Little Lies(52)

“Oh my God! Are you okay?” River reaches for me, but I kick at him, because no fucking thanks.

The fighting resumes.

“Look what you did now!” River yells at Kodiak.

“You attacked me! And you’re the one who dragged her to the floor!” Kodiak shouts back.

“Stop!” I wheeze.

They both do that weird man thing where they don’t know what to do to help, so they push each other back and forth, trying to get ahead of the other, I guess.

I roll over and get to my feet, clutching my throat protectively. At least now I know what my defense maneuver will be, should someone ever attack me. “What is wrong with you two?” I rasp.

River shoves his phone in my face.

I snatch it away so I can see whatever the damn problem is. “Where did this come from?”

It’s a picture of me, slung over Kodiak’s shoulder. I’m flailing, and he looks like he’s on the verge of murder.

“Someone took it last night,” River growls and spins toward Kodiak again. “I told you not to put your hands on her!”

“You think it would’ve been better if Clarke had gotten his hands on her? That guy’s is a colossal douche!” Kodiak yells back.

I am so damn tired of this. “Are you serious with this?” I shout. It’s the only way to be heard over their bickering.

Both of them turn around.

“First of all, I’m not an idiot. I know Clarke is a douche, and I would never, ever be stupid enough to end up in a room alone with him. Secondly, do you hear yourselves? I’m not a child. I’m an adult. If I want to drink an idiotic amount of alcohol, wear a thong bikini, and flirt with a dickhead, that’s my goddamn prerogative.” Although saying it out loud, I can see every single flaw in that terrible plan. “I get to make my own damn mistakes, just like the rest of you. The double standard around here is ridiculous! Maverick has a new ‘girlfriend’ every month, and bunnies are constantly hanging off the two of you. But I talk to one freaking guy, and Kodiak becomes a damn caveman, and now the two of you are going to what? Punch each other out over it?” I throw my hands in the air. “You know what? I’m done with this. I cannot and will not be defined by something that happened when I was six years old. I don’t need a set of bodyguards.”

They’re both heaving and angry, and now so am I. I shove past them and head back upstairs.

“I was trying to stop you from doing something you’d regret!” Kodiak calls after me.

I spin around. “No. You weren’t. You were being a dick, and I’m done with it. And you”—I point a finger at River—“need to chill out and take the Flowers in the Attic down a few notches. I get that you want to protect me or whatever the heck you think you’re doing, but Kodiak isn’t the only villain out there. He just happens to be the one you target.” I stomp back up to my room and slam the door.

It’s just after ten. I start jamming things into my backpack. I need to get out of here before I seriously lose my shit. I’m supposed to meet Lovey and Lacey for lunch and tell them how my idiotic plan went.

Honestly, I should’ve gone to their place last night and avoided all of this. I shove my econ textbook into my bag. I also grab a change of clothes, because there’s a solid chance I’m going to spend tonight at Lacey and Lovey’s. All this testosterone is driving me crazy.

The door clicks quietly. I don’t have to turn around to know it’s my twin.

“I don’t need a lecture or a bodyguard.”

“Are you okay?” His voice is soft, low.

“I’m fine.”

“I should’ve been here last night.”

“You being here wouldn’t have changed anything. I did something without thinking it through, and that picture was Kodiak overreacting as a result. If it wasn’t him, it would’ve been you or Mav.” I turn to face him.

He’s frowning, as usual. He still looks angry, but he also looks something else . . . Confused? Sad?

“I don’t get why you would do something like this in the first place. You hate the attention, and it’s really not like you. And since when do you own a thong bikini?”

I answer the easiest question. “Since Gigi took me tanning before we went to Cancun last year.” She said it would be better for avoiding tan lines. I ended up with a seriously burnt ass. I have fair skin, and apparently when a butt has never seen the light of day, it’s more susceptible to sunburn, even with sunscreen.

“It still doesn’t explain why you’d wear it in public, though.”

“Because I’m tired of the bullshit.”

“You mean Kody?”

“I mean all of it. The double standards, the never being able to date without you guys attacking whoever it is like starved, angry pit bulls. I need a break from this.”

“I should’ve said no to him moving in here.”

“It’s not just him.”

“But he’s part of it.”

“He’s going to be here no matter what, River. He’s Mav’s best friend. They play hockey together, and he lives down the street.”

“It never used to be like this with you two.”

I rub my temples. “It’s been a lot of years since it was like anything.”