Page 100 of College-Virgin & Dark Bully Next-Door

“You can’t.” I cut the shit entirely.

Ash searches my eyes. “Youareembarrassed to be with me.”

“Don’t fucking assume.” I shove at him again, even though his hands feel so good on me, I want to melt. “I’m not embarrassed about you, I’m trying to get the timing of this right.”

“What timing?!”

“Telling my fucking brother!” I cover my mouth as he takes a step back.

Ash goes through the whole spectrum of emotions before his brows furrow. “What?”

“If you walk in with me right now, Chase is going to lose his shit. He will yell and bitch, and with everything that’s going on, I … I can’t take that right now.”

Ash continues to watch me.

“Well, something’s about to give. And I’m not sorry for that,” he says, eyes focused behind me.

“Aww, Sky, do you still have that crush?” Mom asks, raising my hackles. I didn’t hear the front door open. “Hi, Ashton. How are you? All big and strong now, aren’t you? Are you being nice to my little girl?”

I try to take a few deep breaths and try to calm down. To yell at Ash or my mom or myself?

“No, Mom. They’re nothing,” Chase explains before raising his voice. “Why the hell are you on our property?”

One bomb inside me goes off. I just lost one fight. My eyes drag up to Ash. He arches an eyebrow. “How do you want to do this?”

“Go. Home,” I order.

“Sky.”

“I mean it. I asked you to stay out of this.”

“It’s too late for that.” He reaches out for me, and I take a step back.

“Oh no.” That’s Dad. “Chase-”

I turn around to deal with my brother while trying to stop the chain reaction inside me that will lead to a complete breakdown. “Go back inside.”

“Did he fucking touch you, did …” Chase catches up finally. I can’t believe it took him this long to put the pieces together. But I knowhe knowsI’m dating Ash. He shakes his head at me. “Are you fucking kidding me, Skylar?”

“Chase, this isn’t … It’s not-”

“It’s not what?” Ash demands.

Why now? Why is all of this happening now? I think my chest is collapsing in on itself, like some blackhole formed between my heart and lungs.

“Are you fuckinghim?” Chase demands. “Dating him doesn’t exist, so what exactly …” He shoves me to the side. “What the hell are you doing to my little sister, jerk?!”

“Nothing that concerns you, Chase. Sky is an adult. She’s free to do whatever she wants!”

“Boys, please, tone it down,” Mom says calmly, her tone contrasting with the storm raging on our front lawn.

Chase whips around to glare at me. “I can’t believe you. After what he did, why the hell would you let him use you like that?”

“He didn’t use me—” I begin, but Ash cuts in.

“What did I do to Sky that was so bad, huh? Yes, the teasing got a little rough sometimes, but I did no harm. Plus, I already fucking apologized.”

With a growl, Chase steps up to him, his fists tightly clenched. “Teasing? No one’s talking about teasing, you dick. That little prank you pulled two years ago, remember it?”

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