Page 1 of Brutal Titan

Victoria

Loud music swarms my mind, overpowering any chance of rational thought as my eyes easily find him in the rowdy crowd. Not that I’ve had many logical thoughts recently—especially where Elliot Bass is concerned. I learned long ago there’s a reason his last name rhymes with ass. Because that’s all he is—a major pain in the ass, always around since he’s my brother’s best friend but just out of reach for that same reason.

Tossing back another shot, the amber liquid smoothly flows down my throat, telling me that I should probably stop. Instead, I pour another, quickly downing it too.

“You ready, Victoria?” Grant asks, hopping on the counter next to me as I pass him the half-empty bottle.

Been ready.I pry my eyes from Elliot, turning to Grant. “For what?”

“Monday. First day. Senior year. What could be better?”

“The last day,” I mumble, looking over to the current cause of my misery. He seems to be enjoying himself without a care in the world.

Grant starts babbling on about something that is thankfully easily drowned out by the thumping music of the house party that is in full swing. Practically every student from Golden Olympus is in attendance, including the one standing in front of me looking as desperate as ever.

“Where’s your brother?” Allison asks, looking past me to the sea of drunken classmates.

“Hi to you too.” Snatching the bottle from Grant, I take a generous swallow, forgoing the shot glass. Allison is the closest thing I have to a friend in the hell hole, and I’m about ninety-nine percent sure that’s only the case because she wants to hook up with my brother. That’s all I am to everyone around me—Asher’s little sister. Every now and then I get the part of Victor Hastings’s daughter, but that’s about it. I’m never just a person independent from them, particularly to those I want to see me as my own distinct being.

“I’m sorry. I just want to talk to him about something. He’s been really distracted lately.”

No doubt what she wants doesn’t involve talking. My stomach turns. “I don’t know where he is.”

“Don’t you have twin telepathy or something?” Allison stands on her tippy toes, glancing around the room again.

“Maybe I would if we were actually twins.” I’m done hiding my frustration, and it’s more than evident in my response. What a great friend who knows me so well.

Allison looks to me with confusion. “But I thought … you’re both seniors.”

“Yeah. I doubt you’ve done much thinking about anything. We aren’t twins. Asher was held back a grade when we were kids.” I’d thought it was a good thing at first. Then I realized there was no separation with us.

“Oh, have you seen him?”

“No.”

“There he is.” Grant points to the opposite side of the room where Asher is sitting, looking just as miserable as I feel. Maybe we should’ve been twins. Same grade, same friends, same miserable parties.

Allison wastes no time, heading straight for Asher. He looks even less thrilled to see her than I’d been as she attempts to spark a conversation with him. I almost feel sorry for her because I understand the desperation. The wanting of someone who doesn’t want you back.

Looking to Elliot, I find his gaze shifting between me and Grant before he turns his back and heads up the staircase. I shove off the chair, knowing that I shouldn’t follow him. It won’t go anywhere, but at least I can yell at him for a little while, cause him half of the agony he’s caused me.

A tender hand grips my arm, halting me. I turn to see Grant looking at the staircase. “Are you good?”

Tugging my arm out of his grip, I lie, “Yeah, I’m fine.” I’ve known Grant all through school. He’s not exactly someone I’d consider a close friend, and it’s not like he’s ever hung out with me at one of these ridiculous parties, so his sudden interest in my well-being is throwing me a bit. But there’s no time to look into his motives because there’s another person inhabiting every square inch of my mind.

Stumbling off, I follow the path that I’m sure will end in more despair, but I have to know why he did it.

My fingers grip the cold metal of the banister as I make my way upstairs. Surely more steps had appeared since the last time I’d taken the staircase because it feels never-ending. Finally reaching the landing, I make my way down the hallway to the door I know he’s behind because it leads to his bedroom. Tightly gripping the cold metal, I turn the knob and swiftly step inside, spotting him sitting on the edge of his bed with his face buried in his hands.

His eyes snap to mine as the door clicks shut behind me, my back pressing against the solid door. It feels like the only thing holding me up at the moment. “Damn it, Victoria. What the hell are you doing in here?”

“I want to know why.”

“You need to leave.” His harsh tone hits me as I watch his face drop to his hands, shoulders slumping forward in defeat.

“No.”

Slowly his head rises, and his fierce eyes meet mine, holding nothing but disdain. “Get out before your brother finds you in my bedroom and flips his fucking lid.”