Chapter 21 #2
And there it is. The elephant in the room is finally being addressed after we danced around it and avoided talking about it.
I scowl. “I don’t break rules. You’re lucky that you caught me at a vulnerable moment.”
Aiden throws his head back, howling with laughter and filling the kitchen with the contagious sound. My lips twitch, but I hold back from joining him. He doesn’t need encouragement.
His laughter lessens, and he turns his darkened gaze to me with a mischievous smile.
“By vulnerable moment, you mean stealing my helmet and fucking yourself on it while moaning my name?” He tsks with a shake of his head and turns toward me, his arm caging me in as he places his hand beside my thigh on the seat.
“It’s so interesting that it was me you were thinking about instead of that asshole Brandon. ”
My heart thunders, and I let out a fake laugh. “Don’t let it get to your head, pretty boy. It was a simple mistake.”
His features darken, and he inches closer until his mouth hovers above mine. “A mistake, huh?”
My gaze flicks between his lips and his eyes.
A cunning smile creeps onto his face. He closes the gap and kisses the corner of my mouth and whispers, “It’s okay you imagined it was me, pretty girl. I was thinking about you while I fucked my hand and you were watching me from the hallway outside my door.”
My breath hitches.
He knew I was there? And he was thinking about me while touching himself?
Now would be a good time to ask him about a deal.
My lips part, but my voice won’t work. I turn my head, hoping to catch his mouth with mine for a kiss, but Aiden draws back. He rubs his thumb over my bottom lip, his gaze glued to the motion. I squirm, aching for more and needing him to touch me.
As if he can sense the change in my mood, Aiden’s focus shifts to my eyes, and he grins while drawing his hand away and raising his thumb for me to see a drop of translucent frosting on the tip. “Don’t waste it. Open.”
Without thinking, I lean forward and catch his thumb in my mouth. Aiden’s nostrils flare as I roll my tongue over the tip of his finger, then suck while holding his gaze. A muscle in the corner of his jaw flickers like a pulse.
He wants to play dirty. I can play dirtier.
I release his finger with a wet pop and smile at him, acting innocent by batting my lashes.
Aiden drops his hand, refusing to look away from me. “Are you sure you don’t have anything to ask me?”
I blink and tilt my head. “Am I supposed to ask you something?”
It definitely can’t be about the deal. If Aiden wanted to, he’d ask me instead. So there’s something else.
An unreadable emotion passes over his features before he locks it away. Subtly shaking his head, he turns and relaxes in his seat with a shaky sigh.
I awkwardly clear my throat and pick up the abandoned strudel I dropped earlier. “Anyway, did these taste weird to you?”
He arches an eyebrow and glances at the pastry as I bite into it. “You don’t like them?”
Shrugging, I toy with strands of hair at my nape. “Don’t get me wrong, I like them, but there’s something off. I can’t put my finger on it.”
“Oh yeah? How so?”
I pluck a strand, barely wincing from the bite of pain. Aiden’s eyes narrow, and he eases my hand from my neck.
“I don’t know,” I say. “It has a weird texture, and it’s almost salty. The inside has an odd color that’s not normal for frosting.”
He purses his lips. “Huh. That is weird.”
“Yeah, I thought so too.” I check the time on my phone while finishing the last of the strudel. “So what time are we going to the party?”
“I’ve gotta check on the guys, make sure they’re okay after some concerns. Haze mentioned a few things to me yesterday. If they don’t need anything from me, then I’m all yours.” He pockets his phone and stands. “I won’t be gone for long.”
“What’s going on?”
Aiden runs his fingers through his already messy hair, as if he’s been participating in that nervous habit all morning while I was asleep. “He said there’s some trouble brewing in the city, something even he’s noticed, which is worrying.”
Dread weighs on my chest and sours my stomach at the thought of Aiden running into trouble. “That sounds serious,” I whisper.
Noticing my distress, Aiden bends at the waist in front of me. His features soften as he eases my hand away from my head. I didn’t notice that I was already plucking a hair behind my ear. Lacing our fingers together, he brings our hands to his mouth and kisses the top of mine.
“You don’t need to worry,” he murmurs, his eyes locked with mine. “I’m not going anywhere.”
I force a smile and nod, even though I want to puke at the thought of losing him. “Promise?”
“I promise. Not even the grim reaper can rip me from your side.” He cups my cheek and kisses my forehead before straightening and begrudgingly releasing my hand. “We don’t need to worry about that happening, though, because I don’t know if it’s even about us.”
“Right,” I say. No jumping to conclusions. If he’s not worried, then I shouldn’t be, either.
“That’s my girl. I’ll be back later. Until then, behave.”
I frown as he snatches a black t-shirt from the island. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Aiden snickers and tugs on the shirt. “Meaning, no more riding my helmet.” He casts a heated look at me over his shoulder. “Unless you’re up for an audience. Or better yet, riding me instead.”
He leaves before I can respond.
Leaning forward in my gaming chair, I squint at the screen.
Brandon and I chose an easier game because I mentioned needing to relax.
The typical fighting games we play would only dump more adrenaline into my veins, which is the last thing I need after the tension-filled interaction with Aiden a few hours ago.
“I’m thinking of going to that store to buy the last few pieces for my Otaku Con cosplay,” Brandon says. “By the way, are you still planning on going next weekend?”
“Yeah.” I aim my disgruntled look at the webcam. “I haven’t missed an Otaku Con for four years in a row. There’s no way I’m breaking that streak. Why do you ask?”
“Well . . . you’ve been distracted lately,” Brandon says with a sigh. “I was worried you’d ditch me. Still am, if I’m being completely honest. I miss you.”
Guilt stabs my chest. “Oh.”
“Yeah,” Brandon says. “But I can kind of understand. You’re in the honeymoon phase of a new relationship. I’m sure it’ll wear off sooner than later, but I don’t want you to forget about me, ya know?”
I nod and play with a lock of hair near my neck. “I don’t think I could ever forget about you.”
I still get butterflies in my stomach when talking to Brandon, but they’re less prominent now. It’s like they switched teams, preferring to make themselves known whenever I’m with Aiden.
Not only is that wrong, but it’s dangerous. I can’t lose myself while pretending to be with my brother.
“Most importantly, you can’t fall for me.” Aiden’s warning echoes in my head.
“Oh, yeah?” Brandon’s features brighten, his smile stretching across his face.
“Yeah, you’re my best friend,” I say. “I mean, other than my brother, who’s also my best friend. But you get the idea.”
He chuckles. “Thanks. I can’t imagine your brother getting along with him.”
I turn toward the computer screen and tap a few keys, pretending to play the game while mentally scrambling for the right answer.
It’s not like I can say, oh yeah, about that. My boyfriend is my brother, so of course he’d have no problem with himself.
Cue “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
I snort a laugh and catch myself before bursting into hysterics.
“What’s so funny?” Brandon chuckles.
“My brother wasn’t happy at first,” I say with a shrug, “but after meeting my boyfriend, he seems to like him.”
“Really? That’s surprising.”
“What? Why?”
“Well,” Brandon drawls, “your boyfriend seems like . . .”
Aiden’s suggestion from last night takes this moment to float to the surface.
I hate that he wants me to talk crap about him, but if it works in the long run and helps Brandon like me as more than a friend, then it’s worth a shot.
“An asshole?” I say.
“Hey, I didn’t say that,” Brandon says. “But yeah, he seems like a huge dick.”
I relax in my seat with a sigh.
“I didn’t mean to offend you by saying that,” Brandon blurts.
“It’s not that. You’re not wrong about him.”
“Oh?” Brandon’s chair creaks from the other side of the headset.
“I don’t like how he talked to you. He’s been jealous and controlling ever since we got together.” The words spill out of me before I can think them over. I’m prone to word vomit when I’m nervous, and talking shit about Aiden to win over Brandon makes it worse.
He listens to me vent about fake scenarios that never happened.
My stomach churns, and I bounce my leg to ease the building anxiety.
I want to claw my arms and peel my tightening skin after lying through my teeth.
But by the time I’ve finished, I’m shocked—and pleased—to see that Aiden was right.
Shit talking him has Brandon eating out of the palm of my hand.
“I knew something was off yesterday, but I’m glad to know the real reason,” he says. “I’m happy it wasn’t me and what I said to you before he interrupted.”
I shake my head. “It’s not you. As you said earlier, the honeymoon phase is wearing off, and I’m seeing the real him.”
“Then leave him.”
I dig my nails into my arm. “It’s not that easy.”
“But it is. If you want, I can be with you when you break up with him. Just so he doesn’t try anything.”
Son of a bitch. Aiden was right. Brandon is trying to be a hero.
I don’t want to say yes before I talk to Aiden about the next step, so I force a smile. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
He scoffs. “If you don’t want my help, then at least have your brother with you when you break up with your boyfriend.”
I shake my head and check my phone again. “He’s been busy lately, and I don’t want to bug him.”
“Busy doing what?” Brandon asks.
I open the home screen and notice a new message from Aiden. Tapping his name, I read the new text while mumbling, “Kidnapping some jerks.”
Aiden
Something came up, and I won’t be back until nine.
Wear a dress for me.
“Wait, he’s kidnapping people?” Brandon’s shock rips my attention from the texts.
“He’s not actually kidnapping people.” I blow a raspberry with a roll of my eyes. “I mean, he’s doing God knows what, but definitely not breaking any laws.”
“Right,” Brandon drawls, not falling for my lie.
I force a laugh and abandon my phone on the desk. “Anyway, I got some time to play another game. You in?”
Brandon and I fall into our normal rhythm of playing games while chatting. Aiden isn’t brought up again, but he’s on my mind the whole time. He’s never told me what to wear before, always saying I’ll look good in whatever outfit I choose.
I can’t help wondering what he has planned and why it involves a dress, but I only have a few hours until I find out.