Page 168 of Rhodes

“I was embarrassed. Then I was angry, and after that it felt easier to leave it alone than explain any of it.”

“Any of what?”

I raise my eyebrows. Of course he wants details. I swear you fuck up once, and suddenly your entire life is up for dissection by your family.

“That part is between Rhodes and me.”

His jaw tightens immediately. “Til.”

“I’m serious.”

“So he did hurt you.”

“Yes.”

The word makes him go still. I hold up a hand before he can start.

“But not the way you think.”

“How do you know what I think?”

“Because Rhodes told me you accused him of taking advantage of me.”

Cooper looks irritated but not ashamed.

“You were living in his house. You were barely out of treatment. He was supposed to be the safe person.”

“I know what the situation looked like.”

“It looked bad because it was bad.”

“No. It was complicated because it was complicated.”

He stares at me. I take a breath and keep my voice even.

“Rhodes did not seduce me because I was vulnerable. He did not pressure me into anything. I wanted him, and I chose him.”

Cooper’s face hardens.

“I trusted him.”

“I know.”

"If you're going to be mad at anyone about this, you should be mad at me, Coop. Rhodes did what I asked him, which was to not tell anyone."

"That's convenient."

“No, what would be convenient is letting you turn me into some helpless idiot so you can hate him without having to accept that I made my own decisions.”

His expression changes.

“That is not what I’m doing.”

“It is exactly what you’re doing.”

“I’m your brother.”

“I know that.”