Page 5 of Depraved Favors

“Could never be me,” she says with a roll of her eyes.

Slipping off the jacket, I hand it back because I sense that Brit’s issue is more with the fact that he handed it to me than anything. “Thanks. I shouldn’t have packed mine in my suitcase. Dumb of me.”

Owen nods, taking it back, and then tilts his head toward the rotating baggage claim. “Looks like they’re rolling in. Let’s grab the bags, and then food?”

“Sounds good,” I agree before Brit can decline. I know she doesn’t actually want to be here, that if her mother hadn’t opted to spend the break in Bora Bora with her boyfriend, Brit would have never reached out to her dad. She told me last year that spending winter break alone was worse than visiting him. When I suggested going with her, she was so excited about not going alone that I actually felt guilty. She’s likely going to give any attitude she can, but the easier we get to his apartment, the sooner I can get away from how overwhelmingly hot he is.

Chapter Three

Peyton

We get through the most tense dinner ever. I can barely glance at her father, and I struggle to maintain small talk with Brit. It’s hard to continue our friendship like nothing is happening because either everything is fine or I’m going to experience the biggest heartbreak of my life. It doesn’t help that her mood is already dampened by being in Owen’s presence. She’s never elaborated on why she hates her dad, only that he never bothered to see her much so they aren’t close. I’ve heard her mother call him a good-for-nothing cheater more than once.

Owen disappears after we eat, saying he has to prepare last minute things for his bar so that he can take us into town to shop tomorrow. That leaves Brit and me in his apartment awkwardly alone. After asking if I can shower, I tell her I’m a little tired and ask if she’s okay just doing nothing till we go to sleep. She takes to it immediately and pulls out the spare blankets and pillows to set up our corners on the large U-shaped couch. It takes up most of Owen’s living room.

I stare at the ceiling, watching lights flicker across as cars drive by on the street below. The minutes drag on as I wait for Brit’s breathing to eventually even out. When I turn to ensure she’s asleep, tears already line my eyes as I reach for her phone. Her password is the same as it’s always been, so I settle back in my corner of the couch and start going through her device.

Her text messages are empty, but I figured they wouldn’t text outright. That would be too easy, so I shift through her social media apps and my heart drops when I get to her Facebook Messenger.

Brit

I can’t believe you didn’t kiss me goodbye.

Jacob

Sorry we cant chance it

Britt

She didn’t even want to hug you. She wouldn’t have noticed. You say you want to be with me, but won’t break up with her.

Jacob

I told u that I will after grad it will be 2 much drama for senior year & I needed to focus on football

Britt

So you’re taking her to all the events then?

Jacob

its just stupid frat stuff im gonna spend the nite w/u

Exiting out of their messages before I cry, I move to her photo albums and after a few more minutes of snooping I find her hidden folder. Bile rises in my throat at some images, knowing I’ve refused to allow Jacob to record me in such a way. It seems he found someone more than willing to do what he wants.

I forward the videos and photos to my phone and delete the text messages from our thread. Then I screenshot the messages between them, scrolling back through months of flirting. My hands are trembling as I skim through it all. While I suspected it, the glaring truth hurts more now. I guess a part of me still wished it wasn’t as it seemed.

Turning off her phone entirely, I replace it by her head and then pull mine out. My heart is beating in my ears like a drum, demanding I answer the call of vengeance. I glance back to my best friend, the girl he’s been fucking on the side for who knows how long. My fingers curl with the ache to punch her in the face, only because she’s betrayed our friendship. If she wants Jacob, she can have him.

Me

Someone told me yesterday that they have proof of you cheating on me. I decided to take some time and distance to think about what I want. I’m going to ask them to send me the proof and if it’s true, we’re done.

The messages blinks as I wait for the status to change to “delivered” and then turn off my phone as well. I’ll let him panic for the night, especially when he can’t get a hold of either of us. Pushing off the couch, I move to the kitchen and rummage through the freezer, smiling when I see a pint of plain vanilla. Thankfully, Britt’s dad hand washes things and a clean spoon is resting in the drying rack. I hop onto the counter, treat and utensil in hand.

I’m three bites in when he joins me in the kitchen. Owen must have slipped in when I dozed off here and there because I didn’t even know he was home. His dark hair is tousled as if he just woke up from a restless sleep. He’s shirtless, sweats hanging low and showing off his muscular stomach and lines that lead straight to his dick. I’ve only seen this kind of body in movies and I can’t look away.

“You okay?”

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