Page 58 of Corrupt Idol

He jerked his head at the house. “I know you’re here to support your family. If you need someone to talk to, I’m here.”

She relaxed a little. “Thanks,” she said, touched by his offer.

When he brushed her hair back from her face, her heart jumped.

“I wanted to state my intentions this time around,” he said quietly.

“Intentions?”

A grin tugged at his lips. “I like you. I always have.”

“As a friend.”

“As more, but you didn’t see me that way. Now you do.”

“Says who?” she demanded.

He gave her a cocky smile. “Let’s just say I can tell the difference. We did everything we could to get your attention, but you made it clear you weren’t interested.” He shook his head. “You have bad taste in men, honey. You always chose the worst guys when you could have had your pick of the best.”

She threw up her hands. “Why do you guys keepsayingthat?”

“Because it’s true. You dated the bad boys, the loners, the freaks. You put Jesse through hell. It’s no wonder he beat the crap out of Tucker after those rumors went around.”

“What rumors?”

His brows shot up. “You don’t know?”

“No! What rumors?”

He grimaced. “I thought you knew. I don’t know if it’s my place—”

“Brody!”

“Tucker said he popped your cherry and he and his bandmates were passing you around.”

She shot to her feet. “Hewhat?”

Brody held up a placating hand as he rose. “It was a long time ago.”

“I don’t care how long ago it was! I can’t believe he said that!”

“The day that rumor started circulating was the day Jesse beat the hell out of Tucker. How could you not know that?”

Because Jesse fucked her after that confrontation with Tucker and everything else ceased to exist for her. She thought Jesse attacked Tucker because of the compromising position he caught them in. She had no idea Tucker put out such a filthy rumor. What the hell?

“I never even slept with him!” she burst out and immediately glanced at her dad.

Dad wasn’t paying her any mind and that was a good thing since Brody’s eyes popped wide. Sex wasn’t talked about so casually. Another thing she would have to remember now that she was home. Dad would go apoplectic if he heard her using such language.

“I’m glad to hear that,” Brody said as he slid an arm over her shoulder and gave her a light squeeze. “He was an asshole.”

“Does he still live in town?” she growled.

He chuckled. “No. I think he moved to Los Angeles with his band. Never heard anything about him after that.”

“What a jerk,” she fumed and suddenly wished she hadn’t stopped Jesse when he laid into him.

“I think your taste in men is about to improve.”

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