Chapter 17
TROY
Andreas corners me as soon as I enter my bedroom. “What the hell are you doing?”
“I’m looking for my Monopoly game, in case you haven’t noticed,” I reply, annoyed. He’s pissing me off with his attitude.
“Right. I’m talking about the little foreplay between you and Charlie. When did you flip, man?”
“Foreplay? Are you crazy?”
“I know what I saw.”
“Uh-huh. Yeah, only your depraved mind would think anything dirty from a polite conversation.”
“Whatever. Well, while you look for your game, I’m going to work out.” He disappears through the door.
I don’t stop him. It’s better if Andreas doesn’t join us downstairs. He’s in an antagonizing mood and needs to chill out on his own.
It takes me five minutes to find the old board game.
The box is falling apart, held together by tape.
It belonged to Dad. I found it in a donation bin in his garage, though I’m not sure what prompted me to rescue it.
I don’t think we’ve ever played it as a family before my parents split up when I was fairly young, soon after Robbie died.
I run my hand over the top, getting sentimental over nothing.
Screw this . I’d better get back to the living room before I fall into a dark hole of memories and can’t get out.
When I pass in front of the gym room, I glance inside. Andreas isn’t there.
Where the hell did he go?
I get my answer right away when I hear his booming voice coming from downstairs. Son of a bitch . He must have changed his mind about working out. I wish Danny were here to serve as a buffer. Usually, the two of us can keep Andreas’s mercurial mood in check much easier.
“I found the game,” I announce from the top of the stairs.
“Oh goodie,” Blake replies sardonically.
His rude comments are beginning to get to me. I can’t fall for his goading though. I’m trying to stay on Charlie’s good side. Fighting with her no longer appeals to me—unless we’re sparring in the bedroom.
Jesus . I think Andreas’s way of thinking has rubbed off on me.
We get ready to play the game. The L-shaped couch can’t fit all of us, so I grab a folding chair from the closet beneath the stairs and set it right across from Charlie.
I want to look at her all night. I hope my cock behaves.
She’s not even all dolled up tonight. Her clothes are casual and cover most of her body.
Her hair is in a ponytail, and she’s wearing her big glasses. Still sexy as hell.
The first few rounds of the game are fairly uneventful, everyone busy trying to acquire as many properties as possible.
It’s only when a few of us start to build houses and hotels that things get interesting.
Andreas is currently spending time in jail.
It’s Charlie’s turn now, and she’s about to pass through my side of the board.
I have three properties, all with hotels, and a mode of transport. Basically, it’s a minefield.
I lean back in my chair, grinning like an idiot.
“Come on, roomie. Daddy needs more money for his empire,” I say.
“Daddy?” She quirks an eyebrow.
I shrug a shoulder.
Charlie rolls the dice, then lifts her fist in the air when she gets double sixes. “Yes! Take that, sucker.”
She blows past my properties, not landing on any of them, to my utter disappointment.
“I’ll get you next time.”
“I’m happy in jail. I never want to get out.” Andreas chuckles, looking pointedly at Jane. He almost went bankrupt after he landed on one of her properties with two hotels.
“Sorry.” She chuckles.
He holds her gaze for a moment, almost as if he’s in a trance.
Ah shit . My worst fear is happening before my eyes. Jane is totally on his radar now.
I toss a handful of peanuts at him. “It’s your turn.”
“Hey, I’m not cleaning that mess.” Charlie points at me, furrowing her eyebrows as if she were mad. But her eyes dance with glee.
Something has definitely changed between us since that kiss.
I wouldn’t call our banter foreplay, but it’s definitely toeing the line of flirtation territory.
I hate to concede that Andreas was right.
I should stop, erect a barrier between us, but I don’t want to.
Deep down, I know if anything happens between Charlie and me, it won’t end well.
But I’m a fucking glutton for punishment.
“Sorry, darling. I can’t do any housework.” I point at my arm in the sling.
“But you sure can make a mess.” Jane shakes her head. “Typical.”
“I know, right?” Charlie piles on.
I snort. “That’s rich coming from you. Have you already forgotten that time I came home and it looked like a Halloween truck had exploded in my living room?”
She rolls her eyes. “Please, I was in the middle of moving. You can’t use that as an example.”
“Yeah, yeah. Whose turn is it now?” Blake asks, glowering at the board.
“Oopsie. It’s mine,” Fred pipes up. He reaches for the dice, then leans closer to Jane. “Blow on them for good luck?”
I sit straighter in my chair, ready to put the green-haired idiot back in his place, but Andreas beats me to the punch. “What the hell, dude? She’s in high school. Stop putting the moves on her.”
Jane’s eyes turn as round as saucers. Her cheeks flush.
“Why? So you can take his place?” Blake retorts.
“Excuse me?” Andreas stands up, body coiled tight with tension.
I do the same, ready to get in between him and Charlie’s friend.
“I should go. It’s getting late,” Jane announces, looking embarrassed as hell.
I turn to her. “Good idea. I’ll walk you out.”
“Hold on. I’m coming too.” Andreas follows us. Of course he would.
I’m almost certain he only decided to stick around because of Jane.
“Finally,” Blake mumbles.
“Blake, stop being such an ass,” Charlie replies.
It’s an effort to bite my tongue, but I do so because I’m not in the mood to start another argument. My shoulder is suddenly throbbing. I need to stop obsessing about Charlie and worry about my recovery.
“There’s cherry pie in the fridge,” Jane tells me outside.
“Thanks. I’m sorry the evening turned out sour.” I glare at Andreas.
He scoffs. “What’s with the look? I didn’t do anything wrong. That punk with green hair, on the other hand, is a fucking perv. Jane is barely eighteen.”
“Fred is not a perv.” She crosses her arms. “I don’t need another big brother protecting me, Andy. Troy is plenty.”
Andreas opens and shuts his mouth without making a sound, like a fish out of water.
Ha! It seems I don’t need to worry about Jane after all. Thank fuck.
I pull her into a side hug. “Thanks for coming. We’ll do something fun this weekend.”
“We have Dad’s barbeque on Saturday. Now that you can’t play, you’re coming.”
“Ah hell. I forgot about that. Do we need to go?”
“Yes. I already said we would. I’m not going alone.”
“That sounds like a lot of fun,” Andreas pipes up. “I wish I were off. Maybe I could get the twins to come.”
Jane wrinkles her nose. “Ew.”
The consternated look on his face makes me chuckle.
He rolls his eyes at me. “Ha-ha. Laugh all you want. At least I’m getting booty. Meanwhile, you’re pining for a girl who hates your guts.”
His comment kills my amusement in a flash. “Get the hell out of here before I punch you in the throat, jackass.”
He flips me off, then strides to his car.
“What’s up with him?” Jane asks. “He used to be nicer.”
“No, he’s always been an ass. He just hid it from you.”
“Hmm.” She keeps her gaze trained on him until he gets in his Bronco. Then, as if she just finished processing Andreas’s comment, she glances at me. “You have a thing for Charlie?”
Thanks a lot, Andy.
“No. That’s all in Andy’s dirty imagination.”
Jane narrows her eyes. “I’m not sure if he’s making stuff up. You guys were pretty flirtatious tonight.”
I step away from her. “Not you too, Jane.”
“What’s the big deal if you like her?”
“For starters, we live together. Have you ever heard the saying, Don’t shit where you eat ?”
She rolls her eyes, followed by a sigh. “Okay, fine. I’m not going to bug you about it. But if you want to explore the possibility, I’d say the path is clear.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I’m saying Charlie is into you too.”
I keep my expression neutral, but I can’t ignore how Jane’s comment sends a thrill down my spine.