Page 27 of Unhinged

Hadley’s eyes fly open, panicked almost. “I’m married. I love your brother, Simone. I don’t—”

“I didn’t mean like that.” I clear my throat. “I know he hurt you. I’m sorry.”

When I hear Hadley’s breath falter, I look back at her, but she closes her eyes and shakes her head. “He’s just another person to leave my life.” Her damn family.

Hadley turns away from me as my brother enters the kitchen with a scowl aimed at me. “You’re still in my house?”

I hold my coffee mug of tea like I’m a junkie needing my fix. “I was talking to Hadley.”

Hadley goes to Finn without a word, burying her face in his chest. Finn wraps his arms around her, confused. The silver edges on his black wedding ring gleam in the overhead kitchen light. “What did you do to my wife, Simone?” Before I can defend myself, Hadley lifts her head, and concern shadows Finn’s face. He asks, “What’s wrong, baby?”

Hadley throws her arms around Finn’s waist and gets on her tiptoes to kiss him in a fiery and odd-timed kiss, surprising my brother while grossing me out.

When her hands fall to his ass, clutching and jerking him closer, I hear his moan. I immediately make a face, regretting every single life decision up to this point.

Finn grips her waist, warring between pushing her away or pulling her closer and going all-in on this cringy display. As much as I hate witnessing this, it’s impossible to turn away. Everything they went through should have kept them apart, but it didn’t. I truly believe they’d die for each other, without each other, and all of that sickening crap. No matter how much they make me want to slit my throat, I want to gross people out with a display like that. I’d give my left tit for a man to lavish me with that kind of attention, affection, and touch who doesn’t just see me as an open pussy.

When Hadley finally ends their kiss, Finn’s eyes glide over her face, and he breathlessly says, “Whoa, Becks.”

I clear my throat loudly, drawing Hadley’s attention as if she forgot I was here. She raises her eyebrows toward me, seemingly somewhat horrified or annoyed. She attempts a sheepish smile but then turns back to my brother. She bites her lip, and even through her sadness, Hadley gives him an unmistakable look that broadcasts her desire, mirroring his.

Finn’s eyes light up more, and I wish I had gone to Libby Hill Park. The view of downtown is beautiful and the perfect spot to sacrifice myself to Richmond, my adopted home. I know way too much about their sex life, having walked in on them mid-fuck in my mom’s basement rec. room. I didn’t see nudity, but I saw Hadley straddled over my brother on the couch with a blanket wrapped around her. I assume she wasn’t bouncing on inflatable balls.

“Come on. Let’s not alienate your guest,” I whine, snapping a chip between my fingers and watching it crumble to the counter like a sad annotation to my life.

Hadley glances at me again, and I can’t help raising my eyebrows. She says, “I have things to do while Finley’s asleep. I’ll see you later, Simone.” Hadley turns back to Finn, hammering home her thoughts. Finn and I watch her leave the kitchen, but his look and the way he licks his lips say so much more. I’m thankful a counter blocks my view of his crotch. Jeez. I don’t need to see that shit.

Before I lose him entirely and with Hadley on the staircase, I whisper, “What happened with Greg?”

Finn tears his eyes from his wife’s retreating ass to scowl at me. “Good riddance. The smartest thing he ever did.” I agree but push past the warring emotions in my immature brain and rebellious heart.

“Why don’t you like him?” Greg didn’t almost have sex with my brother and then call him an idiotic child. At least, I hope not.

Finn’s attention returns to the direction his wife left, and I roll my eyes. He mutters, “There are a lot of reasons.”

“Name one.”

“I don’t like the way he looked at…you.” Finn frowns again at me, probably for the questions and the cockblock.

“Huh?” Greg Rodwell never looked at me the way I wanted him to, except for a nanosecond in my room. Then it disappeared, and hatred took its place. I blow out a frustrated breath and bounce my foot on the stool rail. “Doesn’t it piss you off how Greg hurt Hadley by not saying goodbye?”

“Yeah, but she’ll be okay. I’m Hadley’s best friend, not him. I vowed to take care of her in ways he never did.” Finn inhales with another smirk toward the ceiling. “In every way.”

“Gag me.” I frown, getting down from the stool. “It’s still disgusting how he left without a word.”

Finn shrugs, annoying me, which annoys double. “Let it go. He’s gone. And so am I.” Ignoring my frozen, confused expression, Finn says, “Unless you want to wait around for Finley to wake… Bye, Sims.” Finn pushes off the counter, determined.

“What the hell? You’re dumping me?”

Finn gives me a pointed smirk. “Hell, yes.”

“We’re talking here.”

“Not anymore.”

“You really need to whip it out this minute? Does her pussy have working hours or something?”

“Watch it, Simone. Wait until you have—”

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