Page 13 of My Brother's Best Friend

Vera smirked and walked out from behind the counter. “Have fun!”

After she disappeared behind the shelves, I slumped my shoulders forward and dragged my feet out of the library and to the street, where I’d parked. I slipped into the driver’s seat, started the car, and sat there.

I didn’t want to go back home and face Alec. I’d do anything.

So, instead, I whipped out my phone and texted Piper.

Me: Please tell me you’re free.

Piper: Sorta?

Piper: My dad’s teaching me how to hack into someone’s computer. Haha.

Piper: Perks of having a corrupt policeman as a father. ??

Piper: I can probably hang out later tonight.

“Noooooo,” I drew out and rested my forehead against the wheel.

After Kai Koh from Poison—the most dangerous gang in Redwood—had hacked into everyone’s phone at the school last year to spread Poison propaganda, Piper had been obsessed with learning how to be a better coder and hacker than Kai.

And I didn’t doubt that she would do it one of these days.

She had utterly destroyed me at the Math Olympics last year, had aced every one of her coding classes at Redwood, and had taken up way too many robotics projects in her free time. She barely had time to hang out.

But I didn’t blame her. I blamed stupid Alec for makingmewant to not even spend time in my own house because he was always there. It was totally that dickhead’s fault that I found every excuse not to be home on the weekends.

Me: What time?

Piper: Five? Maybe.

Me: Sounds good.

Once I deposited my phone into my purse, I pulled off the side of the road and headed home. I wasn’t going to be caught dead hanging out at a restaurant or a local coffee shop alone. Definitelynotin Redwood.

When I pulled into the driveway, there were still about ten cars parked near the house. I blew out a low breath, spotting Alec’s, and parked my car the farthest away from his so he didn’t get any ideas.

I could only imagine how trashed the house was after that banger last night, which was not something I wanted to deal with. So, I grabbed my backpack, stuffed with dirty clothes from Vera’s house, and my purse.

As soon as I stepped out of the car, the stench of alcohol drifted through my nostrils. I pinched the skin between my eyebrows and walked to the front door because it would be the quickest route to my room. I didn’t want to waste any time sneaking in through the side door and scurrying around dirty underwear and empty bottles.

Using my sleeve to turn the knob so I wouldn’t accidentally catch an STD—yes, I really was that much of a drama queen—I stepped into the house and scrunched my nose. Three guys were sprawled across the living room floor, another sleeping half-naked with a girl on the couch.

“Ew,” I whispered so I wouldn’t wake them and continued weaving through the room.

Beer cans were littered across the floor, the white rug stained with alcohol and what looked to be … dirt, mixed with piss. I gagged and averted my gaze, heading straight for the stairs. Oliver must be in his room with that girl from last night. I didn’t see him anywhere.

I also didn’t see Alec.

My hands balled into fists as I ascended the stairs, glancing over the railing at the living room for him one last time. But still, no sign of him or of Sandra. Usually, I always saw Sandra in the mornings after a party here.

Jealousy bubbled inside me as hot tears built in my eyes.

Alec Wolfe had fucked me senseless last night, and this morning, I was nothing to him.

I should’ve freaking known the moment he walked into my room, drunk off his ass. I should’ve pushed him away, made him tell me that he was lying about all those dirty little things he had whispered into my ear before I let him inside me.

At least, that way, maybe I would’ve been able to shout at him that I didn’t want it.

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