Page 70 of Corrupt Me

Pound. Pound. Pound.

This time, I swore I heard a voice accompanying the persistent thumping at the front door. Someone here. At this hour…it couldn’t be anything good. The high from being withTristan wore off quickly at the prospect of bad news waiting outside the condo.

The glower forming on Tristan’s lips signaled his thoughts had taken a similar path as mine. He sat up, legs swinging over the side of the bed, as he reached for his discarded sweatpants. “Stay here,” he ordered.

I frowned at his retreating form, but for once, I didn’t have an impulse to disobey. Tugging the sheet over my body, I sat up in the middle of the bed, eyes glued to the open door, listening for what came next.

Never in a million years did I expect to hear Preston’s voice.

“Is she here? She is, isn’t she? Of course, she would run straight to you. Where is she?” he demanded, his words sounding off.

My heart lurched in my chest.

Holy. Shit.

I needed to run. I needed to hide. I couldn’t let Preston find me. Not naked in a crumpled bed smelling of sex.

Why hiding was the first thing that popped into my head I wasn’t certain. I’d done nothing wrong. Nothing Preston hadn’t done to me, and I had no reason to be ashamed or feel guilty for it, scratching out the part where it was his brother I’d slept with.

That was low.

I stayed in bed. Waiting.

I didn’t have to wait long.

His voice carried down the hallway, clearer now, and I knew it was undoubtedly the youngest Malone. “Get the hell out of my way,” he gritted out, obviously in a mood and drunk, which didn’t bode well for either Tristan or me.

Why the fuck is he here? And why would he think to come to his parents’ condo to look for me?

“Preston,” Tristan said, his tone low and annoyed. “You’re drunk. Go home before you make another mistake.”

Preston snorted. “You’d love that. Just another thing for you to hold over me and rub into my face.”

I heard a thumping noise like a body bumping into the wall. My eyes narrowed, and I chewed on my lower lip, pondering whether I should go out there or stay here. I hadn’t meant to put Tristan in the middle.

“There’s an easy solution for that. Stop coming to me for help when you’re in trouble,” Tristan snapped back.

“I’m not leaving until I see her. I won’t let her throw away what we’ve built for years.” I could picture Preston pouting, arms crossing like the spoiled brat he often portrayed when he didn’t get his way.

“Did you do that on your own?” The beginnings of anger licked in Tristan’s words.

“Ev!” Preston called out.

The urge to crawl under the bed built in me, but I stayed frozen. Horrible call. I should have scrambled into the closet, anywhere but looking like a guilty murderer caught in the act.

“I know you’re here. I just want to talk.” His voice drew closer, and I shrank deeper into the bed.

My heart lurched into my chest as his clumsy steps grew nearer.

“If you give me the chance to explain, I?—”

Preston stumbled into the doorway, his hands bracing against the frame for stability as his eyes scanned the dark room and his voice cut off. I was grateful for the coverage, but it wasn’t so thick that he couldn’t find me easily enough. The light spilling from the hallway didn’t help matters.

I glanced at Preston.

Shit.

My sanctuary shattered, and with it, all those emotions I didn’t want to feel rushed to the surface. It only took one glimpse of Preston to unravel me.

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