Page 25 of My Brother's Best Friend

Once I stepped into the library, I spotted Vera by the counter, talking to the librarian.

“Is it okay if we have lunch here today?” she asked, rocking back on her heels and giving Miss Lang huge eyes. “Please.”

Miss Langneversaid no to Vera because Vera also worked at a library. Crazy how females who loved books and immersing themselves into new worlds …and smut… got along so well despite their age gap.

“Sure, sweetheart,” Miss Lang said, nodding to a small room behind the counter.

Usually, only students who had online classes could work back here, but we now had special privileges. I dumped my backpack on one of the couches and collapsed onto the seat, throwing my head back.

“Piper is having the time of her life right now,” I said.

Vera arched her brow. “The time of her life?”

“With the new Computer Science teacher.”

“Another one?!” Vera asked, eyes wide. “Damn, these teachers must have good?—”

“What do you mean, another one?” I asked.

Vera glanced around to make sure nobody was listening in—even Miss Lang—then leaned closer to me and lowered her voice. “Well, Blaise told me that Sakura Sato and Mr. Avery have been sleeping with each other since the beginning of the year.”

“What?!” I whisper-yelled. “Sakura with Mr. Avery?!”

“Don’t scream,” Vera said. “I’m not even supposed to know.”

“But Sakura is so sweet,” I said, thinking about a few weeks ago, when Sakura had randomly texted me one night and asked me if Mr. Avery had emailed me about the homework. He had never once emailed me about any homework in his classroom, which meant he had been messaging her. Secretly.

“Apparently, she’s also dirty to be sleeping with a professor!” Vera said, grinning wickedly. “I’m actually writing a super-smutty story about a professor and his student now too! Ah, this is going to give me so much inspo.” Then, she leaned closer and nudged me. “Next, I’ll be writing your love story.”

“My life isnota love story,” I said, scrunching my nose. “Don’t you ever put Alec in a book either.”

Vera widened her smile and returned to her lunch. “We’ll see.”

“Is it all right if I eat lunch here?” someone said from the counter.

I leaned to the left enough to see Alec fucking Wolfe standing with takeout from Branono’s Pizzeria in downtown Redwood, the thick scent of cheese drifting through my nostrils. Usually, students weren’t allowed to leave school grounds during the day, but all the popular kids got away with it.

“Mr. Wolfe, what’s wrong with the cafeteria?” Miss Lang said.

Thank goodness! Put him in his place, Miss Lang. Tell him he can’t?—

“It’s too crowded,” he said to Miss Lang, avoiding all eye contact with her.

After a couple of moments, she nodded to the back room, where Vera and I were supposed to be eating lunch alone. “As long as you stay quiet.”

Fuck.

Alec walked into the room, lifted his gaze to me, then pulled it away, and walked toward the couch across the small room. I glared at him, teeth gritted together and nails digging into my palms.

“Awkward,” Vera hummed, sipping her water and standing. “Well, I’m going to find a couple of steamy romance books to draw inspiration from for my writing.” She glanced over at Alec, then back at me. “I’ll leave you two?—”

I snatched her wrist and yanked her back down into her seat. “You are not leaving me.”

No way would I ever allow myself to be alone in a room with Alec Wolfe again.

CHAPTER14

ALEC

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