Chapter 29
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Everleigh
T.A.T.U. - Friend or Foe
T he first thing I did when I got home was shower. After my several failed attempts of trying to reach Amber on the phone. Guilt ate away at me at the knowledge that I’d betrayed her in some way. My hands worked through my muscles, trying to knead some of the tension from them while simultaneously working my soap over my skin.
A therapist would have a field day with the inner workings of my life. Everything was so complicated and confusing. I knew I needed to make things right with her. Hell, I needed to make things right with my sister. My mind has just been overwhelmed with studies and the fuckery happening around me.
I quickly finished my shower and dried off before retreating to my room where I’d laid out my work uniform. Briley still wasn’t home. She was probably hanging out with Angie to pass time until she knew I was gone. Annoyance trickled through me at the thought. It wasn’t like we’d never fought before, but this time was different. She was actively avoiding me, and I didn’t know how to fix it, or if I even could.
A deep exhale fluttered past my lips, and I focused my attention on getting dressed for work. At least it would keep my mind occupied. That was one good thing that came from all of this. It made me appreciate my job that much more.
Once dressed, I headed for the bathroom to fix my makeup and hair. Considering it was a restaurant, my hair needed to be off my shoulders. I tied it into a well-kempt bun, leaving my bangs to scatter across my forehead due to my new hairstyle. The house felt emptier than ever with no one else being here, making the place feel less like home, and more like a prison.
I swallowed the thick lump in my throat before snatching up my keys and making my way to my car. A cool breeze drifted over my skin from the seasonal change approaching, and I sucked in a deep breath, reveling in the fresh air.
I was relieved to find the parking lot mostly empty, aside from the employee parking spots. It meant that today wouldn’t be too overwhelming. Sure, I wanted the money—needed it even, but it would also be nice to just trudge through my shift without having to run around like a chicken with its head cut off.
Turning my car off, I stepped out of the vehicle and made my way toward the building. There were only a few customers taking up a couple tables, giving the atmosphere a much calmer vibe.
I started toward the back to clock in when Vivienne stepped out in front of me. Her orange hair was well put together in a high ponytail that brushed against her upper back. Freckles scattered from one cheek to the other, making her appear much more innocent than she was.
“The boss is in.” She grimaced, glancing behind her toward the office door. “He seems to be in a mood today.”
I frowned. Our boss typically worked the day shift. So, if he was here, that meant something was probably wrong. By the looks of it, we had enough staff, so that couldn’t be the issue.
“Thanks for the warning.” I smiled softly, moving to sidestep her, but she followed me to block my path again. My eyebrows dipped in confusion. “Viv…” I trailed off. “Is everything okay?”
She blew out a breath. “I think so. He asked me to send you to his office when you got here. I don’t know what it’s about, but he seemed pissed.”
My breath hitched. The only time I’ve ever seen him request people to come see him was to fire them. I needed this job. It was how I supported my family. It was how I supported myself. Plus, working helped take my mind off things. Staying at home all the time didn’t even sound appealing, especially after working for so long.
“Oh,” I murmured, not really knowing what else to say. Vivienne knew how our boss was. We’ve heard him fire people a lot while working here. He wasn’t typically quiet about it.
“Yeah. I’m sure it’s nothing,” she added quickly. “I mean…you’re one of our best servers. He’d be an idiot to fire you or anything like that. Maybe he just wants to talk.” She was rambling, and I knew she was trying to comfort me in some way, but she was making me more anxious.
I forced a small smile and nodded. “Maybe.” The chances of that being the case, especially with him being pissed off, were slim to none. I couldn’t imagine why he’d want to fire me, though. I’ve been on my best behavior as far as work went. I rarely ever called in, unless there was a damn good reason for it, and I was always on time.
Finally, she stepped out of my way. “I’ll be out here if you need me.”
I nodded again, my mind racing with all the different scenarios. I thanked her and started for the door near the back, bringing my knuckles up to knock.
“Come in,” he demanded in a gruff tone that had goosebumps trickling along the outer layers of my skin.
I opened the door and stepped inside, willing my heart to slow the hell down. The room was small with only a desk and chair in front of it. He had his laptop open and facing him as he scowled at something he saw on the screen.
My shoulder dropped a fraction in relief. Maybe Vivienne had been right, and it wasn’t me who’d pissed him off. When he didn’t bother to acknowledge me, I made my way toward him and slipped into the chair opposite him.
“You wanted to see me?” I asked.
My boss was an older man who ran the diner by the book and in the most traditional sense. He usually pretended we didn’t exist until he wanted to yell at us about something. Which was often if he was working the floor. His graying dark hair was slicked back, and his glasses were perched on the bridge of his nose as he assessed the screen of his computer.
Finally, he glanced at me with his dark green eyes, disgust contorting his features. Okay. So…he’s never looked at me like that before. I shifted uncomfortably beneath his scrutiny.
“Yes,” he finally said in a clipped tone. “As you should be well aware of, we pride ourselves on professionalism, and anything you do while in that uniform…” He paused, giving me a pointed look. “Reflects on the company.”
I nodded slowly, trying to wrap my head around what he was getting at. “Of course.”
He sighed, some of the anger disappearing from his features. “I’m going to level with you, Everleigh. We received an anonymous tip that you’ve been up to some…rather scandalous activities while wearing your work uniform.” His nose wrinkled in disgust again, his eyes drifting back to his computer. “Well…it’s not so anonymous. They were pretty eager for you to know who sent the video.”
Video…
I could feel the color drain from my face as his words slowly started to sink in. He didn’t even need to show me what was on that screen. It had to be the video posted on the school social group that had been invented by students to ruin people’s lives, just like what was happening now.
“W-who sent it?” I whispered.
My boss cleared his throat. “He said his name was Ashton Banks. He also wanted me to tell you that this was far from over.” He shook his head. “Whatever that means.”
Anger flooded through me like a wave of hot lava. Of course it was him. Just when I thought he couldn’t be any more of an asshole, he went and pulled some petty shit like this. It wasn’t enough that he dated my sister, called me names, came inside me without my say-so, but now he was costing me my job.
“I assume you know what video I’m speaking of?” he asked.
I nodded, dread filling me. It was my own stupid fault that there was even a video to begin with. Lucas warned me that someone could easily see us, and someone had. Now, I was suffering the consequences.
“I hate to do this. You’ve been a fine employee, but I’m going to have to let you go. It’s out of my hands.”
Heat built behind my eyes, stinging them with the threatening urge to release. I wasn’t going to cry about it or beg. Like he said, it was out of his hands. Surely, I could find another job. Maybe it would pay even better than this one. “I understand,” I whispered.
He gave me a curt nod. “Just bring your uniform in sometime next week when you come to collect your latest paycheck.”
I forced myself to my feet, feeling much more hollow than I had. “Sure.” I gave him a watery smile and turned for the door.
To my relief, Vivienne was busy with one of her tables. I didn’t want to explain what had happened. My heart was aching and I just needed to get to my car so I could cry it all out.
My legs were trembling as I shoved through the two large double doors and unlocked my vehicle. I slipped into the driver’s seat, resting my head against the headrest and allowed my built-up emotions to expel from my body. Sobs wracked me, causing me to shake profusely. I hated him. He would never fucking touch me again. None of them would. Tears blurred my vision, trickling down my cheeks. The salty substance made them raw as I wiped at them, just for more to take their place.
A frustrated scream tore from my lungs, anger and hopelessness filling my system. My hands slammed against the steering wheel as I punched at it, over and over again, until my knuckles and hands were sore.
I reached for my phone and tapped in my passcode with shaky fingers. It took me a few tries due to the tears clouding my vision, but I eventually managed. I hit call on my newest contact and placed the device to my ear, hatred seeping through me.
“Hello?” Ashton’s amused voice trickled through the device after the second ring.
“Keep that energy, Banks. I’m fucking coming for you, you sorry piece of shit.” I ended the call, praising myself for not choking on my words. I’d never been a vengeful person. But I wasn’t about to sit here and let him take everything from me over something that happened three goddamn years ago—over something that barely even registered in my mind.
My hand tightened around my phone as I gazed through the windshield. It felt like forever, but eventually the tears stopped. I sucked in a shaky breath before inserting the key into the ignition and tore out of the parking lot with unnecessary aggression.
When I got home, I stripped down to my panties and bra and climbed beneath my comforter. Briley still wasn’t home, so it gave me the solitude I needed. My mind flashed back to Ashton, anger rearing right back up inside of me. He’d sounded so smug on the phone. Payback was going to be a sweet fucking bitch.
On my way to school the next day, I stopped at my favorite smoothie shop and ordered two large smoothies. One of them was a veggie one meant for a friend, while the other was a blueberry one meant for me. I got to school early enough for breakfast, not that I’d really have anywhere to sit aside from with Lucas, but Amber would probably be there. I’d heard something on the radio during my drive. Apparently, Rosalie had been arrested for killing her stepdad and younger sister. That’s why she’s been absent. She was currently sitting in the Brookhaven Psychiatric Institution. My heart went out to her and her family. I had no idea what happened, but from what I knew of her, she was a sweet girl. It was hard to believe she’d do something like that. But the evidence was in the news, so what did I know?
I found a parking spot near the front and clambered out onto the asphalt. I didn’t bother grabbing my bag and opted to head right inside instead. Lucas was sitting with Alex when I made my way inside the building and a trickle of relief jolted through me at the fact that I wouldn’t have to sit alone. I placed my drink on the table and glanced around the room, anger pulsing through me when my gaze landed on Jameson who was seated on the outside of the booth next to Ashton.
“Can we talk?” Lucas asked, drawing my attention back to him. It was then that I realized we didn’t exactly leave off on the best foot.
I blew out a breath. “I’m sorry for what happened. Ashton was out of line.” It wasn’t the sincerest apology, but I did feel a little badly about what went down. Lucas, on the other hand, handled it poorly, and scared the living shit out of me in the process.
Alex glanced between us momentarily. “Do you guys need some privacy?” he asked, right as Colt came over and dropped into the seat beside my boyfriend.
“It’s fine,” I muttered. “I’m going to get something to eat.”
I didn’t give Lucas a chance to respond. I grabbed the vegetable smoothie and popped the lid off, laying it on the table. The substance was thick and green and didn’t smell that appealing. I marched across the cafeteria in a few long strides before halting a foot away from their table.
Ashton was the first to notice me, his gaze raking over my body like he had the fucking right to check me out. I gritted my teeth in annoyance as a new surge of fury pulsed through me. Jameson met my gaze next, a flicker of surprise crossing his features. It was about damn time he got a taste of his own medicine.
“I brought you something,” I said sweetly, echoing Jessie’s words from the beginning of the school year right before she drowned me in an iced latte at Jameson’s request.
I didn’t give him time to process it. I dumped the drink all over his head. The thick substance was like sludge against his hair and hoodie, trickling down his face and front. A surge of satisfaction surged through me when I watched him tense up.
“What. The. Actual. Fuck,” he ground out, shaking with restrained rage.
Kash rolled his lower lip between his teeth to hide the smile that threatened to cross his features. I wasn’t sure if he had anything to do with me getting fired, or if Jameson did. But as far as I was concerned, they were all involved.
Jameson wiped at his face, flinging the smoothie all over the place in the process. Ashton lurched back to dodge it, much to my dismay. But he’d be getting his. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Evie,” Jameson warned, shooting me a glare.
“What?” I asked innocently. “You can dish it, but you can’t take it? I didn’t realize you were such a pussy.” I spat the last word, driving my point home. In the next breath, I was turning on my heels and stalking back to my table where Colt, Lucas, and Alex were still sitting.
Colt raised his eyebrows, his gaze flickering to the table I’d just vacated. “Not going to lie. That was hot as fuck.” He grinned.
I huffed a laugh and dropped down across from him. Adrenaline was coursing through my veins, and food was the last thing on my mind now. I just wanted to get this stupid day over with. My phone vibrated in the front pocket of my jeans a moment later, causing my eyebrows to dip in confusion. I tugged it out and glanced at the screen.
Ashton
Nice ass.
I rolled my eyes, hating the way my heart sped up at his words. Fuck him. He was deliberately trying to get under my skin, and it wasn’t going to work. I decided to leave him on read and was just about to put my phone away when an incoming call flashed across my screen.
“Grandma?” I asked. “Is everything okay?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” she countered, sounding offended that I would automatically assume the worst.
I winced, pressing my phone harder against my ear to drown out some of the background noise. “Sorry,” I muttered. “How are Emma and Tate adjusting?”
“They’re doing great.” She beamed. “I just dropped them off at school, but that’s not why I’m calling.” She cleared her throat and there was shuffling on the other end of the line. “The arrangements for your mother’s funeral have been made. Are you available Sunday morning? We can have a nice service and then meet up for lunch.”
My chest tightened at the reminder. She said she would handle everything regarding Mom’s funeral, and it did take longer than expected, but the thought of showing up and talking about her was weighing on me heavily.
“Yeah. I’m free.”
“Great. I’ll send you a link to the service by the end of the day. Have a good day at school.”
I thanked her before hanging up, my mood instantly killed.
Colt’s eyes widened as he looked at something behind me. “Oh shit,” he muttered, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Someone’s pissed.”
I turned around to see what the hell he was talking about, just in time for Jameson to scoop me out of the table and plant me on my feet. A gasp got lodged in my throat as he wrapped me in a bear hug, drenching my outfit in the disgusting smoothie I’d just poured on him. I started shoving at him, the smell making me gag.
Jameson laughed, bringing his mouth a breath away from my ear. “You’re going to have to do better than that, Evie.” He nipped my earlobe, sending a shudder through my body.
I slammed my palms against his chest, causing him to stumble back a few steps. “Oh, I plan to.”
Colt eyed us suspiciously but was smart enough not to comment on it. I had no doubt in my mind that it would be something sexual or inappropriate. People had stopped their conversations to watch the drama unfold right in front of them. Some of them even had their phones out and were recording. Annoyance and embarrassment trickled through me.
On the bright side, I had a change of clothes in the car—something I’d been making sure of since Jameson started having random girls toss drinks on me during class hours. I shot him a glare before turning on my heels and stalking out of the cafeteria. I grabbed my bag from my vehicle and made a beeline for the bathroom.
I grimaced as I took in the thick, green substance splattered all over my white shirt and upper arms. I peeled off my top and replaced it with a T-shirt before wetting a paper towel and working to get the rest of it off my arms.
He was so fucking annoying.
I’d gone over a few scenarios in my head when orchestrating my little plan, and I thought it had been pretty full proof. Instead, it backfired. I released a frustrated breath before shouldering my bag and started for my chemistry class.
The lab was mostly empty when I arrived, with a few early birds occupying some of the seats. Professor Whitlock was at her desk with her attention focused on the computer in front of her. I took my assigned seat and retrieved my textbook and laptop, placing them on the table in front of me.
It didn’t take long for my classmates to start trickling into the room. Ashton took the spot across from me as usual, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“You’re giving me mixed signals, babe,” he said in a mocking tone. “I thought you were coming after me .”
I wanted to say something snarky back to him, but he got off on that shit. So, instead, I just shrugged. “Fuck off.”
He glanced at the door as more people found their seats. Chatter erupted all around us, permeating through the air. “Looks like it’s just you and me today.” He smirked.
My chest tightened as I took in Amber’s empty seat. She must have been really pissed off if she was choosing to stay at home. I bit my tongue, fighting the urge to tell him to shut the hell up. The sooner class could get going, the better.
As expected, the period dragged on ever-so-slowly. By the time we were released, I wanted to pull my damn hair out. Ashton has made it his mission to get under my damn skin today—more so than usual. I’m fairly certain that I lost a few brain cells after being stuck with him alone for an entire period.
I just needed to get through my third class and then I could take my aggression out on the soccer field. I was just glad that we didn’t have to share a table in this class. Kash was in front of me, and Jameson was at a different seat entirely.
This period was going by a lot more smoothly, and we were about halfway in when a knock sounded at the door, tearing me from my workbook. A stitch formed between my brows as a man in an expensive-looking suit wandered in with a large pink box that had an envelope taped to the top of it. He spoke quietly to our professor for a few moments before turning on his heels and moved directly toward me.
My body tensed as he placed the box on my desk. Confusion skittered through me as I took in the envelope attached to the top of the box.
To: Everleigh Knight.
From: Daddy D.
I stifled a surprised laugh and glanced up at the man in confusion. “What is this?”
A flicker of amusement crossed his features. “Dallas wanted me to deliver this to you directly.” He gave me a slight nod before pivoting and striding out of the classroom.
I’d almost forgotten about Dallas completely. My skin felt clammy as I glanced around the classroom, and sure enough, everyone was staring. Of course that asshole had to gift me something right in the middle of school. Nervous energy prickled along my skin. When I glanced up, Kash was staring at me, boring holes into my face with the intensity of his gaze.
“Daddy D?” he asked dryly with an arched eyebrow.
Humiliation burned through me. This probably looked horrible from the outside looking in. In fact, it was horrible. Prostitution was prostitution. At least it was only with one guy, and he wasn’t awful on the eyes. That thought didn’t make me feel much better about it, though.
I shrugged nonchalantly. “What? You don’t have a daddy kink?” I smirked.
His eyes heated up at that, and suddenly, I felt like I was under a microscope. Of course that turned him on. This was the same guy that shoved his tongue down my throat in the kitchen, ground up against me, and spit in my mouth. My thighs tightened at the memory. Fuck. I wanted to pick up where we left off, but that was out of the cards. After he and his friends cost me my job, they could all get bent.
I blew out a breath and tore the envelope from the box before opening it.
I’ll pick you up at six. Make sure to wear this with one of your sexy robes. Black preferably
~Dallas
My eyebrows dipped in confusion and I lifted the lid, peering inside. My breath caught in my throat at the bundle of black lace that sat in the bottom of the box.
“What is it?” Kash pressed.
I shook my head. There was no way I was telling him anything. I moved to close the lid, but he snatched the box from my grasp before I could. His eyebrows rose when he glanced inside and then he shot me an accusing look.
Grinding my teeth in both embarrassment and humiliation, I snatched the box and placed the lid back on before shoving it into my bag.
“Who sent that to you?” he demanded, his jaw ticking with something resembling anger.
I shrugged. “Looks like I have a secret admirer.” If only that was the case. If it was just some creepy fuck who had the hots for me, I’d have no obligation to him.
Kash narrowed his eyes. “Don’t fuck with me. You know damn well who Daddy D is.”
I snorted a laugh. Hearing the word Daddy come out of Kash’s mouth was priceless. “Why are you so concerned?” I countered. “It’s really none of your fucking business, is it?”
Anger flashed across his face, giving him a darker look. He reminded me of Ashton in this moment. Full of resentment and dark promises. A chill swept down my spine and I averted my gaze, waiting for him to turn the hell around so I could breathe again. He continued glaring daggers at the side of my face for a few more minutes before he turned in his seat. Relief rolled off me in waves, and I relaxed my muscles some. But that was short-lived when my mind drifted to Dallas. He was finally requesting my…services. My nose scrunched up in distaste. For my sake, I genuinely hoped he was a vanilla kind of guy.
After class, I went straight to the locker rooms and tugged on a pair of shorts. I threw my hair into a messy ponytail and drifted out onto the field. Coach had us all line up to start on drills, which I was thankful for. My head was too warped for a scrimmage or game. After a few stretches, we all took turns dribbling the ball in and out of cones that had been set up.
I spotted Briley further down the line. She shot me a glare before looking away abruptly and my chest tightened. How long was she going to be mad at me for?
Next, we lined up in groups of three and worked on our passes. As practice stretched on, my body started to relax. It was easy to forget when you were having fun and occupying your mind with something you loved. My foot connected with the ball, sending it directly in the corner of the goal. The net swooshed from the contact and a small burst of adrenaline shot through my veins. It was nearly impossible to score when playing defense. But asthma was no joke. As much as I wanted to play offense, it wasn’t in the cards for me anymore.
I jogged to the end of the line to wait my turn again. My eyes were glued on the next group of people who were making their way down the field, passing the ball until it was time for one of them to shoot.
Lucas was good on his feet. He was much better at footwork than I was. It was almost a talent. I had speed, and being short also helped a lot, believe it or not. I could also kick fairly well. But when it came to orchestrated moves, that wasn’t my strongest point.
When practice came to an end, my gaze caught on Allison who was waiting near the sidelines with her arms folded beneath her breasts. Her attention was focused on Colt, and she didn’t seem happy. Knowing him, he’d been caught cheating or something. I snorted a laugh and made my way over to Lucas, needing that familiar comfort. We might not have been in the best place currently, but I needed to get my shit together. He didn’t deserve to be led on. It wasn’t like Ashton was an option. He crossed the line. I needed to leave him in the past, along with any old feelings I had for him.
“Hey.” Lucas smiled gently at me, tugging me against his chest.
I sighed, reveling in the warmth of his body. “Are you mad at me?”
He kissed the top of my head. “No. It was a pretty messed up day,” he admitted.
I smiled up at him and nodded in agreement. Rising on my tiptoes, I brushed my lips against his. But as expected, that familiar spark I had with Ashton, and even with his two friends, wasn’t there.
“I didn’t take you for such a pushover,” Ashton commented snidely as he disintegrated our moment. His eyes were dark as he glared daggers into the side of my boyfriend’s head.
Lucas blew out a breath and pulled away from me. I could tell he was getting tired of this bullshit, too. “What do you want?” he demanded. His face was littered with bruises, and he had a cut on his upper lip, but other than that, he looked fine.
“I’d like a word with your girlfriend.” His lips curled into a sneer at the word, like me being anyone’s girlfriend was that repulsive to him.
Exhaustion weighed heavily on me. I didn’t want this to end up in another fight. Especially not in a location where we’d definitely be caught and reprimanded. “It’s fine,” I assured him with a small smile. “I’ll just talk to this asshole and head home. I’m too tired to bother with the showers here.” I wrapped my arms around Lucas, placing my face against his chest as I hugged him. “Maybe we can hang out tonight,” I added suggestively.
Lucas hesitated but finally nodded. He hugged me back. “I love you, babe.”
I grimaced, not knowing what to really say. He had to know by now that I couldn’t say it back. “I know.”
He peeled away from me and started toward the showers, leaving me and Ashton completely alone. I wrapped my arms around myself in a protective gesture and craned my neck to look up at him. He better have something damn good to say to me if he thought he could just separate me from my boyfriend like that. I could be on my way home with a shower and nap in mind.
“What do you want?” I snapped, anger heating my veins.
He shrugged and took a step toward me, malice etched into his features. “Want to fuck?”
I reeled back, shock punching through my chest. “What the hell, Ashton?” I glanced around, making sure no one was lurking nearby. When I was confident that no one had overheard him, I leveled him with a glare.
He snorted a laugh. “I’m kidding. Ease up a bit.”
“I’m not in a joking mood. Especially with you of all people.” I scoffed. “Did you actually have something you wanted to say to me, or was that it?”
His expression turned serious, and he reached into the pocket of his sweats. “Yeah, actually.” He retrieved an envelope and handed it to me. “Crystal wanted me to give you this.”
My teeth scraped against my lower lip at the mere mention of her name. I still had the vivid image of her on her knees in front of him imprinted within my mind. If she was giving me anything, I doubted it was something I’d be interested in. I took the envelope anyway and skimmed over the pink paper. My name was scribbled on the back of it in cursive font, and she couldn’t even bother to spell it correctly.
Everly
Bitch. She knew damn well it wasn’t spelled that way.
“What is it?” I asked, letting my curiosity win out.
Ashton shrugged. “Some sorority bullshit. Apparently, they’re not getting as much interest as last year, so she wanted me to see if you’d be interested.”
I snorted a humorless laugh. “Yeah. Okay,” I retorted dryly, handing him the envelope back. “I think I’ll pass.”
There was no way I was letting that bitch initiate me. She’d just make my life hell. This had to be some twisted joke. How stupid did she think I was? Annoyance trickled through me, making me clench my jaw. I was almost at my fucking breaking point.
“I told her you probably wouldn’t be interested, but she insisted.” He didn’t seem concerned with my rejection in the slightest, like he’d expected it.
“Are we done here?” I demanded. “Seeing your face is kind of making me want to punch it.”
He huffed a laugh and took another step toward me until we were only a foot apart. I had to crane my neck back further to look up at him, making the position a little awkward. “A little rougher than I’m used to, but I’ll try anything once.” He grinned.
I snarled at him. “In that case, go fuck yourself. Preferably with a cactus.” I shot him a sweet smile before turning on my heels and stalking off through the field.
As soon as I grabbed my shit from the locker room, I could go home and get some much-needed sleep. The thought alone was almost orgasmic. Until I remembered that I couldn’t go right to bed because Dallas was picking me up.
Please be boring old missionary sex. Hell, please be a two-pump chump, or even a minute man.
Kash and Jameson were in the parking lot across from the locker rooms, passing a cigarette back and forth while they waited on Ashton. I avoided eye-contact, opting to pretend they didn’t exist, and shoved through the two double doors leading into the women’s locker room. It was completely empty by now from what I could tell.
I made my way to my locker and grabbed my bag, slinging it over my shoulder. I was about to head out when the slapping of skin echoed through the quiet room, followed by sexual whimpers belonging to a woman. My eyebrows dipped in confusion, and I crept along the wall, headed toward the direction of the showers.
The moans started to get louder, followed by grunts. The hair on the nape of my neck stood on end. I felt like a total creeper doing this. I just wanted to see who it was and then I’d leave them to it. I wasn’t immune to gossip myself, if I was being transparent.
I poked my head around the corner of the white wall, blocking the couple from view. My throat instantly went dry aside from the bile burning the back of it. My fingers twitched at my sides as dread coursed through me.
Briley was completely naked, bent over the white counter where we washed our hands and refilled our water bottles from time to time. The wall-length mirror showed me every facial expression she made while my boyfriend fucked her from behind. The squelching sound of her wet pussy reverberated throughout the room, making unease coil within my stomach.
She threw her head back with parted lips, moaning loudly as he gripped her hips and slammed into her repeatedly. It took a moment for her eyes to focus, but when she caught my reflection in the mirror, she paled and tensed up.
“What’s wrong?” Lucas asked, not deterred by her sudden disinterest in their fuck session. Typical.
It took him a bit longer, but when he saw me in the reflection, he cursed and pulled out of her immediately, whirling around to face me. On instinct, my gaze dropped to his dick that was dripping with my sister’s arousal and my face scrunched up in disgust.
I wasn’t even that mad about his part in it. Only that he fucked my own sister, and that she let him. Betrayal punctured through my body as I took in the girl I didn’t even recognize anymore. This was way worse than her simply going after my ex. Me and Lucas were still dating, and as far as she was concerned, we were madly in love.
Lucas dropped his hand to his crotch and took a step toward me. “Everleigh, babe. I can explain.”
Tears stung my eyes as I glanced over at my sister—at the girl who was supposed to love me unconditionally and have my back no matter what. “How could you?” I asked in disbelief.
Briley was in the process of tugging on her clothes before she even bothered replying. Once she was fully dressed, she opened her mouth to speak, but I was fucking over it. There was nothing she could say that would fix this. I turned my back and stalked out of the locker room, my chest aching for a multitude of different reasons.
Ashton, Jameson, and Kash were standing near their vehicles all laughing about something, but I paid them no mind.
I hadn’t made it three steps out of the building before Briley ran out after me. “Everleigh, wait,” she called out, clearly not realizing we had an audience.
I closed my eyes for a moment, sucking in a sharp breath before turning to face her. “What the fuck were you thinking?” I demanded in a low voice, trying to keep my tone low.
My body was vibrating with rage. I knew she was mad at me, but I never expected her to do something like this out of spite. I could feel the barriers in my body shutting down, bombarding me with everything I’ve been keeping buried all this time. It was the nail in the fucking coffin.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered in a low voice, glancing behind me. She winced upon realizing that we weren’t alone.
I scoffed. “You’re sorry?” I repeated. “That doesn’t cut it. Not this time.” I took a step toward her, closing the distance between us. “I’ve done so fucking much for you, Briley. I fucking loved you. Even though we were fighting, I still loved you. How could you do this to me? Why ?”
It took me a moment to realize I was crying and that my voice had gotten louder, but I was past caring. Fuck her, fuck Lucas, and fuck them . I was done getting walked all over and blindsided.
“I don’t have a valid reason,” she admitted, dropping her gaze to the ground.
I clenched my jaw. It might have been a little bit better if she told me it was out of revenge for what happened with Ashton, but apparently that wasn’t even the case. “How long?” I snapped.
She shot me a quizzical look. “How long what?”
I took another step forward, trying to calm myself before I did something reckless, but I already knew what was going to happen once she said the wrong thing. “How long has this been going on?” I demanded through gritted teeth.
She blew out a breath, bringing her gaze to mine once more. “For a few months,” she mumbled.
My lips parted in shock. That meant that they’d been hooking up over the summer and maybe even the end of the last school year.
“You haven’t been spending all this time with Angie, have you?”
She bit her lip, a tear trickling down her cheek. “No.”
A humorless laugh escaped me, the sound manic and unhinged to my own ears. Something snapped inside me, releasing waves upon waves of anger, pain, and sadness. The emotions all morphed into one, driving me forward. Before I even knew what was happening, my vision blurred with red and my fist connected with something hard—probably her face, but I didn’t even feel it. I swung again and again until she was beneath me and my legs were straddling her. I couldn’t stop. Her pleas didn’t even register in my mind. Nothing did. My breathing came out harsh and ragged, but I kept swinging. It was like my soul had left my body, watching the train wreck from the outside. I kept telling myself I should stop, but I couldn’t make the move to do so.
Strong arms wrapped around me, cradling me against their chest. I tensed, thinking it was Lucas for a moment. It wasn’t until he spoke incoherently to one of his friends that I realized it was Jameson. His hand stroked my hair in a soothing gesture as he barked out orders. I was just thankful that there were no cameras over here.
Sobs shook my body, the floodgates wide open as I let them pour and pour and pour.
It might not have been the way Ashton expected it to happen, but I was truly broken. And at the hands of my own family.