Page 12 of Big Pucking Deal
“Who said I was planning on inviting Craig with us? Maybe it’ll be just Bram and me.”
He gives me a cocky smirk. “That’s not how this game operates. You wanted to play, Bunny? Then you follow our rules.”
I shake my head looking between the two of them. “So are you telling me this is something you’ve done before? Often?”
Bram shyly nods his head while Joaqín is the complete opposite. He stands tall and proud with a confident nod of his head.
“Your other option is to get your shit and go home and don’t ever come back to one of these parties,” Joaquín adds, challenging me.
I’m somewhat disgusted knowing that we were invited tonight because we were clueless as to what goes on. I see other girls here and they seem to be fully aware of “dare night” and how it works. I’ve watched a few girls walk off with a couple of guys, not really thinking much of it.
Now I’m looking at my brother in a different light. Does he participate? He was just as upset as Joaquín was when I showed up. My guess is that he is all too familiar with what goes down.
I push past Joaquín and Bram and march straight over to my brother.
“Is that why you didn’t want me here?” I ask him, watching one more girl walking off with two players, her grin wide and bright.
Jordan looks at my angry face then over my shoulder to where I assume Joaquín and Bram stand.
Jordan rises from his place in the lounger and points a finger in Bram’s face. “Did you ask my sister to go to your place?”
Jordan’s face turns the color of the red flames of the fire. His hardened face is different from any other time I’ve witnessed his anger.
“I thought she knew what was going on here,” Bram defends.
Jordan turns his attention to me and growls, “Go home, Jo. You don’t belong here. This place is not for you.”
“But it’s for me?” Brooke asks. “Wow. Thanks.”
“No. That’s not,” Jordan’s eyes squeeze shut and he blows out a hot breath. “I don’t do this stuff…anymore. I haven’t in a long while. I simply come to hang out. I’m not, I’m not likethat,” he snarls, pointing at Bram, and I feel like there’s a story there
My anger grows with Jordan and Joaquín continuing their insistence on acting like my dad and telling me what I can andcannot do. They’ve ordered me around, spoken to me like I’m a child, and think I can’t handle a taste of something wild.
“Brooke,” I say, turning her attention towards me. “You think you’ll be alright getting back to your dorm alone?”
“I’ll make sure she gets back safely,” Jordan sighs, relief evident in his voice.
He assumes I’m driving my ass home.
“Cool. I’ll call you tomorrow. C’mon Bram. Let’s go.” I yank on his hand and start tugging him behind me in the direction he pointed earlier.
“Get back here, Jo,” Jordan shouts.
“Leave me alone, Jo. You’re not my goddamn father.” I lift my arm high in the air and flip him off. “Which one?” I ask Bram.
“There.” He takes the lead and I follow.
In the distance I can hear Jordan and Joaquín shouting, but the words become more and more faint the further we get from them.
We make it to Bram’s door and he unlocks it, then pushes it open for me to step through. He begins to shut the door when a loud slap stops it. It swings open and I see an enraged looking Joaquín standing there. He moves his large body into the entryway and kicks the door closed with a crash.
The pit of my stomach bubbles like a boiling pot of water, my body hot and full of energy. I don’t know what he told my brother but the fact that he’s here must mean he’s player number three tonight.
I feign confidence and say, “Okay. Where to now?”
Shock crosses Joaquín’s face almost as if he assumed his presence would have me retreating home. I’ll show him.
Bram takes my hand and starts walking upstairs. I watch Joaquín as we go until he moves to follow. The look on his face is a mixture of disappointment and relentlessness.
