1. Dylan

Chapter 1

Dylan

T he car hums along, the streetlights casting shadows inside as we drive home from the game. Ford's laughter breaks the silence. "Ooooo weeee," he cackles, leaning back in his seat. "That was some kiss and the slap! Kitty's got claws."

I know it was some kiss. I was the one with my sexy stepbrother's lips on mine.

Jacob, sitting behind the wheel, growls in annoyance. "It's not funny, Ford. Our girl was obviously upset. Are you okay, Pickle?" His voice softens when he addresses me, his concern evident.

I sigh, my mind still racing from today's events. "I'm fine. But how dare he act like he has the right to touch me, to put his fucking lips on mine after how he's been since we moved in? He's treated me and you guys like we're beneath him because we're younger, and now he kisses me? What the fuck does that even mean?"

Ford sits up, chuckling, clearly enjoying the drama. "Ummm, babe, I think it means he wants to fuck you."

Jacob's hand flies to the back of Ford's head, delivering a sharp slap. "And you're just okay with that?" His tone is heated and protective.

I want to know the same thing because I'm already with both of them, but I can't deny that Matthew has me all turned around. One minute I'm making myself come from the image of him and the next I want to slam his head into a wall.

It—no, he is infuriating.

Ford rubs his head, a grin still plastered on his face. "Well, we could have found out what it meant, but our girl high-tailed it out of there. It's not like he hasn't been watching her, though. He's seen her come a few times. I think it's obvious he has the hots for little sister."

My jaw drops. "What the fuck do you mean? He's watched me come?!" I snap, shock coursing through my body.

"You know, one of those times in the hot tub?"

"Yeah."

"He was watching out the window," Ford says nonchalantly.

"And you knew!"

"Yeah, figured if he wanted a show, we'd give him a good one."

"Ford!" I squeal, a mix of emotions swirling inside me. It's not just anger. There's a strange warmth in my belly and a tightening in my core. Knowing he watched me come undone has me feeling things I can't quite comprehend. What the hell am I gonna do?

The car falls into silence, broken only by the hum of the engine and the occasional sigh from one of us. I lean my head against the cool window, the air outside a stark contrast to the warmth inside.

Jacob reaches back, his hand finding mine and giving it a comforting squeeze. "We're here for you. You know that, right?"

I nod, squeezing back. "I know. It's just… I don't know how to deal with this. One minute he's an asshole, the next he's kissing me. And now I find out he's been watching me? It's a lot."

Ford shifts in his seat, turning to face me. "Maybe he's just bad at showing his feelings. Some guys are like that."

"That's no excuse for being a jerk," Jacob mutters, still clearly pissed off.

"I know," Ford says, his tone carrying an unusual gravity. "But maybe he has feelings for her and doesn't know how to handle it. Doesn't make it right, but it's a possibility."

I close my eyes, trying to process everything. There have been a few times he definitely gave off that vibe. But then he's cold again. It's giving me whiplash. "Maybe. But it doesn't change how he's treated us. Or how he just kissed me out of nowhere."

The car goes quiet again, each of us lost in our own thoughts. The events of the night replay in my mind, his lips on mine, the slap that followed, and the shock on his face. I can't deny the kiss stirred something in me, even if it is buried under layers of anger and fear.

I hope he doesn't tell my mom I've been playing lacrosse. She's going to find out; I have no doubts, especially now that we are State Champions. But I need to tell her on my own time, on my terms.

This better not fuck up my chance at getting out of here and going to CSU in the fall.

Jacob pulls into my driveway, and we sit there for a moment, none of us making a move to get out. "So, what now?" Ford asks, breaking the silence.

"I don't know," I admit. "I need to talk to him and find out what the hell's going on in his head."

"I feel a ‘but' coming." Ford smirks.

"But not yet. I'm not ready for that. I need to wrap my head around what the fuck just happened. Plus, I want to make sure none of this girl on the guys' team comes back to bite us in the ass. I should have just left my helmet on."

Jacob nods. "We'll be right there with you, Pickle. Whatever you need."

I smile, gratefully. "Thanks, guys. I appreciate it."

We finally get out of the car and walk up to the house together, a united front. I take a deep breath before opening the door, ready to face whatever comes next.

Inside, the house is quiet. The only sound is the clock ticking in the hallway. I glance around, half-expecting him to be waiting, but there's no sign of him.

"Do you think he's here?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Probably in his room," Jacob says.

I shake my head. "Good. I don't want to see him yet."

"Come on," Ford says, giving me a reassuring smile.

We make our way up the stairs, my heart pounding. I pause outside his door, but I'm met with silence from the other side. So I hurry to my room, the guys on my heels, and once we're inside, I slam the door shut.

"What are you gonna do, Kitty? You can't avoid him forever. And he's gonna want to talk to you."

His words catch me off guard. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, after what happened tonight. There's a good chance—no, a hundred percent chance—he's going to want to speak to you. Clear the air."

I close my eyes and sigh, moving closer to my bed. "You mean like what are we gonna tell our parents? Holly is going to have a conniption if she ever finds out."

He flinches slightly, but nods. "Yeah. That."

I sit down on my bed and fall backward with a huff. "Why do I have to have such a complicated life?"

Jacob sighs, running a hand through his hair. "It's gonna be okay, Pickle."

How am I going to avoid Matthew? We live in the same house. Our parents are getting married this fall. I was supposed to spend the rest of the weekend celebrating our win and planning a way to tell my mom I've been playing lacrosse.

Jacob looks down, a hint of sympathy in his eyes. "I'm sorry. How can we help? Tell us and we'll do it."

"I can't stay here. I'm not ready to face him and, like Ford said, he's going to want to talk. Can I stay with one of you tonight? Both of you?" My voice trembles slightly.

"Ummm," he replies. "I think Ford had something going on with his parents. But you could come back to my house."

Ford laughs. "No plans. Not now that our girl needs us. But we're not going to your place. I'll get us a room at the hotel again."

"Are you sure? I don't want to put you out."

"Kitty, I'm sure. My parents could give two shits about what I do and they gave me a card to use for what I want or need. Out of sight, out of mind for them. So we'll get a room and sort this out."

He reaches down, pulling me up from the bed. "Pack a bag, baby. We're going to wine and dine you like the champion you are. Then, if you're a good girl, we'll see if you can play with two sticks." He wags his brows.

"Christ, Ford," Jacob sighs.

"You're stupid." I laugh. "But I love you. Thanks for lightening the mood."

"My pleasure." He smiles. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make you feel better. I care about you more than I've cared about anyone."

I move from the bed toward my closet to grab a duffel bag before shoving clothes inside of it. "Alright, let me get some things together and we're out of here. But I want to get food on the way. No fancy hotel dinner. I want greasy diner food."

"Your wish is our command," he says, a small smile playing on his lips.

Before I can stuff another shirt into the bag, I whirl around and throw my arms around Ford, pulling him into a tight hug. It catches him completely off guard—his body stiffens for a split second before he melts into me, arms wrapping around my waist.

I hurry to finish packing and then pull my phone from my pocket to send a text.

Me: Hey Mom. Hope you're having fun with the girls. I'm headed to spend the night with a friend. Just wanted to give you a heads up.

Her reply comes within seconds.

GiverofLife: K

"Everything good?" Jacob looks at me with a raised eyebrow.

I smile. "Yup. We're good to go. Let's get out of here before he comes home."

Jacob grabs my hand and leads me out of my room and down to his car.