Series: Peach State Stepbros Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“You love him,” I hear Mom’s voice in my head. And I do, there’s no denying that. The truth is, I don’t want to deny it.
I sit with Mom for a long time, telling her more about Troy and updating her on Activate Kindness, my classes, and even talk a little about Taylor and Brenner. She never got to meet them either, and I want to make sure she knows everything she can about my life.
I push to my feet, legs feeling stiff from sitting on the ground for so long. “I should go,” I tell her. “I’ll be back soon. I love you.” I kiss my fingers, then press them against the headstone.
I don’t know where I’m going until my car pulls up into the parking lot of Glen’s work. My gut sinks. I haven’t been here in a long-ass time, not in years, and I have no reason to be here now, but then I think about Mom…about how short life is and all the things she wanted for me, and I park and get out. Also, eventually, this thing with Troy will come out to our parents, and I want that to go as smoothly as possible. Making nice with Glen might help.
I head inside, take the elevator up, and head toward Sherry. She’s worked for Glen for years, my whole life, as far as I can remember. She always liked Mom. I remember her sending me a card to tell me how special she was when Mom passed.
“Hey, Ms. Sherry. Is, um…Glen here?” I can’t call him my dad, still don’t have the word in me. My feet itch with the need to run out of here, to turn around and pretend this moment didn’t happen, but my insides feel too raw after talking with Mom. I want to make her proud.
“Atlas! What a surprise! I haven’t seen you in so long.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ve been busy.”
She asks about school, and I answer her questions before she says, “Your dad took the afternoon off today.”
I frown. “Oh. Okay.” Relief floods me. As hard as I try, I’m not as big of a person as Mom was.
“I can tell him tomorrow that you stopped by, though I assume you can just call him if you want.”
I wave her off. “That’s fine. Don’t tell him. I’ll give him a call,” I lie. I have no intention of talking to him. I tried to extend that olive branch, but I’m taking the fact that he’s not working as a sign.
I just want to feel good, and the thing in my life that makes me feel the best is Troy.
Me: You gonna stay at my apartment tonight?
I sit in my car, grinning at my phone like a fool, because just messaging with him makes me feel good.
Thank God no one can see me right now.
Lil Stepbro: I don’t know…what are you gonna give me if I do?
Me: My ass?
Lil Stepbro: Is that the best you can do?
Oh, so we’re playing it like this, are we?
Me: My ass, my cock, my mouth. Whatever you want. But as fucking incredible as those things will be, I have something even better in store for you.
Lil Stepbro: I’m not sure I believe you…
Me: Hm…shall we make a little wager? You know, for old times’ sake. If I’m right and it is even better than your expectations, I get to choose how we fuck. If it’s not, then you choose.
My pulse speeds up as I wait to see how he responds. How one person can have such a strong effect on me, I’ll never understand, but Troy manages to do it.
Lil Stepbro: Cocky as ever, I see.
Me: You’ll see how cocky I am tonight.
There is no doubt in my mind that he rolled his eyes at that, but I’ll also put money on him smiling.
Lil Stepbro: You’re on. Make it good.
Oh, I intend to.
29
Troy
I’m like a kid on Christmas morning. A surprise from Atlas isn’t the kind of thing I would’ve looked forward to months ago, but now I’m eager for it.
“Hm…shall we make a little wager?”
His words remind me of the bet that started all this—how certain I’d been he was bullshitting me about that blowjob, how much I’d underestimated him.
He’s surprised me since that day, and he keeps surprising me. I know he set this bet just for fun, but what the hell does he have in store for me?
When he opens the door, he’s in his hoodie, his hair wavy over his forehead in that way that looks like a stylist set it like that, but knowing him, he just ran his fingers through it real quick. He wears a cocky expression, and as soon as I enter, I kiss him like I haven’t seen him in days. I push his body up against the door to close it, then lock it for him. I didn’t intend to kiss him for very long, but before I know it, our arms are wrapped around each other.