Page 25 of This Blood That Binds Us
William never let his eyes wander from my face. “Ah, yes. Well, I’m currently studying Criminal Justice. I want to be a judge someday.”
I took another look at him, analyzing his pressed blazer, clean-cut hair, and sable-colored dress shoes. He looked old enough to be a lawyer already. “Is that something you’ve always wanted to do?”
“Yes. My younger sister died when I was fifteen, and ever since then, I’ve wanted to dedicate my life to justice.” His smile widened, his eyes panning the crowd before sipping his beer.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It was a long time ago.” His eyes followed my gaze back to the kitchen. “Are you sure I can’t get you something? Doesn’t have to be a drink. They have food there, too.”
I almost blurted out another rejection but stopped myself. “You know...sure. I’ll take some chips if they have it.”
He smiled. “As you wish.”
Excitement fluttered in my chest as he retreated to the kitchen. A sense of pride from my newfound people skills called for a celebration. Something good was coming out of one of the craziest days of my entire life. I was exhausted, and it was my way past my usual bedtime, but I was having more fun than I’d had in a long time.
“Hey, beautiful.”
The words brought me back to reality. A tall, slender guy with moppy brown hair sat beside me, forcing me to move over. Hewas wearing a shirt I’d seen before, another BFU swim team shirt.
He didn’t look coherent as he spoke again. “Wooooow, you’re—you’re so pretty.”
“Uh, thanks.” I fidgeted back, the stench of alcohol on his breath stinging my senses.
He leaned closer. “No, you’re like the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.”
“You’re too kind.”
“Would—would you like to come back to my place?”
“No, get away from me.”
I got up and moved to the other end of the couch, looking toward the kitchen, but no one familiar surfaced. Everyone was drunk and stumbling into each other to the beat of the music.
He scooted beside me again. “But you’re so pretty. I mean...just an angel.”
“I’m not interested. Leave me alone.”
He caressed my outer thigh, igniting rage in my chest.
I grabbed his wrist and twisted it. “Get off me!”
“Ow, what the fuck!” he cried, weaseling himself away. “You crazy bitch.”
His yelling shifted the crowd’s attention. I got up and kept my head down. A dark silhouette cast a shadow over us. Two guys with broad shoulders came into view. It took one glance up at them to realize who they were.
Aaron’s older brothers.
I could tell by how many of their features matched Aaron’s. It was different for each of them.
The big, bulky one, who was wearing a colorful button-down that hugged his huge biceps, had Aaron’s soft auburn eyes. He also shared his warmer skin. The other—the shorter, dark-haired one—had Aaron’s jaw and facial structure, especiallyright around the eyebrows. He was wearing a long 90s band T-shirt that swallowed him.
The larger, muscular one with the dirty blonde mullet looked at the guy. “Hey, Danny, do we have a problem?”
The other was a smaller build but no less muscular. His dark hair was long and curled at the edges of his ears. “Looks like someone is being rude to our house guest.”
Danny backed up with his hands in the air. “No problem. We were just talking, man.”
“Bullshit,” the dark-haired one spat with pure venom in his voice.
