See No Evil (Brotherhood Trilogy #1)(27)

But now I’m scared that I won’t have stopped anything but my own life.





#16:

Unbidden



Trey



Kade grabs my sleeve and tries to pull me back as we race each other up the stairs. I laugh and shove his shoulder. He has to grab the railing so he doesn’t fall but it motivates him to charge double-time up the stairs. We reach the door at the same moment and jostle through it.

Yes, we’re acting like five-year-olds, but it’s fun and so we do it.

We fly down the corridor and skid to a stop outside our door, Kade giving me one final shove to make it through first. I let him have it.

“Yes!” He raises his hands above his head. “Champion!”

I roll my eyes and dump my bag at the foot of my bed. Riley’s hunched over his desk with a dark look on his face.

“You okay, Ry?” I shrug out of my jacket and start loosening my tie.

He turns to scowl at me and that’s when I see it. The welt on his cheek.

Dammit!

“What happened?” My voice is tight, snappy.

Memories flood me. Riley with a bloody nose, a wedgie, a split lip. The list goes on. Ivan and his buddies made an art form of torturing him freshman year and he never said a word. That’s why I stepped in and served up my own form of justice.

“You touch him again, you’re dead.” I growled the words in Ivan’s ear before spitting on his face and stalking away.

Strike one. I was on kitchen duty for an entire semester.

It’d been worth it.

Riley came to help me of his own accord and we became best buds while we scrubbed those foul pots and pans. I put it down to fate.

Ivan hadn’t come near either of us again.

Until now.

Looks like I’m about to get kicked out of Eton.

“Where is he? I’m gonna kick his ass.”

Kade plants his feet beside me, crossing his arms. “Not before I do.”

“It wasn’t Ivan,” Riley mutters and rolls his eyes.

My face asks for more while my lips bunch into a tight line.

Riley doesn’t want to say. He never does.

“Spit it out.”

Gently fingering his puffy cheek, he murmurs, “Chris got shitty and threw his big-ass flashlight at me when I wasn’t looking.”

Kade snickers. “What?”

“I don’t know what the hell his problem was. I should have pounded him back, but…he’s so pathetic, you know? I just didn’t have it in me to hit him.”

“Yeah?” I make two fists. “Well, I do.”

“Trey, leave it, man!”

I slam the door on Riley’s call and barge into Chris’s room. He’s sitting on his bed looking sick and pale, but I’m too annoyed to stop and think about it.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I fling my arms wide. “A flashlight? Are you fucking insane?”

I spot it on the ground and snatch it up, shoving it into my back pocket. “I’m taking this.”

“Give it back.” He jumps off the bed and goes to grab it.

I shove him away. “Forget it. If you’re gonna use it as a weapon then I’m confiscating it.”

“Oh, you’re a teacher now?” Chris’s eyes fire with anger. “Acting like some self-righteous prick? He was the one in my room and he wouldn’t get out.”

“So you throw this at his face while he’s not looking? Have you seen the bruise you left behind?”

“Oh, please, he’s a big boy. He can handle it.”

I grit my teeth, steam coming out my nose. “You don’t mess with my brothers.”

“They’re not your brothers!” His eyes fire hot. “You’re not even related!”

“They’re brothers to me. I don’t give a shit about blood. They’re family, and I don’t like it when someone does something to hurt them! So you’re gonna apologize to Riley.”

“Screw you.” He tries to shove me.

His pathetic attempt barely moves me, which pisses him off.

I snicker and tell him he’s lame without saying it.

My expression makes his dark eyebrows dip together and he lets out a growl before lurching forward with a punch. I block it, waving his hand away.

He comes forward with another punch, aiming for my stomach. I jump out of the way and grab his skinny wrist.

He stomps on my foot, catching my little toe. I grumble a curse and shift my knee just as he goes for my groin.

I flash him a horrified look. Does he not know the rules of combat? You never go for the balls!

My eyes narrow with anger and he starts struggling big time, making these pathetic little noises as he goes for my shins and then tries to stand on my feet again.

“Stop it!” I want to punch him square in the face but I get what Riley means.

The guy’s so…I don’t know what he is, but I can’t bring myself to hit him.

With a sharp huff, I walk him back and slam him into his closet door. His face crumples with pain, but he won’t quit struggling. I let go of his wrist and grab his collar, getting in his face, about to yell at him for being an idiot.

But then he looks me straight in the eye.

It’s like the first time I saw him. Some weird, freaky connection that makes us both still. I can’t move away from it. I can’t do anything but stare into his brown eyes, transfixed by the pain and longing.