Page 29 of For Three Seconds

“Come on, sis. Let’s get this over with.”

I glared at my brother. He was smiling. He was sadistic that way; he enjoyed the burn that came with working out.And people said I was the freak in the family.Right. What family since it was just him and me now since our grandparents were old. The first line in the Script’s “Breakeven” was playing on repeat on my head as I tried and failed miserably to keep up with my brother’s pace.

My lungs burned with how out of shape I was. Had I ever enjoyed working out? I’d joined dance as a way to spend time with Gigi when the cheer team rejected me. Now looking back at it, I did way more for my so-called best friend than she ever did for me.

“What are you doing here?” His deep tone growled next to me.

Fuck.

I missed a step, tripped, and fell on my face.

It shouldn’t have been a surprise that Gavin was here. I didn’t know why I’d let myself feel a faux sense of security.

My knee hit the floor, and then my body rolled to the side where I lay as a few guys started to laugh. I closed my eyes tightly as if that was going to make this any better.

“Shut the fuck up.”

“I didn’t say anything,” I said defensively. I sat, not meeting Gavin’s stare, but I knew he was looking at me because I could see his feet in front of me.

“I wasn’t talking to you,” he snapped. “What are you doing here?”

“Sunbathing,” I mumbled as I got off my ass.

I heard Gavin snort. I still didn’t look at him. He wasn’t the same guy I’d known before because old Gavin would have offered me a hand to get up.

“Scarlett,” he said.

I took a deep breath before I turned to look at him. At the party, leaning against a wall, he’d looked good, but here in workout gear and his angles still harsh, he looked godlike. Like Nick, he had on shorts and a sports t-shirt, except on Gavin it looked much better. He only continued to talk when he had my full attention.

“I don’t want you anywhere near me.”

Ouch.

“Damn, you sound so hot right now.” He groaned. “You feel fucking better.”

I shook my head, ridding myself of memories that I rarely let myself get sucked in by. Gavin had every right to hate me. I looked up at him, and it seemed silly to think he looked like a warrior.

“I didn’t know you’d be here,” I spat back.

Gavin’s eyes flashed, but I couldn’t decipher the meaning. Before I could say anything, Nick came back.

“Are you okay, Scar? Saw you kiss the floor.” He grinned at me. “Guess seeing Gav after a long time shocked you, didn’t it?”

My cheeks turned red. I felt the heat on them.

Someone needs to smack some common sense into my brother because he’s clueless.

“I’m going home now,” I mumbled and started to walk away.

“Uh, Scar,” my brother yelled after me.

I turned around, stopped to look at him.

“I drove here.”

But of course he did.

“Then take me back.”

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