Page 98 of One Little Lie
Everyone’s gaze moves anywhere but on me. Except for Colton. That asshole just stands there and smiles.
“You have a girls’ day, Ryguy. Lexi is waiting for you downstairs. She said she didn’t need to be part of the ambush.”
“We said that, too. You wouldn’t listen,” East mumbles.
“Out you go.”
I scan the room, and notice Colton is the only one moving. He’s ushering Rylan out of the room like her ass is on fire. She’s pushed out the door a second later. Colton kisses her on the cheek, which causes a low rumble in my throat, but not a full-on growl, then he slams the door. In her confused face.
“What the hell, Colty?” she yelps through the door.
As soon as it’s shut, every eye in the place turns its gaze on me.
“Wh-What’s going on?” I’m suddenly fucking nervous. It feels like I’m about to be initiated into some secret society, and I’m not sure I want to be a member.
“Well, we could have done without Colton’s theatrics.” Preston pauses to gape at our younger brother, who just cannonballed into my bed.
“I had sex in that spot not ten minutes ago,” I say to be a dick.
Colton’s face turns green as he jumps out of the bed, shivering and brushing himself off.
“That’s worse than planting your naked ass on my pillow when we were kids.” Loki laughs.
Smirking, I shrug. I’d forgotten about that. We’d had a massive sleepover, all of us boys, plus the adopted brothers—Loki, Dillon, Trevor, and Dexter, too. One of us had read that if you farted on someone’s pillow, it gave you pink eye, so we all snuck around sticking our asses on pillows all night long. It’s really fucking gross to think about it now.
“What do you expect when you have a full basketball team of boys in one room?”
“I hope I have girls,” Preston grumbles, and we all turn to stare at him.
“Are you? Is Emory?”
He shakes his head. “It’s complicated.”
After everything he’s been through, I never stopped to think about the implications of what his situation could mean for him and his family long term.
Jesus. I’m an asshole. I’ve been wallowing in self pity, and my brothers have real world shit going on.
“Preston, I’m—”
He holds up a hand to stop me. “It’s okay. We’re just, we’re not ready to talk about options yet. Or maybe at all.” He shakes his head like he’s clearing a memory, then continues, “Anyway, we’re here about you.”
“Me?” My eyebrows shoot to my hairline. “Did I miss a board meeting or something?”
“No,” Easton interrupts. “But we’re afraid if you don’t get your head out of your ass, you’re going to fuck this all up. Again.”
“Dexter wanted to be here, but he’s knee deep in diapers, and Lanie isn’t feeling well, so we’ll do the best we can,” Preston announces.
My heart rate is accelerating with each passing word. Dexter is known as our real-life Prince Charming. He’s really big into grand gestures to get the girl, and he’s helped more than one of these guys succeed in a happily ever after. But for me? I’m not even sure if I can keep Rylan through next week. Forget about forever.
Instead of telling them the truth and voicing my concerns, I reach into the mini fridge and pull out a bottle of water. “It’s too damn early for an intervention.”
“Halt. You’ve been back here with Rylan for what? Almost three weeks?”
“Twenty-three days,” I blurt like an asshole.
I’ve been spending my days holed up in an office downstairs, putting out fires as the CFO and spending my nights igniting them in this room with Rylan. Of course I know exactly how many fucking days she’s been mine.
Every Westbrook in the room, both by blood and by choice, turns the same exact smirk on me.
