Page 58 of Cocky Brutal Sinner

“Did I hear my name?” Ryan strolls down the basement steps and holds up a plastic jug of vodka like a trophy. “Looking for this, motherfuckers?”

Luke and I whoop with delight, and Nate lets out an amused chuckle. James just nods and says, “Nice.”

“What do you want to do for mixers?” I ask Luke.

“Mixers are for pussies,” Ryan scoffs. “I’ll take my vodka straight, thanks.”

“Not this vodka. It’s cheap shit, and it’ll taste like rubbing alcohol. Not that I’m not glad you got it,” I say quickly, before Ryan can get all pouty. “We should just mix it with some orange juice or something, that’s all.”

“I can get orange juice,” a soft voice offers. Brinley gets up from the armchair she was curled up on.

“Why don’t you stay upstairs while you’re at it?” Luke groans. “I don’t even know why you’re down here.”

“Same reason you’re here. I live here.” Brinley trots quickly up the stairs, and Luke groans.

“Bros, I’m so sorry she’s crashing again.”

Nate shrugs. “It’s fine. She doesn’t even talk.”

“Yeah, even James says more than she does,” Ryan says.

I get why Luke wouldn’t want his fourteen-year-old little sister hanging around all the time, but he’s the only one who really cares. To the rest of us, Brinley’s as harmless as a housecat. She mostly just sits on a chair in the corner and reads while we hang.

Brinley reappears quickly with a jug of orange juice and five plastic glasses. I take charge, filling them with orange juice and vodka, because I know Luke and Ryan would use too much vodka and James and Nate would use too much orange juice. I hand the guys theirs, but Luke grabs my hand before I can give a cup to Brinley.

“None for her,” Luke says. “She’s fourteen.”

“Oh, come on, let her live a little,” Ryan says. “She’s a freshman. She can handle a bit of vodka.”

“Don’t worry. I poured hers light,” I lie. It’s not like it’ll be a big deal if Brinley has one drink. I bet she’ll just nurse it for a few hours without.

“So, are we playing more Smash?” Ryan asks.

“No way,” James says. “Beau always wins.”

I shrug. “Not my fault I have a natural talent.”

“We can play something else. Truth or Dare?” Ryan suggests.

“Nah. It’s no fun without any chicks,” Nate says. “Poker?”

Luke shakes his head. “We don’t have any chips. How about Never Have I Ever?”

“Perfect,” Ryan says as he plops down on the sofa. “A drinking game where I can sit down? Can’t ask for more.”

“Go first, then,” I tell him.

He thinks. “Never have I ever peed in Nate’s pool.”

Everyone else drinks except for Brinley, and Nate looks horrified. “You what?”

“Not recently!” James says. “Like, when we were ten and disgusting.”

“Speak for yourself,” Luke jokes.

Ryan looks to his left at James. “Your turn.”

“Never have I ever measured my own cock.”