Page 19 of Regrets

“She asked me not to. I respect her enough to trust her.”

“Bullshit. We all know it wouldn’t have stopped. He would have done it again. Or even worse, what if he comes in drunk and horny?” He nods in my direction. “You think P isn’t going to look good to him then?”

“Don’t talk about her that way.”

“Your girlfriend has developed into a fine piece of ass, Colt. You’re going to have to grow a fucking pair and keep men away from her.”

Before I can get one word in or even call Linc an asshole for his description of me, Colt lunges at his brother, knocking him to the floor and throwing a fist that Linc dodges.

This is not good at all. I’ve seen them wrestle before, but this is driven by rage.

Colt throws another fist, and this time, it lands on Linc’s jaw before Linc punches him in the stomach and pushes him off, but Colt jumps back at him as Linc stands up. I do the only thing I can do. I move right between the two brothers, hoping I don’t get punched in the face, but not caring because I can’t watch them kill each other.

“Stop!” I shout as Colt pulls his arm back and thank God stops the trajectory of his fist before he connects.

“Pea, move.”

“No. This isn’t about you two assholes. Stop this. Now.”

“This has been brewing for a while, P.”

I turn to Linc. “Don’t do this. You had no right to go after my foster father. End of story.”

Colt is out of breath, and I hear Linc panting with rage from behind me. I lock eyes with my boyfriend, begging him to stopthis. I’ve never seen him act like this before, and it’s frightening. He’s always so calm and under control.

I turn back to Linc, his face already swelling where Colt hit him. Part of me wants to bruise the other cheek. “Do not fuck this up for me, Linc.”

“Fuck what up for you, P? A home where you’re getting beat up?”

“Like I said, there are worse things.”

“What the fuck could be worse than that?”

“Just drop it.” I turn back to Colt. Standing a foot from him, I brush his cheek with a kiss. “I’ll see you later.”

“Pea.” He takes my hand in his. “You don’t have to stay there.”

I’m so furious at Linc for pushing this, for showing up at my house. I just needed a day or two more to heal. “I’m okay, Colt. It’s fine. Two more years, and I’m free.”

The worry won’t shake from his face, and I hate the concern I see there. I look at Linc, so fucking angry I could scream. “Stay away from where I’m living. Stay out of my life.”

His eyes darken, and I see the challenge in them.

“I mean it, Linc.”

I turn and leave his room, feeling angry and embarrassed and unsure how to handle it without imploding.

I catch the bus and go to the only other place I love as much as the Sterling house.

I need to fix the distorted image.

11

LINC

“You’re such a fucking asshole.”

Of course, the one fucking time I’m the good guy and step in, I get the brunt of her anger. Nothing’s changed. I should have just let her fuck the frat douchebags. What the hell do I care if she’s thoroughly unsatisfied by two dicks this time?

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