Page 54 of Broken Ties (Rixon High 4)

“I’ll text when I have an exit strategy.” He ran a hand through his hair, still refusing to meet my eyes.

“Yeah, okay.”

Aaron slipped out of the room and closed the door behind him, the click of it ricocheting through me.

“You know, I love my brother dearly,” Sofia murmured. I hadn’t even realized she was awake. “But he doesn’t deserve you.”

“You called him?” I glared at Aaron as my dad climbed out of his Range Rover and gave me a long, disapproving look.

“I texted him last night. He called me a few minutes ago.”

“Ugh.”

“You look like crap,” Dad said, reaching us. “Go get in the car. I want to talk to Deacon about these parties of his.”

“Dad, no! I’m almost eighteen.”

“Exactly, Poppy. You’re almost eighteen. I didn’t expect to get a text from Aaron telling me you’re sleeping over at some boy’s house—a football player’s house, no less—because you’re drunk.”

“Dad.” I let out an exasperated sigh, my head too fragile to deal with his tirade, even if he did have a point.

“Look, Coach,” Aaron said. “Nothing happened. The girls slept in one of Deacon’s guest rooms. I made sure no one went up there.”

My eyes flashed to his. He was lying and it rolled off his lips so easily.

Dad huffed. “I still don’t like it.”

“You couldn’t have hated it that much,” I added. “Or you would have turned up last night and dragged me out of here.”

“Oh trust me, young lady. I almost did. But your mom felt that we needed to let you spread your wings a little.”

“She said that?”

“Yeah. Lily may have influenced her. They were on video call all night.”

Of course they were.

“It was my fault,” I admitted. “I drank too much and asked Aaron to cover for me. It won’t happen again.”

“Hmm,” he murmured. “Come on, let’s go home. I’ll give the two of you a ride home too.”

“Thanks, Coach.”

“Thanks,” Sofia groaned, almost as hungover as I was.

Dad stormed back to his SUV while we trailed behind. “You didn’t have to fess up,” Aaron whispered.

“You didn’t have to text him,” I hissed.

“Come on, Poppy. You were wasted and you know he would have turned up looking if I hadn’t let him know you were okay.”

“Yeah, I know.” I conceded. “Listen, I didn’t say or do anything embarrassing last night, did I?”

“Like what?” His eyes clouded a little.

“Nothing.”

Why the hell had I asked that?

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