Game (Gentry Boys, #3)(13)

As I waited for the elevator I ran into the same pair of girls who had been staggering down the hall earlier. The blonde was heavily made up, her lipstick smeared over her teeth, her eyes unfocused.

“What’s your name, hottie?” she purred, sidling up to me. She smelled like milk and I didn’t want to know why.

“Save your breath,” I answered before I abandoned the elevator in favor of the stairs. “You look expensive and I’m short on resources.”

Before I closed the stairwell door I caught her gaping expression, which changed to anger as my words sunk in and she realized I’d been calling her a hooker. Really, I knew she wasn’t and it wasn’t a nice thing to say, but then I wasn’t exactly in a nice mood.

Running down nine flights of stairs was a good idea. It helped burn off some of the frustration over having the one girl I was really interested in being with tonight scream at me to f*ck off.

As I headed down the hall back to the small reception room I tucked my shirt in and smoothed back my hair. It would be better if I didn’t look like I’d just finished boning away.

Cordero still knew immediately. He saw me walk into the room and excused himself from a conversation with Saylor and her dad.

“What the hell?” he hissed and I realized he was genuinely irritated. It suddenly occurred to me that maybe I shouldn’t have taken off during my brother’s wedding party to go roll around, even if it wasn’t just with some raunchy chick I’d picked up from the bar. Cord knew I’d been into Stephanie for a while now. Still, it was probably a shitty thing to do so I took the scolding.

“Sorry,” I shrugged.

Cord crossed his arms and all at once seemed a decade older than I was. He had a steady job, a wife, a kid on the way. Two of them, actually. I worked sporadically, half heartedly took a few classes at the university, and had just exited rehab.

“I really am sorry,” I told him and he relaxed, shooting me a wry smile.

“Stephanie?”

“Yeah,” I admitted, looking around for Creed. “Look, don’t mention it to King Kong, all right? He seems to have a problem with me f*cking around with his girlfriend’s roommate.”

“Nah,” Cord said, watching Creedence in the corner as he shared a loving moment with Truly. “He’s just worried about you is all.”

I was annoyed. When did the two of them become so united in this parental quest to save me from myself? It was bullshit, like the way they’d always called me ‘little brother’ just because I was the last one pulled out of the womb. The divide seemed to be growing lately as they leapt over to manhood and I was still, more or less, floundering.

“You guys need to quit hovering over me.” I pushed him. “Go on, man. Take your bride upstairs and have your way with her. You know once those babies come climbing out you’ll be lucky to get a quick hand job once a month.”

“Bullshit,” he snorted. “I can assure you that’ll never be a problem with me and Say.”

I laughed. “Showoff.” Then I got serious. “Really, keep this Stephanie thing between you and me, all right? She’s not the type who’s too big on news getting around.”

I could tell Cord was thinking about needling me on this. In the end though he just grinned and grabbed me around the neck. “Give me a hug, little brother.”

I hugged him hard and felt a little teary eyed. Creedence and Cordero had been everything to me since the day we were born. The three of us had scratched out of a hellhole together and managed to grow up only by the grace of this brotherhood.

Suddenly I felt as if my chest was being squeezed in a vice. Creed had crept over and seized both of us in his ridiculously strong grip.

“Don’t damage him,” I warned, pushing Creed away. “Saylor will have your head.”

Creedence only grinned. He glanced over to where Truly was hugging Saylor. A look of wonder crossed his face. “Damn, so many changes. I almost can’t keep up.”

“Nothing’s changed,” Cord scoffed, and then looked over at his wife. “And everything’s changed.”

I slapped him on the back. “Go on, Mr. Gentry. Perform your marital duties.”

“With pleasure,” he smiled, his eyes on Saylor. She turned and beamed at him. He folded her into his arms and Truly came to Creed’s side, squeezing his arm. She noticed me.

“So I think this party’s over. What should we do now?”

I checked my watch. It was barely nine o’clock. “We could go see a show, go to the casino.”

Creed, terse as always, objected. “Fuck that. I’m ready to get laid.”

Truly pretended to be annoyed but a blush crossed her face and I could tell they really just wanted to be alone together. I knew I could find some company if I wanted it, but I was only thinking about one girl in particular. I wished she’d wanted to come back down here with me.

Saylor and Cord were leaving, their arms around one another. I stared at Saylor, remembering her as the girl she’d been when we were growing up together. I desperately wished we’d never put her through the grief of those long ago days. But then again, maybe that’s what all had to happen for everyone to end up here, for our miserable histories to be resolved and for Mr. and Mrs. Cordero Gentry to pass us with a smile and a wave as they began their life together.