Page 69 of Break You

Cue more hysteria. I couldn’t work out which emotion won out between shock and anger, when Xavier’s booming laughter joined Pete’s.

What the actual fuck?

“You’re lucky you have my arms, Loaded Boy, or I wouldn’t be held responsible for my actions.” I struggled against his embrace.

“Define lucky. He’s in love with you. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. Oh wait, he is my worst enemy.” Pete could barely speak between bouts of laughter, and the two of them lost their shit again at his words.

“Oh my God. You’re fucking idiots.”

“Well actually, I’m fucking you, so…?” Xavier’s wisecrack had the two of them in fits again.

“Joke’s on you, Loaded Boy. Carry on like this and you won’t ever fuck me again.”

And we’re back.

Xavier reined in his laughter, and Pete followed suit.

“Right, now that I have your attention, let go of me. I promise not to bang your heads together, though that’s the least you both deserve.” Xavier did as I asked. “Thank you.”

I straightened my clothes, then turned to the side so that I could see them both as I spoke. “The two of you have spent years secretly trying to destroy each other. Xavier spent weeks trying to break me to get to you, and you nearly had his head blown off no less than ten times today. Yet here you are now, laughing and joking like two boneheaded frat boys. Am I the only one who thinks this whole thing is fucked up to the moon and back?”

The two of them shrugged, looking at me as if I was the unhinged one.

Fuck me sideways. The stupid gene is strong with these two. “Surely it can’t be just me who thinks it’s some kind of ‘bacca chewin’ chat show fightin’ hillbilly-trash bullshit that I’ve been sleeping with my brother’s brother?”

“Half-brother. And not really. You and I aren’t genetically related or even step-siblings. I mean yeah, it’s a little… unusual, but it’s not like we planned it or had any idea when we started this thing.” Whatever this thing was. “Or like the two of us—” He nodded at Pete, “—grew up together, or even like each other.”

I knew rationally that it was true, but it didn’t make it feel any less odd that Pete was able to say that his brother and sister were fucking. There was no way of saying it that didn’t make me feel like a toothless yokel. It sounded incestuous, even though it technically wasn’t.

Our attention was momentarily drawn to the sound of feet shuffling and a throat clearing behind Xavier. Drew. Despite him standing only a few feet away, I’d literally forgotten he was there.

“Um, so this has been…” He cleared his throat again. “…interesting, but seeing as nobody seems to be about to get their head shot off, do you mind if I…” He made the walking gesture with his index and middle fingers, then pointed to the door of the warehouse. Xavier turned to address him.

“Yeah man. Of course. Thanks for having my back and witnessing this circus. I’d offer to buy you some brain bleach, if there was such a thing, but maybe I can just cover the cost of therapy, and we’ll call it good, yeah?”

The two laughed and exchanged bro shakes.

Despite the epic fucked-up ness of the whole thing, Drew seemed to be taking it in his stride. “Anytime dude. There aren’t many guys who I’d stand next to while they got their brains blown out, but you’re definitely top of the list.” He grinned his broad, easy grin, and I watched as Xavier’s smile wavered, almost morphing into a frown.

“Thanks man. I think. Or eat a dick. I’m not sure which makes more sense under the circumstances, but seriously, I owe you. I’ll catch you back at the dorm.”

“Yeah, see you then.” He gave Xavier a two-fingered salute, tipped his chin at Pete, and winked at me, then spun on his heel and sauntered out the door. I wasn’t sure I’d ever really get used to the kind of confidence and self-assurance that seemed to come with being obscenely rich—the kind that stood the test, even in the most hair-raising and hellish of situations.

I watched him go, then retuned my attention to Xavier and Pete.

“So, what, the two of you have gone from eternal hatred to best buds in the course of one standoff? Is that what’s going on here?”

Xavier shrugged, then spoke for both of them. “I doubt we’ll ever be best buddies. Maybe not even any kind of buddies, but…”

Now it was Pete’s turn to shrug.

Jesus Christ. What the hell had I gotten myself into? “Dear God. I’m fucking washing my hands of both of you. It’s like Dumb and Dumber, the estranged brother edition, in here.”

I started walking toward the door as well, but was halted in my tracks by Xavier’s hand on my wrist. I turned to look at him, ready to blast him with yet another tongue lashing, but the fire in his startlingly blue eyes stopped me in my tracks, heating my blood instantly.

“If you two dry fuck in front of me again, I swear to God, I’ll put a bullet in both of you and not even think twice.” Pete was only half joking.

“Look, obviously we all have shit to discuss. A lot of shit...” Xavier spoke without shifting his focus from me. “...but, right now, I need to… talk to my angry girl. Alone. At home. Like, yesterday.” He adjusted himself in his pants, and the look of disgust that passed across Pete’s face was priceless.

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