Page 9 of My Pucking Valentine

No, I take that back. It’s not whispers. It’s whisper-yelling.

Sitting up, I look around the space and realize that I am actually alone, even though it sounds like both of my roommates are directly in front of me.

“Just come in,” I call out, tugging the bedding up to my chest and under my arms.

The door flies open, and I’m not surprised to see both of my roommates practically huddling together. What I am surprised to see is that they don’t walk into the room. Instead, they stay standing where they are, both of them with their phones in their hands and their gazes flicking from their phones to me, then back to the phones.

“What?” I demand.

My heart is racing a million miles a minute. My breathing comes out in short pants, and I can’t help but wonder if this is what hyperventilating is because I have a feeling that I know why they’re looking at me the way they are and keeping their distance.

“Barbara, Sarah, what?” I say, my voice losing its strength.

Simultaneously, they take one step inside the room, then stop again, as if they are moving like one person. Parting my lips, I try to continue to breathe, but the room is starting to spin a little.

“Tell me,” I beg.

Sarah shakes her head, her wide eyes never leaving mine. “I’m so sorry,” she breathes.

“Why?” I ask.

She continues to shake her head, and that’s when I notice the tears in her eyes. I’ve never seen Sarah cry. Not ever. Barbara cries at everything, at commercials and movies, everything, but not Sarah.

So, if she’s crying, I’m pretty sure I know why after last night. I need to hear her say it out loud, though. I need the confirmation, and I need it to be real before I freak the fuck out and break into a million little pieces.

“You’re fucking your brother?” Sarah blurts out.

You could hear a pin drop.

The room goes silent, and I’m not sure what it is. Maybe it’s the blood pumping heavily throughout my body, but I can’t hear anything. My vision blurs as well. I’m not sure if either of them is talking, but just Sarah’s words were all I needed to hear.

I need to run.

I need to hide.

The truth is out.

My secret has been released into the world. I love Luke with all I am, but I know I can’t keep him. Not now. It will be a miracle if we both survive this with a modicum of our dignity intact.

NINE

CLARA

“I’m not fucking my brother,”I snap.

I know I sound defensive as hell, but Luke is not my brother… at least not biologically. The girls arch a brow at me, obviously not believing me. I throw my legs over the side of the bed and stand up tall.

Sarah and Barbara are still staring at me in disbelief. I take the moment to snatch one of the phones out of their hands and look at the screen. That’s when I see what they’re talking about.

It’s a headline, not just on some girl’s social media. No, this is one of the biggest celebrity gossip sites in the country. And it’s a cropped picture of us. Of last night, in that closet. If you could see the whole thing, you would see my skirt pulled up to my waist and him inside of me.

I’m horrified.

Not only because I know exactly what was happening in that photo but because it’s plastered all over the Internet for the world to see. My entire body stiffens at the sight. Slowly, I lift my gaze to meet Sarah’s. I know without a doubt that I look as horrified as I feel on the inside.

She presses her lips together, her eyes wide as she watches me, waiting for me to say something. The headline says it all, though. And I know she believes those words more than anything else right now.

VALENTINE TREAT: HOCKEY STAR CAUGHT WITH SISTER.

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