Page 15 of Reckless Roses
That sounds more like her.
“Can I tell you a secret, Augustus?” she whispers in my ear, and the lower region of my body reacts in a way I really wish it wouldn’t.
“Sure.”
“I love you.”
“That’s not a secret.”
She laughs, pulling away from me. Her brown eyes reflect light in a way that appears endless, like an abyss, which is fitting, considering I can’t stare at her without getting lost.
“I love you, too, Elena.”
“That’s not a secret,” she mimics me. “You’re the only person I’ve ever told I love, besides my parents and my dumbass brothers. That’s the secret.”
“What about my dumbass brother?”
“Nope.” She shakes her head. “But I think I might tonight.” She bites her lip, and I wish I were the one biting it instead. But that reverie is ruined when I realize what she just said. She boops me on the nose. “Want to know another secret?”
I don’t answer because I don’t think I want to know this one.
“I’m going to have sex tonight.”
I didn’t know it was possible to end a human life in six measly words, but I’m fairly certain I just fucking died.
“No, you’re not,” I snap.
She’s drunk. She’s drunk. She’s drunk.
I repeat the mantra in my mind, convincing myself she didn’t mean it.
Except Elena’s brow furrows, and those beautiful caramel eyes catch fire. A serious expression takes over her face as she rears back. “Yes, I am? Who the fuck are you?—”
“You’re shit-faced, Elena.” I take the plastic cup from her hand and set it on my other side, out of reach.
She rolls her eyes but doesn’t fight me for it back. “I’ll sober up beforehand.” Raising three fingers in the air, she adds, “Scout’s honor.”
My stomach is in my goddamn throat, and I can’t breathe. She just dropped bricks on my fucking chest, and she’s smiling at me like it’s no big deal, like she didn’t just destroy me. Elena Ramos is a nuclear bomb, wreaking havoc on my entire world.
I grab both her arms, forcing her to look at me. Her mouth shuts and her eyes go wide with shock and alarm. “Elena, I am begging you.” My voice shakes with desperation. “Do not give my brother?—”
“Auggie!”
The sound comes abruptly from behind me, but before I have the chance to turn and find its source, a force rams into me, sending me tumbling down the steps of my back porch into the yard. There’s a pressure on my back, and I’m too on edge to deal with bullshit right now. I’m fucking feral, I’m raging, and I want to set fire to everything around me.
I shove back against whoever pushed me down the stairs, rolling over on top of them, cocking my fist, ready to break their face.
Leo’s sad, blue, puppy dog eyes look up from beneath me, a pout on his face. “I’m sorry, dude, I’m sorry!” He holds his handsup in surrender. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just missed you. I couldn’t find you anywhere.”
“Dammit, Leo!” I shove at his chest, rolling off him.
He sits up, rubbing his neck before bursting with laughter. “Yeah, man. I don’t even know which way is up right now, and I get kind of panicky when the room’s spinning. I thought you went missing.”
I roll my eyes, glancing back up at the porch. Everett’s smothering his sister in a bear hug, muttering something about how he’d never want to share a womb with anyone else. They make a lot of womb jokes, and I think it’s fucking odd, but I guess it’s a twin thing.
Elena shoves him off, but she’s laughing like our entire conversation just moments ago hadn’t happened. She and Everett stand together and walk inside, and she doesn’t spare a glance back at me.
I brush off my knees, grabbing Leo’s arm to help him off the ground. “I’m fine. I’m not missing, but I need to take a fucking walk.”
