Page 11 of Fair Play
Rome
“Relax, King Bossy Pants,”Billie says, voice laced with irritation. “Believe it or not, people go out and meet other people. Occasionally they meet members of the opposite sex. They even exchange a few words. I think it’s called conversation. You know, forming connections, socializing with your fellow human beings.”
“Why were yousocializingwith someone twice your age?” Bodi snaps.
I cut a glance in his direction. “Give me a break, dude. I’m thirty-five, not fifty.”
Billie laughs, a deep, throaty sound that makes my cock twitch.
Christ, what happens to me when it comes to her? I feel like a teenager again.
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“I was at Blue Thunder with friends,” she says, shaking her head. “A guy at the bar was being a nuisance even though I toldhim I wasn’t interested. He wouldn’t back off so I jammed the heel of my stiletto into his foot and then Rome came over and politely told him to leave me alone. We chatted for like three minutes, I thanked him, then I went home and I have no idea what he did. Geez.”
Bodi’s staring straight ahead and then he gives me a quick nod. “Thanks for that, man. But Billie, why were you out clubbing?”
The sound she makes is sheer exasperation laced with frustration and maybe a touch of impatience. “Seriously, dude, I appreciate that you came and got me tonight, for real. It was a shitty situation. The thing is—I’m twenty-two now, not fifteen. You did your job raising me, and a pretty great one, if I do say so myself. But I don’t need a parent anymore.”
“Except when your roommates harass you and I have to come save the day.”
She sighs. “I didn’t need aparent—I needed my big brother. There’s a difference.”
“I don’t think there is.”
“Well, you’re being stubborn and overprotective. As usual.” She huffs. “I admit, I made an error in judgment moving in with that bunch. But I’m not a kid anymore. I’m an adult who works two jobs between work and school. I just need a place to lay my head for the next few months. And I’ll figure it out.”
“You never should have moved out,” he snaps.
“Oh, you just couldn’t resist an I-told-you-so, could you?” she says quietly. This time her voice is laced with hurt, and for some reason, I hate hearing it.
“Well… I did tell you so. If you’d listened, you wouldn’t be in this mess.”
“Because you’ve never had a shitty roommate?” Her voice is sharp, and Bodi stiffens.
“Okay, yeah, it happens. But I’m trying topreventbad shit from happening to you. Is it so terrible that I’d like you to benefit from my experience?”
“Of course not. I just need you to treat me like an adult while you’re doing it.”
“If youactedlike an adult, I would.”
“Why do you always have to say shit like that? This is exactly why I can’t live with you. You always say and do stuff that hurts my feelings. Then we fight. Then you say you’re sorry and try to guilt me into doing what you want anyway.”
Tension crackles in the air like something tangible.
I thought my sisters and I argued a lot—but these two are kind of extra.
“We’ll talk about this later,” Bodi mutters.
“There’s nothing to talk about. Give me a few days and I’ll be out of your hair.”
Bodi grunts.
The ensuing silence is awkward and lengthy, making me wish I was pretty much anywhere else. The dynamic between these two is puzzling. Obviously, Billie trusts and counts on her brother, but she’s also struggling to prove herself to him. On the flip side, Bodi seems determined to act in a parental role, one that Billie clearly isn’t comfortable with.
And both of them are unhappy with the status quo.
They’re not asking for my input, though, so I’m going to keep my mouth shut and go to bed as soon as we get to the house.
