Page 35 of My Brother's Best Friend

“It’s not.” I frowned. “Why don’t you believe me?”

That was all my life had been lately. People not believing me.

“Because you’re the most popular guy in school,” she said.

“So?”

“So, why would you want to be with me?” Maddie exclaimed, throwing her arms up. “How don’t you get it? Guys like you never date girls like me. You’re popular and athletic, and you could score any girl at Redwood without even trying. And I’m just some geek who is obsessed with anime, plays video games, and loves AP Calc.”

“So, just because you watch anime, play fucking video games, and love school, I can’t have feelings for you?” I asked.

Damn, she didn’t think highly of me at all, thought all I cared about was superficial shit.

She stared at me for minutes in silence, as if she was torn, until she finally shook her head and dropped her gaze once more. “We’re too different, Alec Wolfe. Too different to be together ever.”

I lifted her face again and placed my lips on hers, kissing her softer than I ever had. Very unlike the savage, ruthless hockey star who picked fights whenever I could, the man my father and my coach had attempted to shape me into.

When I finally pulled away, she whimpered against my mouth.

“Don’t say that,” I whispered, sweeping my thumb across her cheek. “I know you want it too, Maddie. And if you don’t, look me in the fucking eye and tell me you don’t want this, and I will truly leave you alone.”

“I shouldn’t,” she whispered, balling her hands into fists against my chest. “I shouldn’t want you, but I haven’t been able to get you out of my head for the past five years. But we can never be together.”

“Bullshit.”

I had been waiting years to hear this.

“You’re my brother’s best friend,” she said. “He can’t know about us.”

I rested my forehead against hers. “Then, he won’t find out.”

CHAPTER20

MADDIE

“Have you seen the video?” Nicole, the head cheerleader, whispered to her friend as I walked into good old Redwood Academy the next morning.

I hummed to myself, wondering what kind of drama they were gossiping about now, and continued to my locker.

Blaise Harleen leaned against my locker, pointing down to Vera’s phone. She stared in horror at the screen, then looked back up at him, brow furrowed. He peered over her shoulder at me, then smirked and walked away.

Vera twirled around, holding her phone behind her back. “Oh, um, hi!”

I arched a brow. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing.”

Vera was a terrible liar.

“Nothing?” I pushed.

Vera chewed on the inside of her cheek, then dropped her hand to her side and clutched her phone tightly. “Maddie,” Vera whispered, holding her phone away from me, “you don’t want to see it.”

“See what?” I asked, curious now. “What is it?”

She reluctantly gave it to me and looped her arm around mine, as if for support, her brows drawn together. “Someone leaked a video of last Friday night with Alec …” She paused. “Really, Mads, you don’t want to see it.”

Betrayal rushed through me, tears building in my eyes just from her words. If it was Alec sleeping with that other woman right after he had been in my room, then Vera was right. I didn’t want to see it.

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