Screw him.
He lost his chance to be my other big brother when he gave us up.
This is my life.
I fold up the letter and carry it with me back to my bedroom. When I push inside, Charlotte is rummaging in her purse.
“Everything okay?”
She nods absently at me as she tosses a pill in her mouth. I hand her a bottle of water on my nightstand. After she swallows it down, she glances over at me. Her blue eyes are empty. Not sad or angry. Vacant.
“Char,” I murmur, taking her hand. “What did he say?”
“Oh, the usual,” she says in a flippant tone. “You messed up your makeup.”
I groan when she motions for me to sit down. While she works me over, adding more makeup to fix the smudges I made, I stare at my best friend. With each passing second, her eyes grow glassy and she relaxes.
“What did you take earlier?” I ask, my voice small.
Guilt shines in her eyes. “What?”
“The pill. Wasn’t for a headache, was it?”
Her sculpted brows furrow. “One of Hollis’s anxiety pills. Is that okay with you, Dr. Hirsch?”
I flinch at her tone. “Yeah. I was just making sure you’re okay.”
“I’m fine,” she says in a cheery tone. “Now let’s find you something hot to wear. And since our brothers are going to be there, let’s make them wish they weren’t.”
The party is in full swing. Campfire Chaos is always the same. A bunch of horny drunk teenagers all trying to show off by how much they can drink and not die. It’s where Kayden likes to act like he’s the entertainment of the party, making everyone laugh with his stories. It’s where Ryan gets in a fight with at least someone every time, just so he can prove to everyone he’s the most badass person here. It’s where girls like Tarrin dress like skanks and openly give blowjobs to any guy with a working dick, no matter who’s watching.
And, tonight, it’s where three of the original Hoodlums sit on the cabin porch like kings. Hollis sits at Roan’s side like Jordy once did. The four of them are like gods. Arrogant. Bossy. Rude. Not to me. I’m a Hoodlum too, though a little one. But to everyone else, they’re such assholes.
“It’s killing me not to drag you to my tent,” Kayden says, sidling up behind me. “Roan’s not watching. We could run off.”
My skin prickles with anxiety. The last thing I want is for Kayden to piss off Roan. And speaking of… Roan’s eyes lock on Kayden. Hollis is happily sipping his beer, unaware of his husband’s glowering, but Terrence and Cal have also joined in on the tense staring contest.
“Fuck,” Kayden grumbles. “I need to go see Zac anyway. Come by my tent later when those assholes don’t look like they’re ready to beat my ass.”
“See ya,” I murmur.
He gives my ass a squeeze before sauntering off toward his buddy Zac. They slap hands, something passing from Kayden’s to Zac’s.
Crap.
Of course now all the Hoodlums are watching him. It was so obvious he just passed Zac drugs, too. He does it all the time at school. Though he doesn’t come out and tell me he deals, I’m not stupid. It’s just something we don’t talk about.
But doing it in front of the Hoodlums is a bad idea.
It only gives my brother and Jordy more ammunition.
“Oops,” Charlotte says, bumping into me when she stumbles my way. “Tripped over something.”
How about nothing?
I grip her arm to steady her. “You’re wasted, Char. What the hell?”
“I’m not,” she hisses. “I tripped!”
“We should go home,” I murmur. “I’ll get Roan—”
“No,” she snipes, yanking her arm from my grip. “Ryan will get pissed. We can ask Cal or Terrence, but not Roan.”
I grit my teeth together. “He’s my brother.” In case she forgot.
“I know, but—”
“Hey, babe,” Ryan says, stepping up behind Char and wrapping his arms around her. “What are you two up to?”
“She’s drunk and needs to go home.” I narrow my eyes at him. “Unless she needs permission?”
His jaw clenches. “Catching all kinds of attitude, Roux. What the fuck?”
“I’m fine,” Charlotte murmurs.
He roams his palms over her breasts. “See? She’s fine.” He nuzzles her hair. “Right, babe? We’re fine. Want to go to the tent?”
I grab her wrist. “No. She’s going home with me.”
Fire flashes in his gaze. “Nope.”
Before I can yell at him, a flash skates past me, tackling Ryan to the ground. Charlotte gets knocked out of the way, but Hollis is there, steadying her. I stare in horror as Roan pins Ryan to the dirt by his throat.
“Roan!” I cry out, yanking on his hoodie. “Stop it.”
“The girls are going home. Walk away, Cuntingham.” Roan stands up, shaking me off him, and spits on the ground beside Ryan. “Bye, asshole.”
Ryan bounces to his feet, his nostrils flaring. “She’s my girlfriend.”
Hollis steps up beside Roan. “She’s my sister. My underage sister whom you got drunk and are luring to your tent. Best you walk the fuck away, man.”
“It’s not like that,” Ryan growls.
“I’ll be fine with him,” Charlotte whines. “Please don’t do this, guys.”
Kayden joins the fray with Zac, coming to stand behind Ryan. I shoot him a glare. Wrong side, buddy.
“Everything okay here?” Kayden asks, cracking his neck in a threatening way.
What the hell?
Roan’s shoulders tense as he shifts his anger toward Kayden. “Actually, things are not fucking okay around here,” my brother snarls. “Not with you dealing drugs right in front of my face.”
Kayden doesn’t back down. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I’m not fucking blind,” Roan growls.
“While you claw each other’s eyes out like little bitches, Char and I are going to the car,” I snap. “Come on.”
Cal snorts and Terrence smirks at me. I shove past them, dragging my drunk friend behind me. Hollis pulls up the rear, wisely not saying a word. When we reach his Mustang, I fling open the door and help Charlotte into the back seat. Once we’re settled in the back, I hug her to me and stroke her hair. She starts to cry, clinging to my sweater.
“I fucked up,” she whimpers.
“Everyone gets wasted sometimes,” I murmur. “Even perfect Charlotte English. It’s okay.”
“Ryan will be so mad at me.”
“Maybe it’s time you break up with his broody ass,” I suggest.
She sniffles. “Maybe.”
“I guess we don’t have to worry about our boyfriends much longer,” I tease. “Roan probably already killed him and Kayden both. Terrence and Cal might be helping to bury the bodies as we speak.”
We both giggle.
“Boys are so annoying,” Char says.
“Sooo annoying.”
She hugs me tight. “Love you, Roux.”
“Love you too.”