Page 48 of Privilege
“You think he’ll listen to you? After you took off? Abandoned him for an entire summer here? Who do you think ran interference on Evelyn, huh? Who do you think kept him from getting in his car drunk while you were gone? Who do you think made sure he didn’t get in any fights? Quit the team? Stop studying?”
It’s like a slash to the throat, because I know she’s right. Rich has always been reckless in the summers. He saves all his rebellious energy for those two months of Hades in the Hamptons. I’ve spentmy entire life cleaning up after his summer carnage, making sure he didn’t get booted from the team for misconduct, making sure he didn’t getarrested.Making sure the image of Dick the Golden Boy was forever preserved for our parents.
I sigh, exhausted. “Thank you for watching out for him,” I say. And I mean it. “But you’re not a good person, Jamie.”
“You think I’m trying to get my claws in him, but do youreallythink any other girl won’t do the same? At least I have my own fucking money! At least you know I’m not after him forthat!”
I roll my eyes. “I don’t give a fuck whether or not you have money, Jamie. I don’t want him to end up with someone like his mother.”
She scoffs. “You don’t want him to end with anyone who isn’tyou.”
I crowd her, step right into her, chest to chest, and grab her chin. “You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about,” I hiss.
She licks her lips. This is a game to her.Everythingis a game, here. Fine.You want to play Jamie? Let’s play.
I slam my mouth into hers, back her up against the wall way too hard. She moans into my mouth, whichtakes me by surprise. I feel like I’m going to be sick, but this is it. This is the way to get it done.
I always get things done, when it comes to Rich.
She moans into my mouth which doesn’t surprise me, her nipples hardening through the thin scraps of bikini that do nothing to hide them. They scrape against my chest and I fight the urge to rip my mouth away, to turn to the side and spit out the taste of her flavoured lip gloss.
"What’s going on?”
I whip around and my heart stops in my chest.Rich.He’s here. And God he’s fucking beautiful. I’d forgotten.
“Dane?” he says softly.
I bask in the sight of him, of that sweet face I’ve known most of my life, and to my horror andfucking shame,I get hard. I pull my hips away from Jamie and Rich glances down. His face stiffens at the sight of it, just like my fucking cock,
“Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on?” he says.
“Nothing,” Jamie says. “A disagreement.”
“A disagreement,” he says slowly.
“It’s nothing,” she says. She sways towards him and puts her hand on his arm. “It’s nothing, baby.”
My balls are pounding. I want to hug him. I want tokisshim. I want to make him cum and spread it all over his balls the way he fucking likes.
I need to get out of here.
Rich looks back and forth between us. “When did this start?” His voice is sharp. Short. And it feels like a cheese grater on my heart. “How long has this been going on?”
“It’s nothing Rich” Jamie says in a soothing voice.
“Dane,” Rich says. “Look at me.”
But I can’t. If I look at him, he’ll fucking know. He’ll know that I want him. I’m too drunk and too keyed up to hide it.I shouldn’t have come back. I should have stayed in Europe.
“Dane,” he says softly.So softly.“Please.”
But this is it. This is my chance to save him. To get him away from the family.
I swallow the pieces of bloody confetti that are my heart, that were all my dreams for bringing him with me, for showing him the future I have planned. Instead, I force a smirk. “You were right, brother. She sucks dick like a fucking champ.”
I stare at him long and hard one last time. And then I turn on my heel and walk out.
This will work. I know him. I know him the way nobody else can ever possibly know him. And I know he’s relieved. I could see it, for a split second before the anger kicked in. For one shining second I could see the relief.I’m off the hook,he thought.I’m done with her.
