Page 70 of Last Round

The New Order

Molly

“Likethis?”JessicaasksSean in that obnoxious, nasally tone I hate so much. It’s worse tonight, since the bar is fairly quiet with the Wednesday bingo crew here. My brother somehow thought it would be a good idea to have Jessica come tend bar in Killian’s absence. He’s been tryingto show her how to mix basic drinks all night. And I meantrying.

I can’t tell if she just really, really sucks, or is purposely doing a piss-poor job so that she can rub her ass into my brother’s crotch as he stands behind her.

I want to vomit.

Not because of the wholehe’s my brother and the thought of him being sexual with anyone makes my stomach turn. I mean, it does. But, no, it’s all her. Jessica has been a “mean girl” for as long as I can remember, and for whatever reason, Sean’s been obsessed with her for just as long. I was relieved when she moved away, hooked up with some football player in Texas or something. I thought that was the last we’d ever see of her.

Social media blew up with the news of their very public breakup. I don’t know how it happened but shortly after, on one of my monthly check-in calls with Sean, he was telling me all about how she moved back and they were dating. And now, engaged.

Did she already try and fail with the millionaire jock so she’s settling for the well-off local legend? Nothing against my brother. He’s a great catch when he’s not blinded by fake tits and collagen lips. Jessica is just that classic stereotype. Her only goal was to marry young, rich, and never have to work a day in her life. Sean is not rich. He’s popular because of his brief career as a fighter and his association with Killian.

It wouldn’t surprise me if she approached Killian first and he turned her down. I’m guessing after she went through her laundry list of local celebrities—we have a few—she lowered her expectations.

My brother isn’t wealthy by any means, at least not by her standards. He does well for himself between the businesses. House is paid for. He really lives a minimalistic existence, leaving plenty of extra income for her to pamper herself with.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I take a deep breath.Stop it, Molly.

As much as I hate it—no, loathe it—she’s engaged to my brother, which means barring some sort of miracle or asteroid wiping out mankind, she’s going to be in my life for the foreseeable future. Even though I believe Sean can do so, so much better than her. I’m going to drive myself insane hating her internally, especially when she hasn’t actually doneanythingto me.

My hatred for her is second-hand. Residual. Left over from high school when girls like her teased me relentlessly. My hair was red and frizzy (still is but I’ve learned to manage it now), I was cursed with freckles and acne, and my boobs didn’t pop until I was almost twenty. It’s why I know Bex is my best friend until the very end. When we entered the social structure of thehavesand thehave-nots, she very much fit in with the former, but remained loyal to me and had no problem telling them to fuck off. When she could have been the queen bee of the school, she chose to slum it with me.

To make things worse, I wasn’t even able to make many friends in the skateboarding circles. Most were guys who were not that hype about a girl being able to show them up. If it weren’t for Bex, I don’t think I would’ve had a single friend in high school. And the few others I did have? Well, I still believe they only talked to me by association. It’s why when I moved, I only kept in touch with her.

“I never thought I’d say this,” Dani comments. “I miss Killian.”

I laugh. “Aren’t you guys all friends?”

“Doesn’t mean he didn’t annoy the piss out of me.”

Good point. Sometimes Bex drives me insane. I love her, but I get it.

“Killian was a shitty bartender, who over poured drinks, drank almost as many shots as he served, and constantly gave away rounds on the house. But I’d giveanythingto have him back, instead of dealing with whatever your brother is doing over there.” Dani nods to the obscenely gross couple. “Any day.”

While my feelings about Jessica are transposed, Dani was actually in high school with her. And just like me, she’s always been one of the guys, dealing with the same level of bullying I did. When things got really bad, she told me about all the crap that happened to her, including the rumors that she was Killian and Sean’s plaything. And, supposedly, when they weren’t double-teaming her, they were passing her around from cock to cock (her words, not mine). The lies stemmed from jealousy over her friendship with the guys and were cultivated by the girls they rejected—I can only assume Jessica was one of them.

“Yeah, working here without him isn’t the same.” I loved watching him at the bar. Stealing glances and teasing him. Playing our little games where I would drive him mad. We never got to do one good fuck in the back supply closet like I’ve dreamed of a few times now.

“I take it you haven’t told big brother yet?”

Dani’s question pulls me from my daydream of holding on to the metal shelf while Killian fucks me from behind. Straws and other utensils falling around us. “No, we will soon. Probably this weekend.”

To say we have really good friends is an understatement. Killian and I really haven’t done anything to hide our relationship. Not before my brother returned home or after. I mean, we haven’t exactly done anything in front of him. But it isn’t like we’ve taken many lengths to hide it. Pretty much everyone but him and (I assume) Jessica knows, and yet no one has said a single thing.

“Let me know when. You’re going to need a referee,” Dani says before heading back to the bar. And that’s probably why. Everyone wants to watch the blowup, without risking Sean killing the messenger.

Oh, ew.I turn away as soon as Jessica starts tongue-fucking Sean behind the bar.That can’t be sanitary.

“B19,” the announcer calls.

“Bingo!” Someone jumps up with their scorecard in hand while screaming their excitement.

I grab my vibrating phone from my pocket. The screen lights up with a text from Killian.

Killian: Are you coming over tonight?

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