Page 16 of Pump Fake

Liam barked a laugh. “I like her. She doesn’t take any crap.”

“That’s necessary with these guys.” Aurora winked and put two more plates in front of them.

I took a bite of the egg-white-and-spinach omelet with a dusting of shredded cheese. “Wow, this is really good.”

“Thanks.” Aurora grinned over her shoulder before returning to her task. “I’m getting these guys on a healthy eating plan no matter what.”

“We aren’t that bad,” Ares said before taking a huge bite from an apple he’d grabbed from a bowl on the island.

“Agree to disagree,” Aurora answered. “Well, I take that back. The takeout was the only problem.”

“We’ve cut down.” Kylian kissed the top of her head thenhip-checked her. He placed her plate in her hand and told her to eat before he started cleaning up.

“So, Brielle,” Liam said between mouthfuls. “You’re not doing our boy wrong, are you?” A hard glint entered his eyes, his mouth compressing into a line.

“No.” Ares set down his fork and glared. “She’s not. Let it go.”

Liam’s off-the-cuff comment shouldn’t have bothered me. But it hit home hard, rocking my world in a way it never should’ve. What’d happened between me and Ares last night got under my skin, and my emotions were raw. That was why I couldn’t deal with another strike against who I was or who the world knew me to be—thanks, Dad. The birth of my insecurities came from him.

I was aware that Liam hadn’t meant to tear down my walls or take a sledgehammer to my character, not really. He was looking out for his boy. I got the sex tape reference, but ugh, the message felt the same. I was untrustworthy, not good enough, and had fallen so far from the pedestal my life had been on that the disgrace of it was too much for other people—an easy mark. I just wasn’t up for it.

I glanced back and forth between the two and decided I was done. “I’m not involved in whatever you’re referencing.” My words were for Liam. I noticed the concern behind his warning. That wasn’t what upset me—he was looking out for his friend, and I was lucky to have Mallory, who used the same bulldog tactics for me. But it was time to leave. “Thank you for breakfast, Aurora.” I kept my voice level, if not subdued. I needed to get out of there before I cracked. “Please excuse me.” I stood, grabbed my purse from the counter, and headed for the door.

I made it two steps before Ares was beside me.

“I’ll take you home. We can talk on the way.”

“No, thank you.” I was too close to bursting into tears, and I wouldn’t let him witness that. I was a one-night stand. Nothingmore. We weren’t friends, lovers, or whatever. And that meant my problems were not his concern.

CHAPTER TEN

BRIELLE

After a quick stop to change, I drove to the tiny one-bedroom apartment Mom and Serena stayed in near her school. It was a far cry from the luxury they were used to living in. I didn’t include myself because I’d been in the dorms when my family’s world had imploded. I took a deep breath and let myself inside.

I gasped as I stepped into the family room, which continued to the tiny kitchen. Serena sat on the couch, flipping through channels on the TV. A grimace sounded when she saw me taking in the racks of clothing filling most of the room, except for a walkway to the kitchen and hallway. Designer clothes by the hundreds hung from the portable rods, some still with tags.

“What’s all that?” I flung my hand, pointing at the clothes that hadn’t been there the last time I’d visited, sometime around two weeks ago.Or was it three?

“Mom’s been shopping.” She air quoted, “‘I simply cannot wear the same outfit when meeting my friends. That just wouldn’t do.’”

“With what money?”

Another shrug from my pajama-wearing sister. “My collegefund? Ask her yourself.” Her hand flung toward the kitchen. “And if you didn’t see it, she bought a Jag.”

I stumbled before catching my footing. A Jaguar cost roughly a hundred thousand dollars—because I knew my mom wouldn’t buy a lower-end vehicle.

I picked my way around the clutter until I saw Mom leaning against the counter, topping off her glass of chardonnay.

“It’s barely lunchtime.” The words left my mouth before I could censor them.

Cool disdain tugged at her perfectly made-up face. “You don’t live here, Brielle, and have no right to judge.”

My simmering temper erupted. “Well, Veronica, you still have a daughter living here who you’re setting a shit example for.”

A perfectly manicured brow arched high. “Veronica? Since when am I not Mom?”

“Start acting like one, and maybe I’ll call you that again.”

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