Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 61953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
“No,” West said. “She said they were over.”
“Well, they’re not. She…you know what? That’s her story. But I saw him, and he offered to pay for law school. If I got into Harvard, I told him that I’d let him. I…didn’t think that I would.”
“That’s a big gamble,” Jordan said.
“Knowing Dad, he probably paid for a new library at the school to guarantee you made it,” Julian grumbled.
“He’d do that,” West agreed.
“What happened to me being brilliant?” I asked.
“Even you know he would,” Whitt said.
“Yeah, he would.”
I hated that I hadn’t even considered it. Had I only gotten into Harvard because of Owen’s resources? Did it matter now that I wasn’t going? It’d be funnier if he’d donated the money and I wasn’t going anyway. Sucker.
“Anyway, can one of y’all be happy for me or something?” I asked. “I’ve watched all of you fuck around with your lives and been there for it. Can’t I do what I want for a change?”
Whitt finally uncrossed his arms. “If this is what you want…”
“It is,” I insisted. “Now, all of you have ganged up on me enough. Can I tell everyone else myself tomorrow, like I planned?”
“Yeah.”
“Yes.”
“Sure.”
A grumbled chorus of responses from my brothers. I laughed at them as I pushed them toward the door, only for a squeak to come from my bedroom door.
I froze, my eyes closing in dismay. Fuck.
West laughed. “Oh man, Harley, is that why you’re rushing us out?”
“You have someone over?” Julian asked.
“That is…none of your business.”
“Come on. Introduce him to your brothers,” West egged me on.
“Definitely not happening.”
“I knew you were seeing someone,” Whitt said.
Then, he and Jordan strode forward at the same time, like the Neanderthals they were.
“Wait!” I called.
But the door was pulled open.
And Chase Sinclair stood in the doorway.
“Fuck,” he said.
“What the fuck, Harley?” Whitt snarled.
“Fuck,” I said softly.
“This isn’t what it looks like,” Chase said with his hands up placatingly.
“What does it look like?” Jordan demanded. “Because it looks like you’re screwing our sister.”
“Jor!” I snapped.
“Harley and I are together,” Chase said.
Claiming me.
In front of all of my brothers.
I swooned.
“Like hell you are,” Whitt said.
“Fucking hell, man. How low will you stoop to get back at me?” Jordan demanded.
Chase’s eyes narrowed in anger at the comment. I couldn’t even believe Jordan would go there. This had nothing to do with Jordan and Annie. Or Chase’s relationship with Annie. That had all been over so long ago.
“Who the fuck do you take me for?” Chase snarled.
“A Sinclair—a fucking lying snake!” Jordan said.
He took one more step forward and swung his fist into Chase’s face. A crack sounded in the tussle. Blood poured out of Chase’s nose. My brothers rushed forward to pull Jordan off of him. West pushed past Julian and tried to get his licks in, but Chase had taken a step back.
In all of it, I stood there wordlessly.
Forgotten in the wrath. Discarded in the mayhem. Left to stand sentinel for my brothers’ fury against the man I loved.
I stood, wondering how it had all gone so irrevocably wrong.
And I saw no way to fix it.
None at all.
Not without burning it all down and starting anew.
So, that was what I had to do.