of me — Rhys leading, Marcus at his side, Zachary close enough behind me that I feel him against my back.

“Stay here,” Zachary whispers.

Rhys takes another step towards Craig, who stumbles back. I realise he's not totally sober. “Take back what you just said and apologise to Alexia right now. That's not a suggestion and I'm not going to wait.”

Craig gives him a smarmy grin that has my spine stiffening. “Oh, so you're the favourite today. Must be nice, getting a taste of her, she looks like she'd be sweet on her knee⁠—”

He doesn't finish. Rhys's fist connects with his jaw so fast I can only gasp once I see the aftermath — Craig staggering into the trestle table, plates and food flying everywhere, someone screaming, everyone jumping to their feet. I've never once seen Rhys raise his voice, let alone his fist, and the sight of it — controlled, contained Rhys, knuckles split, chest heaving — is somehow more frightening than the punch itself. Marcus and Zachary haul him backward before he can get a second swing in. Craig's brother tries to steady him, but gets shoved off, blood already running from Craig's split lip.

“What a big strong man, protecting his credit-stealing little slut,” he spits the words like the poison they are. “Sleeps her way to the top and calls it networking.”

I can't believe my ears. Where did all this vitriol come from? I almost take a step forward just to ask him.

“What is he talking about?” someone says, his voice cutting through all the noise.

I whip around to see Leon in his chair right beside me.

“What is he talking about, Alexia?” Leon asks again, his voice cold, his eyes promising murder even as his forehead is furrowed in confusion. He's gripping the wheelchair's arms so hard his knuckles have gone white, staring at me like he's trying and failing to make sense of it. “Did he just suggest you were...” he stops, as if he can't say the words out loud.

“She's fucking those housemates of hers! Your so-called best friends have been screwing the fucking daylights out of your slutty little sister!” Craig yells so that nobody in the entire park could've missed it. My hand comes up to cover my mouth, suddenly feeling sick.

“Alexia?” Leon asks, the look now focused on me. “Is it true?”

Fuck. I take a deep breath.

“Yes,” I say. “We've—” It cracks straight down the middle. “We're involved.”

“Which one? Which one of my friends are you sleeping with?”

I bite down so hard, iron floods my mouth. “All of them.”

The silence lasts about a second and a half before it isn't silence anymore.

He shakes his head. “You're lying.”

I wish. God, do I wish. “I'm not. I'm sorry, it just — it happened, and I didn't know how to⁠—”

“It's not what it sounds like, man,” Zachary says, stepping forward, and Leon rounds on him so fast the chair almost tips.

“Really? Because it sounds like you've all been fucking my little sister. In my house. While I was in a hospital bed.”

“Leon. No. We have feelings for her.” Marcus, closer, low and urgent. “We care about her. We didn't plan for any of this to⁠—”