Chapter 15
Holland
I fucked up. I know I fucked up. Why the hell did I try to bring up her parents? Oh, I know why, because I’m a fucking idiot. Good going, Holland. Real nice job.
Who knows when the last time Lainey talked about her parents was. She hates even the mention of them, and I know this. She’s always been like that, even when we were kids. Yet, my dumbass still brought it up.
I know it upset her. I could tell she was holding back, and she couldn’t get away from me fast enough. But I needed her to know I was sorry for mentioning it.
I can’t stand the thought of her sitting in her room or in her shower curled up and crying because I stupidly brought up something she probably wasn’t even thinking about.
I should go back and make sure she’s okay, right?
No, Holland. You’re not her boyfriend, and she sure as hell doesn’t want to see you right now. Give it up, man.
Running my hands through my hair, I walk into the empty kitchen and grab a water from the fridge. The guys are still out, and the rest of the house is quiet.
Deciding against watching a movie alone, I make my way to my bedroom. Setting the water bottle down on my bedside table, I faceplant onto my king-sized bed with a loud groan.
Lainey and I always joke, we always rib each other, that’s our thing. I’ve always known where the line was. Never bring up her parents or her childhood.
Honestly, I think a lot of it is because she’s embarrassed. She tried really hard to act as if it didn’t bother her, but I knew better. Growing up without parents would be difficult for anyone. I can’t imagine not having my mom at my side. I honestly don’t have a clue where I’d be without her.
I’m sad for Lainey that she never got to experience that. When her parents were home, her mom barely paid attention to her. Her dad hardly acknowledged her existence.
I used to think it was really strange. What kind of parents left for weeks on end when their kid was at home with a nanny? What kind of mother would come home after a long trip and practically ignore her daughter.
My mom aways told Ellie and I that some people weren’t meant to be parents. Mr. and Mrs. Barkley definitely fall under that category. Why’d they even have Lainey if they were going to ignore her?
I’m sure Lainey asks herself these questions daily, and that thought sends a surge of pain to gather in my chest. She doesn’t deserve that.
Groaning loudly into my comforter, I finally move my head to breathe. A loud ping interrupts the angry thoughts in my brain.
Unlocking my lock screen, I see I have a text from Ellie. I scoff at the name she’s created as her contact.
Best Sister Ever
Best Sister Ever
Thank you for bringing
Lane home.
You did bring her home,
correct?
Me
No. I left her on the
sidewalk to fend for
herself.
Best Sister Ever
Hilarious. I just texted
her. Why does she sound
pissed off?
What did you do to her?
Fuck. Why does she always assume I’ve done something wrong?
Me
I didn’t do anything, I
was the perfect
gentleman.
I avoid telling her the part about where I did the one thing we both know not to do. I already know I’m an idiot; I don’t need Ellie reminding me.
Best Sister Ever
Yeah, right. If I find out
you did anything to piss
her off or hurt her feelings
I’ll hurt you.
Better yet… I’ll tell mom.
Me
You wouldn’t.
But I know she would. She’d do anything to get me in trouble with our mother. My sister can do no wrong in our mother’s eyes. Ellie is the perfect angel. Don’t get me wrong, my mother loves us both equally, but Ellie is her baby girl.
Being twins, our mom made us do everything together growing up. If I wanted to play soccer, mom would sign Ellie up with me. When Ellie wanted to play an instrument, I was forced to play the viola.
When I decided to go to Ellington to follow in our father’s footsteps, before I knew what a crook he was, of course, Ellie had to come too.
We had the same friends, the same circles, and the same feelings for the girl next door. Except, where Ellie wanted to help her friend by throwing her distractions, I wanted to burn down the world to take away her pain.
It’s crazy to me that even when I was younger, I could tell the amount of pain Lainey hid behind her eyes. Behind her “don’t care”
fa?ade. Behind the guys and the parties.
Lainey tries to act happy all of the time. She never shows her true feelings, and that bugs me because I don’t know why she feels like she needs to hide.
Best Sister Ever
You know I will.
Shaking my head, I groan loudly as my body stretches out across my bed. I feel like I’ve been run over by a bus. Between practice, my time in the gym, and the tension that is still heavy between my father and I, my body is spent.
The thought of an upset Lainey replays in my mind as I enter the shower to wash the night down the drain.
My cock stands at attention as glimpses of Lainey being so pissed off at me that interrupted her time with Colton flood my mind.
Her pouty lips, the way her eyes narrowed, the way her jaw ticked as she held back the things she truly wanted to say.
God, that girl is fucking sexy when she’s angry, especially when it’s directed toward me. The tension between us is off the charts, and I know she feels it too.
It’s even hotter that she tries to deny it. She really does try to act like she despises my very being, but we both know that’s not the case.
The hot water rushes down my body as I try to distract myself from yet another jerk off session to thoughts of Barkley.
Tomorrow is Ryker’s bachelor party. Logan and I planned this whole night out at this wicked exclusive club downtown.
I don’t know where the girls are taking Gwen, but it can’t be as cool as Flux. You need to know people to get in, and luckily, I do. So, it wasn’t difficult to snag us entry.
Ryker gave Logan and I free reign to do whatever we wanted as long as it didn’t involve strippers because Gwen would rip his dick off, and I believe she would. She may be small, but that girl is feisty. She would probably cut his dick off, and then mine and Logan’s for planning it.
So, no strippers. Just a night of drinking expensive liquor and dancing the night away like drunken idiots. The Elite mansion had parties going on almost every single weekend, and we still do.
It’s just different without Pat, Ryker, and Mason there to help plan and supervise.
We still have fun though, and Logan and I do a pretty damn good job taking care of everything if I do say so myself.
Ryker was kind of the leader of the Elite since his father was not only a legacy member, but he shoveled a shit ton of money into Ellington. Christ, the whole athletic complex is named after Robert Steele, Ryker’s father.
His father might be an even bigger prick than mine is, which is crazy. But they both had their fair share of issues, and that’s putting it lightly.
Shutting off the shower, I grab my towel off the rack and dry off, throwing my towel around my waist.
My heart stops and I swear my breath gets caught in my throat as I step out into my room.
“Holy fuck! What the hell are you doing here?”
My hand involuntarily tightens around the edge of my towel to keep it still.
“Sorry. Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to freak you out,”
the brunette perched on my bed says, biting her bottom lip. Her eyes roam over my body slowly, from my face, down to my abs, and to the towel covering my dick that is hardening steadily.
Blue-grey eyes meet mine and my dick stands at full attention now. Fuck, why is she here? How did she even get in?
“You didn’t think sitting in my room while I was in the shower would freak me out?”
I ask, narrowing my eyes at her, and her cheeks turn a bright shade of pink.
“Well, I planned on storming in here and yelling at you, but you weren’t in here. I heard the shower running, and I decided to wait until you got out,”
she shrugs, as if that’s a valid excuse for her being in my room right now.
“You came to yell at me? You know they make phones for a reason, Barkley. You didn’t have to come here to do it,”
I shrug, a smirk tugging at the corner of my lips at how uncomfortable she looks right now.
“And let’s not pretend you stayed to lecture me.”
Lainey’s face scrunches up as if she has absolutely no idea what I could be insinuating. The flush in her cheeks gives her away though.
“Why else would I have stayed?”
she asks, crossing her arms as she abruptly stands from the bed. Her eyes hold mine as I step toward her. I’ll give her credit, if she’s nervous, she’s not showing it.
When I’m standing right in front of her, I look down at her with a smirk. Her nostrils flare and she looks like she’s trying so hard to look mad.
I take another small step into her, causing her to fall back onto the bed so that I’m towering over her even more than I was when she was standing.
I notice how her breath catches and how her eyes darken just a bit as she looks into mine.
“To see me come out all wet and dripping for you,”
I offer. I bring my hand up to rub my thumb over her bottom lip, but she smacks me away, huffing.
“You wish, you perv,”
she says, but she doesn’t attempt to move away from me. Is she enjoying this as much as I am? This teasing and taunting?
I mean, I’m in a towel, and I’m standing above her. It would be so easy to rip those pajama pants and tank off her smooth skin. So easy to…
“You’re staring,”
Lainey whispers in a sexy as fuck tone. Fuck, she’s right. She’s not wearing a bra, I can tell by the way her nipples are poking out from under her shirt.
“I know,”
I admit. No point in trying to deny it when she clearly caught me in the act. She moves slightly, causing my hard cock to brush against her leg.
Shit, this girl is going to drive me crazy, but for some reason, I can’t back away.