Little Lies(15)
More nodding from the girl follows. “Okay, well, you can always text if you change your mind.” And with that, she flounces off to the barista.
I shudder in disgust. “I can’t believe that just happened. That was harsh.”
BJ shrugs. “She’s tried to screw every single guy on our street, so don’t feel too bad for her. Three days ago, she tried to hook up with Liam when she was at our place, and when she realized he had a twin, she thought it would be fun to see if they were both game.”
“Please don’t share the outcome of that story.”
“You know that’s not Liam’s style. Laughlin, maybe . . .”
Laughlin is their older brother, who has the personality of a vampire and the social skills of a gnat. It’s crazy because Uncle Miller and Aunt Sunny are quite literally the nicest people on the face of the earth.
I shake my head. “Still, I don’t know how you guys don’t all have raging cases of incurable STIs at this point.”
“Condoms are the answer to all of life’s problems,” BJ muses.
“Or you guys could choose not to screw the same girls.” I try to pull myself out of the chair, but I’m wedged in.
“Yeah, but then you run the risk of getting emotionally involved, and I’m not ready for that.”
BJ is unapologetic about his prolific sex life, and he never leads girls on. They just can’t help but fall for him. The beard, the tattoos, the fact that he’s a figure skater? He’s also ridiculously well endowed, which I’ve been unfortunate enough to confirm with my own eyes, thanks to his lack of modesty.
The bell over the door tinkles, and a ripple of excitement moves through the café. I don’t have to look to know who’s graced everyone with his majestic presence because I can sense him, like a shadow darkening my already-shitty day. Again.
“Fuck my life.” I stop trying to get out of the chair and try to sink farther into it instead. I keep my eyes trained on BJ’s outstretched legs and will them to stay there.
“Ballistic, we need to talk.” Kodiak’s voice comes from my left. He’s close enough that I can smell his cologne.
“Aboot?”
Like my dad, BJ’s mom is Canadian, and for whatever reason, there are a few words where that accent bleeds through.
“Who you let into the house.”
BJ shifts beside me, his arm stretching out across the back of the chair. “You weren’t complaining this afternoon, from what I heard. And she wasn’t mine; she was Quinn’s.”
I don’t want to be here. I want to disappear. I don’t want to listen to this, to be this close to Kodiak and hear him and BJ talk about the girls they have sex with. Particularly when only minutes before the girl currently in question, he was driving me home, making me feel like nothing. Then he hammered home the point by screwing a bunny right after.
“How would you know since you were passed out in the living room?” Kodiak counters. “And I talked to Quinn. I know it was you who brought her by. There are better ways to cheer him up.”
“Says the guy who filled the hole Quinn didn’t on our houseguest,” BJ scoffs.
I’m almost glad I haven’t had a chance to eat much today. I’d puke all over BJ’s brand new trainers, otherwise.
“BJ, have some class!” Lovey hisses.
“Sometimes the truth is dark and dirty. Isn’t that right, Bowman?”
I stiffen when Kodiak’s hand lands on the arm of the chair, his fingers curling around it, the tips going white with the pressure. There’s a brown smear on the back of his hand. He’s a compulsive hand washer. Sometimes when he was younger, he’d wash them so much, his skin would crack and bleed.
“You have no idea what the truth is, and you really don’t want to push me today.”
A heavy silence weighs down on me. BJ traces a figure eight on my shoulder, and suddenly I can’t breathe. It’s purposeful. An intentional reminder that BJ knows the history Kodiak and I share in ways most don’t.
“What’s eating you today, Kody?” he asks. “You must’ve taken the extra-strength dickhead pill this morning.”
“Fuck you, Balls.”
“You’re not really my type, but thanks for the offer.”
“You’re treading a thin line, and you know it.” Kodiak moves away, but the heaviness in the air is slow to dissipate.
“Dude’s got problems,” BJ mutters and gives my arm a squeeze. “This isn’t on you, Mini Waters.”
I finally pull myself out of the chair. “I should probably get going. My class is on the other side of campus.” I grab my latte and muffin, aware that class doesn’t start for another half hour, but I need to get away from Kodiak and the inevitable questions I’ll get from my cousins if I stick around. I can see Kodiak in the reflection in the windows, standing in line, making small talk with some starry-eyed girl.
No one calls me on bailing, because they know better. All of them know at least a little about my tumultuous past with Kodiak. But no one knows how bad things got, or how it all imploded, except him and me.
Chapter Six
Locked Closet
Kodiak
Age 11
I’M SWEATY AND stiff from standing in the same place for long minutes. It’s dark in this room, and I’m tired of being stuck behind this curtain. It’s been too long. My hiding place is too good. Maverick is never going to find me.