Chapter 39
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
ASTRID
“How are you feeling?” Cairo asked from the driver’s seat.
I glanced over at him and turned my body into his direction, my head resting against the passenger seat headrest. He slowed down at a yellow light as Rush and Arch blazed past us, heading to Cairo’s place.
“Okay,” I whispered.
Cairo tucked some hair behind my ear. “Do you want me to run you a bath when we get to my house? I’m sorry we couldn’t do proper aftercare.” He gently rubbed my inner thigh. “I didn’t expect them to take it that far there.”
“Maybe later,” I hummed, admiring the way the moonlight bounced off his dark eyes.
While I wasn’t used to aftercare—at least not with any of the other guys because our relationship wasn’t like that—I had asked Cairo specifically to drive me because my body … seemed so connected with him.
I couldn’t explain the feeling. I wanted aftercare, but not with any of the others tonight.
“Once everyone leaves?” he asked.
“If that’s okay,” I said.
“Of course. I can—”
Before he could finish his sentence and as soon as the light changed to green, Frasier beeped his horn behind Cairo. So impatient. The car accelerated, and Cairo peered in the rearview mirror.
A long silence filled the car as he turned off the main road and continued driving.
“You were with Calix last night?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Alone?”
I paused, then nodded. “Maybe …”
He drew his tongue across his bottom lip and nodded too. I stared at him for a couple more moments, waiting for him to say something, to continue, but instead, he drove in silence.
Was cute little Cairo … jealous too?
When we pulled up the driveway, Rush’s and Arch’s cars were parked out front without them inside. After we stopped, someone opened my door, and I stepped out of the car. Cairo guided me inside with Frasier and Calix behind us.
“Where are they?” Cairo asked the staff.
“In the cinema,” one of the ladies said, flashing me a smile. “We’ll bring you some hors d’oeuvres as we prepare dinner for you boys and for you, Miss Astrid.”
“Chips are fine,” Frasier called over his shoulder as he disappeared down the hallway with Calix. For them hating each other less than an hour ago, they sure were quiet now. He turned around and flashed one of his smirks. “Please.”
“You have a cinema?” I whispered to Cairo as we headed down the hall.
“It’s just a big room with a TV,” he said, opening the door.
It was not, in fact, just a big room with a TV.
It was just an enormous room with a huge TV and several aisles of reclining seats.
I settled into a seat between Frasier and Cairo, eyeing Rush and Arch a couple of aisles ahead, who were talking about something and looking back at me. Heat rushed through my body, and I pressed my thighs together.
They were so good at tag-teaming. I couldn’t stop thinking about it happening again. Hell, I couldn’t stop thinking about what had just happened in front of all those people. Being used and abused by these guys.
God!
But then my stomach twisted at the thought of Diya finding out. She could’ve walked right into Galaxy Grub this afternoon. Someone could’ve recorded what we had done in public—it had happened before in this town.
What was I thinking?!
Our ex–best friend—I didn’t even like saying her name—had done the same exact thing to Diya, and Diya hadn’t talked to her since. If she found out about me being involved with her brother in any way, she’d never even look at me again.
Sooner or later, Diya would find out. I couldn’t hide it forever, though I desperately wanted to. How could I explain it to her? She was the one person who understood me better than anyone. But how could she understand this?
I peered at Calix, who leaned back against the seat, watching a movie. His eyes were heavy, his features so much softer than they were earlier. Even though he might’ve been fighting with Frasier over me today, these guys were his peace.
It didn’t matter which one of the siblings I chose; someone would get hurt.
Frasier’s knee brushed against mine, and I glanced over to catch him staring at the screen, too, almost as if he didn’t realize his skin was touching mine. I kept it there and looked back at my lap.
Frasier had been using me. I still hadn’t told him that I knew. How could I? I didn’t want it to be true. The way he had claimed me today in front of everyone, before they all had their way with me, I’d just … I’d thought that … maybe he was a bit possessive.
A bit jealous? And if he was, then why had he used me?
Buzzing from my phone jolted me out of my thoughts.
Diya: Where are you?
My eyes widened, and I swallowed hard and racked my brain for any reason that she could be texting me without her usual excitement or craziness baked into her texts. Had I missed something? Were we supposed to study together tonight?
Then came those four dreaded words that everyone in trouble loathed to read.
Diya: We need to talk.