Page 27 of Cold As Ice

And if they couldn’t… then there was no hope for the rest of us.

* * *

Later that afternoon, I was doing a whole lot of nothing when my phone bleeped.

Noah: How is it being back at Mommy and Daddy’s house?

Connor: Asshole.

My mouth twitched at Connor’s reply. He was in the pits of hell but still managed to keep up with our group chat antics.

Austin: He has a point, Con. Is your mom going to give you a sponge bath and comb your hair?

Connor: I hate you both.

Noah: Did Austin hit a nerve?

Rory: Don’t be mean to him…

Connor: Thanks, Rory, baby.

Something bitter, like jealousy, snaked through me. Connor and my sister had hit it off the second she stepped foot in Lakeshore.

I wasn’t surprised. He was a good guy—the best of us—and Rory had that damsel in distress thing going on that guys gravitated toward. She was the sister he’d never had, and she was all too willing to step into that role while I stood in the shadows, unsure how to bridge the distance between us.

It was good for her to have people in her corner. But it only reminded me of what we didn’t have.

Rory: Is Ella there yet?

Connor: Not yet but she shouldn’t be long.

Rory: Promise me you’ll look out for each other. I know this is really hard on you, but it’s going to be hard on El too.

Noah: Yeah, don’t do anything to screw it up!

Connor: I’m leaving this chat now.

Austin: Don’t be a pussy.

Connor: At least I have regular pussy.

Rory: Connor Morgan! Take that back. Take that back right now.

Noah: Relax, shortcake. It’s just a little five lettered word. P U S S Y

Rory: You’ll be getting NO PUSSY if you carry on.

Jesus. I scrubbed my eyes, wishing like fuck I hadn’t been dragged into this. Nobody wanted to witness their sister and her boyfriend talking about this shit.

Austin: Sister, remember. SISTER.

Noah: Oh, fuck off, Austin. If you haven’t already accepted that I’m regularly petting Rory’s pussy, then that’s on you.

Rory: Oh my God. You’re all pigs.

Austin: And you’re the one who fell for Noah’s bullshit.

Connor: I think Ella is here. I’ll catch you assholes later.

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