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“That was fucked up,” I go on. “Did you do it because I called you out on your issues upstairs?” No answer except to look away like a coward. “I may be younger than you but I’m obviously more mature. You’re here in Nantucket to put your dick in any girl who will let you. I’m here to work, to survive.”
“It’s our last summer before signing our lives away,” he argues, as if that makes it all okay. “You wouldn’t understand.”
No, I certainly wouldn’t.
“Wow, poor baby. Guess what? I’m not here to play around. I don’t have that luxury. If I don’t collect a paycheck, I’ll end up homeless.” He opens his mouth to say something, but I don’t let him. My words are rolling off my tongue now. A runaway train. “But even as much as I need the money, I shouldn’t have to put up with you violating my privacy, not to mention with your little girlfriend Bree attacking me.”
“She attacked you?”
“She’s been after me since I got here. She may not have hit me, but she treats me like fucking garbage. You saw what happened at that club. Do you know she orchestrated the whole thing just to shit on me?”
His eyes darken. “I’ll take care of Bree.”
I scoff. “Oh really? I thought you guys hated me, so how do I know you weren’t the one to tell her to mess with me in the first place?”
He shakes his head. “We wouldn’t do that. Besides, Bree is pretty harmless. What damage can she really do? She doesn’t even know you. Don’t let her get under your skin.”
His defense of her puts me in a rage. “You think calling me a crack baby is harmless? Saying that’s why I don’t have a dad? Or maybe you think it’s okay for her to challenge me to a fight? Or how about filming me during an embarrassing moment to use against me later?” My voice cracks. “Take your pick, Cooper.”
His face pales and he reaches out, as if he has a right to comfort me.
I step back. “Don’t touch me.”
“She did all that?” He has the audacity to sound surprised. Like, does he really not know the kind of women he’s been sleeping with?
I nod and look away, tears burning my eyes.
With clenched fists, he storms from the room. I shouldn’t follow him. I know that. I know all about “shoulds.” I should stay right here. I should lock my door. And I should use the headphones I buried in my hoodie pocket to help me sleep. But “shoulds” are for less curious girls than me right now, because what I do is follow Cooper out of the room.
“Bree!” his voice booms angrily as he rips into the living room. I don’t think I’ve ever heard the guy yell. I can’t tell if he’s truly mad at her or if he’s just embarrassed by his immature actions and is now taking it out on the easiest target.
“Where’s Bree?” he demands of the beer pong players.
They exchange glances, a few of them smirking. “She’s in the hot tub.”
Cooper goes for the back door. The house is on an incline, so the basement walks out to the backyard pool area. Sure enough Bree is in the large adjoining hot tub. She’s straddling the lap of some guy and the two are making out. Her bikini top is undone and floating nearby, and the guy’s got his hands all over her breasts.
Are these people always so horny or is this Bree’s attempt at getting back at Cooper for hooking up with someone else at his party? Probably a bit of both.
“Bree!” he yells and she peers over her make out partner’s shoulder to land a scathing look at Cooper.
“What do you want?” she coos. “I’m a little busy here.”
“Get the fuck off my property,” he states, his tone cold and final.
It’s a side I haven’t seen of him, and for the first time since I arrived, an inkling of hope swells within me. Fuckboy tendencies aside, maybe he’s not all bad.
Maybe.
She blinks up at him. “Wh–what?”
“Get out,” he repeats, harsher this time.
She stands, covering her breasts with one arm. The water glistens down her body as she grabs her bathing suit top and hops out of the tub, striding over to Cooper. Her face is hard, and she never once looks at me even though I’m obviously standing right next to him. “Is this because of your little maid? She’s a nobody. Don’t choose her side over mine.”
Cooper’s voice is the sharp end of a blade. “You’ve made her uncomfortable.”
“So what? She makes me uncomfortable.”
