Page 65 of Friends with Benefits

‘Of course, yes.’

‘It’s Ems, Brooks. We’re good now. We’ve talked.’

One side of his face twists and he scratches the thick stubble around his jaw. ‘Right. Thing is, she’s not alone.’

My body stiffens without it even receiving the warning messages from my brain. It can’t receive messages from my brain because my brain has gone into code freaking red.

‘She brought him?’

‘Yeah. Listen, buddy, I came to tell you because I’m willing to bet you want to do to that guy what I’d want to do to him.’

My breaths come in heavy, long drags. The guy who acted like my friend, who I trusted with my secrets, and then fucking betrayed me. The way I was brought up, family and friends are everything. They aren’t something you screw over for no good reason. My fists clench at my sides.

‘You came out here to stop me.’

Brooks holds up a hand, as if in surrender. ‘No. I came to forewarn you so you can choose what you’re putting into play, offense or defense.’

‘Defense? There’s no defense for the shit he pulled.’

I think Jess says something in the background but I’m already lost to rage. The rage I’ve let simmer for three years. Rage so strong, I forget I’m walking through my brother’s house, that my friends are sitting around by the pool having pleasant evening drinks. I step out to the deck and watch the bastard, grinning and joking with my friends, my family. He doesn’t deserve to be around these people.

Emily clocks me first and stands as I make my way to the group. She plants a hand on my chest. I’m het up enough to knock someone out of the way, so it’s a dangerous move, but I control myself.

‘Take it easy, Jake,’ she says, glaring into my eyes.

‘Emily, step aside.’

Brandon stands and I see Drew rise in my peripheral vision.

‘Emily,’ he warns, ‘this is between them.’

She stays between us, her hand still on my chest. I call out to Brandon across her shoulder. ‘What the fuck are you doing here? You have no goddamn right to be here.’

‘Relax, bro. What’s done is done. It’s in the p—’

‘Oh hell, you did not call me your bro.’

Wisely, Emily steps aside as I launch myself at the man I once considered a good guy.

‘Brandon! Jake!’

I collide with Brandon and we tumble back onto the pathway leading down to the beach. I shove him off me, and he lands yards further down the sand than I do. He staggers to his feet, his white shirt coming untucked from his chinos. Pretentious wanker. Who sits around the beach in chinos and a fucking shirt?

‘You busted my lip,’ he whines.

‘I’m gonna bust a lot more than your lip.’

I charge back at him, knocking him to the ground again. I drive my fist into his jaw, knocking his head to the side. I raise my fist again but before it lands, searing pain burns from my crotch and brings vomit to my throat. I roll to the side, covering my dick and balls, in agony from Brandon’s knee.

‘That’s a low blow,’ I snarl.

He dives on top of me and moves to drive an elbow in my face. Same old moves I’ve seen him use in drunken fights a thousand times. I block his elbow and crash a fist into his ribs.

‘Brandon!’ The voice is Emily’s but I see the others running onto the beach.

‘Take her up there,’ I hear Brooks say. ‘Let’s leave them to it.’

I smash another blow into Brandon’s side and he falls off me, gasping for breath.

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