Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 101736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Colin’s expression soured. “Oh, did you?”
On the car ride over, Preston had asked if he could lead the conversation, and I had reluctantly agreed, but the urge to defend him was overpowering. “He did. Us hooking up was my idea.”
“I don’t want to hear about that.” My brother winced. “He took advantage of you. And eventually he’s going to hurt you because he fucking sucks at thinking about anyone else, or putting other people first. Case in point? The one thing I asked him not to do was go after you, and he fucking did it anyway.”
Irritation swirled inside me, and I opened my mouth to speak, but Preston beat me to it.
“How the fuck can you say that?” His chest lifted with an indignant breath. “Yeah, sure. I haven’t always been great in the past. I struggled, and maybe I was self-centered, but I’ve always been there for you, dude. Without question. Without judgement. Whenever you blew up your life and needed a safe place to land, who’d you turn to?”
His point was direct and sharp, and even though it was true, Colin didn’t like hearing it.
His eyes narrowed. “So, that means what?” My brother’s tone was shockingly dark. “Because you helped me out, I owe you my sister?”
Preston closed his eyes and sighed. “Fuck, no. I’m trying to remind you I’m not some terrible guy.”
“You are when it comes to women.” His focus sharpened on me. “Do you know that?”
There was something else he wanted to say, but it gave him pause, like he wasn’t sure if he should go there. But then the decision was made, and his shoulders lifted with a deep breath.
“He cheated on Cassidy.”
Oh, wow.
“What the fuck?” Preston demanded.
My brother ignored him and kept his gaze on me. He expected this to be a big revelation, and when I didn’t immediately react, confusion splashed across his face. Anger simmered off Preston in waves and it felt like I was standing too close to a pot of boiling water.
I lifted a hand, signaling to him to keep cool.
“Yeah,” I said quietly. “I know because he told me about it. That was a long time ago.”
“Yeah? Well, it wasn’t that long ago he’d fuck any girl who looked at him twice.”
“Jesus Christ,” Preston spat out.
Once again, my brother wasn’t deterred. “He’ll use you, Syd, and when he’s had enough of you, he’ll walk away. He’ll dump you or ghost you because the only feelings he cares about are his own.”
There was a tiny voice in the back of my head, whispering that I should listen to my brother. He’d known Preston a lot longer—and better—than I had, so he’d seen all the sides to his friend, not just the ones I’d seen in the few months we’d been together.
But . . . he wasn’t the same boy he’d been when I’d had a crush on him. He’d grown and changed, and if Colin couldn’t see that, it was because he was too busy being biased and feeling betrayed over something he had no business worrying about.
Preston and I were consenting adults.
I had no idea what kind of expression was on my face, but it compelled him to keep talking. “I’m not trying to be an asshole—”
“Bullshit,” Preston snapped.
“—I’m trying to protect you.” Colin rested a hand on the counter and leaned forward, perhaps wanting to give his statement more weight. “I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I want what’s best for you.”
His words made everything inside me stop and go cold.
“Are you serious?” My heart was made of lead, dragging me down. “You sound exactly like Mom and Dad.”
He reared back as if I’d slapped him, and the horrified realization made his eyes go wide. He’d suffered under their rule, so he should have known better.
“All my life,” there was so much fire burning inside me, the words tasted ashy, “people keep telling me they want what’s best for me. But not a single person, not one fucking person in this world, except for Preston, has ever asked me what I want.”
The atmosphere shifted, freezing all the feelings of hurt and betrayal between the men in place.
“Is it because what I want doesn’t matter?” I asked. “I don’t get a say in it?”
Colin looked pained. “Come on, Syd. Of course you do.”
“Yeah?” I gestured to the man standing beside me, the one who looked like he had so much he wanted to say but was doing his best to let me speak. “Well, I want him. Deal with it.”
I had so much conviction, he couldn’t argue with it.
Instead, his shoulders slumped with a sadness I didn’t understand. “Shit. Is it too late? Are you already in love with him?”
I despised the dread in his voice, and it got me so worked up, I answered without thinking. “Yes.”