Chapter 33

It’searly afternoon by the time we emerge from downstairs.

Remy’s in the kitchen, leaning on the counter directly across from the basement door. Like he’s been posed and waiting for us all morning.

I run my fingers through my hair and adjust the T-shirt I borrowed from Griff. It almost goes to my knees, but my wild sex hair and pajama pants practically announce I spent the night downstairs.

“Good morning.” I flash a bright, chipper smile.

“Good afternoon.” Remy tilts his head and levels us with an exasperated stare. “I assume this means you’re back together.”

“Aww, you should be a detective, brother dear.” I reach up and pat the top of his head.

He ducks and weaves away from me.

Two strong arms band around my middle, and Griff pulls me tight to the front his body, resting his chin on top of my head. “Don’t worry. She’s going back to campus tomorrow,” Griff says.

“She is standing right here and she will decide when and where she goes,” I say, slipping out of his hold.

Remy bites the inside of his cheek but a chuckle slips out anyway. “Damn, Griff. That lasted five seconds.”

“Yes, I’m going back to campus tomorrow,” I say. “Griff said he’ll visit me.”

“Is that right?” Remy lifts a skeptical eyebrow.

Griff raises his hands. “Whenever she tells me she has time. I won’t interfere with her classes.”

“You better not.”

“Remy!” I snap, tired of him hassling Griff. “This may shock you, but I had a crush on Griff all through high school and still managed to graduate near the top of my class. I’m capable of doing more than one thing.”

“Yeah, but now you’re actually with the bonehead.” He slides an annoyed look at Griff. “Again.”

“Don’t call my boyfriend a bonehead.”

“Aww.” Griff nuzzles his face in my hair and kisses my cheek. “Thank you, baby.” Whether he’s sincere or trying to further annoy my brother, I’m not sure. “You really had a crush on me that long?” he whispers against my ear.

“Probably longer.” I pat his arm. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

Both of them rumble with laughter. Griff releases me. Hopefully that means they’re not going to continue the verbal sparring.

“Great.” Remy claps his hands together. “Now that you’ve left your cocoon, let’s make breakfast.”

My stomach growls. “You haven’t eaten yet?”

His gaze slides to the door. “Nah, I ran some errands early this morning. Just got back a little while ago.”

“All right, what are we making?”

“Omelets,” Remy says as if it should be obvious.

“Of course.” I smack my hand against my forehead. “What was I thinking?”

“I bought those blue eggs you like from the farmer’s market.”

I stop and stare at my brother. “You went to the farmer’s market?”

“Yes, smart-ass. I ordered something for the bar from one of the vendors.” He flicks an irritated look over my shoulder. “Since I had some time, I looked for the egg lady.”

“Oh boy.” I rub my hands together, looking forward to breakfast now. “The scrambled eggs they serve in the dining hall come out of a one-gallon container. They’re so gross.”

The three of us work as a team and form an efficient assembly line. I beat all the eggs, Griff preps fillings for the omelets and Remy mans the stove. Griff and I work closer together than probably necessary, stopping to touch each other frequently. Remy heaves several exasperated breaths but otherwise keeps his opinions to himself.

Remy gives me the first omelet and I hurry into the dining room to devour it. A few minutes later, Griff sets his plate next to mine and a glass of orange juice in front of me.

“Thanks.” I pick it up and take a sip.

“No problem.” He leans over and kisses the top of my head. “Need anything else?”

I shake my head.

He makes a few trips back and forth from the kitchen, and I feel a little guilty for sitting down to eat so quickly.

Finally, they both join me.

Griff places a plate of toast in the middle of the table and I wait until they’ve both taken a piece, then grab one.

Griff’s phone vibrates. He picks it up off the table and checks the screen, then shows it to me. It’s an email with information about the reunion. I scan it and nod at Griff.

“I’m going to forward it to you,” he says.

“What is this?” Remy waves his fork at us. “You going to be one of those couples who have to monitor each other’s messages now?”

“What?” I frown at him. “No.”

Griff releases a heavy sigh and sets his fork down. “You know how I told you I have to go to the reunion show?”

Remy narrows his eyes and sets his own fork aside. “Yeah,” he says slowly. “Otherwise, they won’t pay you the rest of your prize money. Which, for the record, is fucking bullshit.”

“Agreed.” Griff glances over at me and what he’s about to tell my brother is written in the way his lips turn down. “Well, they invited Molly too. We’re going together.”

Invited. He makes it sound so cheery when he puts it that way.

Remy hasn’t responded, yet.

But if nuclear had a color, it’d be the shade of red on my brother’s face.

Griff

“You’re taking my sister, where?” Disbelief drips from every word out of Remy’s mouth. “Are you insane?”

“I’m going.” Molly defiantly lifts her chin. “I want to show those demon clowns that we survived what they tried to do to us.”

I snort at demon clowns. That’s what I’m calling the producers of Supreme Underground Fighter from now until eternity.

Remy’s nostrils flare in a silent snarl of rage. “This isn’t a game. You have no idea what you’re going to face.” He waves his hand wildly in the air. “I read that the ratings are fucked from them taking so long to air the last episode. They’ll want something extra juicy to reel viewers in again.”

“Okay.” She uses her let’s be reasonable tone. “But I’ll know that going in. We’ll be okay.”

Remy focuses his glowering stare on me. “Is this how you protect my sister? Drop her into that snake pit? After what they already did to her?”

“Hey!” Molly snaps. “Don’t talk about me like I’m not sitting right across from you. It’s my decision.”

Shit, I better intervene before they get into it. “They’re going to pay her for her appearance.”

If anything, his face turns a deeper shade of angry. Definitely the wrong argument.

“Fuck their money.” Remy fumes and turns his relentless stare on Molly. “No amount of money is worth that, Molly.”

She glances at the table, like she’s carefully considering her words. “It’s not about the money as much as, I hate what they did to Griff. And I despise the way they portrayed me as some sniveling little girl. I never had a chance to defend myself. This way, I can.”

“You’re kidding yourself, Molly.” Remy shakes his head. “They will cut and edit whatever you say to fit their story. This isn’t a battle you can win. Please don’t do this.”

“The whole cast will be there,” I interrupt, bringing Remy’s blistering stare my way again. “Venom’s bringing his wife. Thunder will have his wife and kid there. Woolly’s mom is coming.”

“None of those people had the shit said about them that Molly did,” Remy points out. “They didn’t ‘show’ Venom fucking some skank. They pinned that on you.”

“We’re all aware,” Molly says. “Remy, I love you for worrying about me so much. And for trying to bring up things I hadn’t considered. But I’m not asking for your permission. I’m going.”

“When is it?” Remy asks.

I give him the dates.

“Why two days?”

“I assume it’ll be a long day of taping.” I shrug. “It’s like a three-hour drive.”

“You have some time,” Remy says to Molly. “Please think it over some more.” He scowls at me.

I hold up my hands. “If she changes her mind, that’s fine. I won’t force her to go.”

“You’re right, Remy,” Molly says.

His three favorite words.

“I’ll consider it more carefully,” she continues. “Try to read some of the fan pages to see what their viewers are expecting from the reunion.”

I glance over at her. “That’s a really good idea.”

She grins at me. “I know.” Her smile slips a little. “Have you looked at any of them? You’ve got legions of women ready and willing to do all sorts of gross things to you.”

“No. Fuck no. Seriously?”

“You really are a bonehead,” Remy mutters.

Molly presses her palms against the table and stands. “I’m going to go get dressed.” She rests her hand on my shoulder. “Griff’s taking me shopping for a few things I need in my dorm.”

Good cover story. I will myself to not react even as I’m already trying to measure in my head how big of a mirror I can fit downstairs.

“Be right back.” She leans over and kisses my cheek.

Now that Molly’s gone, Remy sits back and glares at me.

“What now? You heard her, she wants to go.”

His angry stare burns even hotter.

“I thought you were happy for us.”

Finally, he opens his mouth. “While you’re out shopping today, consider picking up some soundproof tiles.”

“Uhhh…” I don’t like where this conversation is headed.

He leans forward and rests his elbows on the table. “Do you have any idea how disturbing it is to hear my best friend knocking boots with my little sister?”

My eyes bug and heat rushes over my forehead and down my face. “Then why were you listening, creep?” I choke out. “You could’ve, I don’t know, not been in the kitchen.”

“I left the house. Got groceries. Stopped by the bar. Returned to the house. And it was still…” He closes his eyes briefly and wretches. “You know what? I’m not talking about this.”

“Good. That would be my preference too.” I lean forward and pin him with a don’t fuck with me stare. “Do not tell Molly you heard a thing. She’ll die of embarrassment.”

He stares at me with wide eyes. “Why the fuck you think I waited until she went upstairs, you filthy, sister-corrupting gremlin?”

I cover my mouth with one hand.

“Don’t you dare laugh,” Remy warns.

“Hey, you asked me to move in. I had a whole-ass apartment of my own where you wouldn’t have heard a thing.”

“You’re right.” He sighs and picks up his plate. “Just, please, for my sanity…I’ll be at the bar all afternoon, so go nuts. But…Jesus.”

“Wait.” I hate that I’m about to ask this. “How bad is it? What’s the sound radius we’re talking about? Like, could you hear…things…all the way upstairs?”

He grits his teeth. “No. Thank God.”

I blow out a relieved breath. “Okay.”

He returns to glaring.

A couple dozen smart-ass comments come to mind but I wash them down with another sip of coffee, then stand and clear the table.