Page 10 of Brandishing Beginnings

“Girl, your brother is hella hot,” I shot back.

Kara rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Either way, those men are out there waiting for you. Who knows if it’ll go past anything more than tonight, but I know for a fact that they won’t hurt you. And from the stories I’ve heard growing up… they know what they’re doing.”

I didn’t know why, but that made me feel better. Nodding absently, I nudged Kara out of the way and stepped away from the door. “Alright,” I muttered, and bent over to pick up my backpack from floor next to Kara’s bed.

“What’s your plan?” Kara asked.

I don’t answer, instead I rummaged through my bag, looking for my pj’s. Finding the matching set of tiny booty shorts and cropped tank top, I pulled them out and held them up. “Well, it’s not lingerie—”

“But its short and little and they’ll see it for what it is… a God damn offering.” Kara practically cackled with glee.

I can’t help but giggle along with my friend. Feeling light hearted, I nod. “Alright. Well, fuck.”

“In another hour or two, you probably will be: well-fucked,” Kara joked.

I laughed, dropping the PJ set to the bed and pulling my slinky shirt over my head.

“Don’t worry about my mom. She has to work early tomorrow, so she’s already in bed. She’s a heavy sleeper, and I won’t leave my room.”

I rolled my eyes but turned my back to Kara as I pulled the PJ top over my bra. I was used to changing in front of girls in the locker room, but I also didn’t need to flash my friend. I unsnapped my bra under the top and finagled it out from under the tight croptop. Next, I peeled off my leggings and socks, before I stepped into the booty shorts that ended right below the curve of my ass.

“Hot damn, Maya,” Kara said from behind me.

I grinned as I folded my clothes and tucked them back in my backpack. “You only live once, right?” It was a rhetorical question, but Kara jumped all over it.

“Hell, yeah girl!”

Nico “Dagger” Gage

“Hotdamnbro,”Igroaned as Maya all but ran for the bathroom. Leaning back against the bottom of couch, I eyed my buddies, annoyed.

“Fuck,” Jason “Stone” Langford muttered.

Marcos “Killer” Candella shook his head. “Give her time. She’ll come back.”

“You guys couldn’t keep your damn hands off her, all fucking night,” Dagger growled, needing them to know how pissed he’d be if they scared Maya off.

Marcos rolled his eyes. “Stop being so dramatic. It’snot like we can’t get laid.”

“Fuck off with that shit,” Stone snapped. “You felt it too. Don’t brush it off.”

“Yeah,” Marcos sighed. “There’s something about her—” He cuts off as the bathroom door opened.

We waited, listening to Maya pad along the hallway and then entered Kara’s room.

“Fuck,” Stone muttered again.

I shook my head, my disgust evident.

Marcos sighed. “Give her some time. We came on hot and heavy. She just needs a minute.”

“How can you be so sure?” I grumbled.

“Because I’m trying to convince myself too, here. Let’s give her a few, and if she doesn’t come back out, I’ll knock on Kara’s door. She’ll at least let me know if we spooked Maya, or not.” Marcos rubbed a hand over his short-buzzed hair and sighed.

“Kara gonna kick our asses for wanting her friend?” Stone asked.

“Probably,” Marcos grumbled.

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