Page 23

Internally, I recoil at the use of my birth name, pushing Pika’s arm away with my fingertips like he has a disease. “Always a pleasure, Pika. Where’s your better-looking twin?”

Only Aunt Pearl calls me that shit.

His lips curl back as he steps toward me, but his brother stops him before things get out of hand.

“If you’re looking for Matthew, he’s in the bathroom,” Oscar says, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. Something crosses his features, though, and he pauses. “...with Valerie.”

As I take off down the hall, an ugly, visceral jealousy bubbles in my gut, and my vision goes red.

It shouldn’t surprise me. Matthew has run to Val constantly despite how bad she treats him, but after what we did last night? And this morning? The way he whispered into my skin when he came between us, cum soaking both our stomachs as he held me close…

How fucking dare he?

As I approach the bathroom door, I’m about to knock when it suddenly swings open. Valerie steps out, adjusting her dress, and when our eyes meet, she deliberately licks her lips before picking her heels up off the floor.

“Sloppy seconds are all yours,” she laughs, stumbling down the hall, and I ball my fists to keep from yanking her back by her hair.

You’re the one who got sloppy seconds, bitch.

Shoving open the bathroom door fully, I immediately spot Matty on the floor, and I’m about to lay into him when I see…

When I see…

“Oh my God, Matty.”

Bile rises in my throat as I drop to my knees beside where he’s passed out, tucking him back inside his jeans before buttoning them back up. He barely mumbles, doesn’t even register what I’m doing, and I have to lean over his motionless body as I nearly puke into the toilet.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

That fucking bitch, what did she do?

“Matty, hey,” I rasp, wiping my mouth as I jostle him awake. “Come on, big guy, get up. I can’t carry you.”

His lips move, a whisper I can’t understand as his brows furrow, and I get up on shaky legs to cup my hands under running water from the sink. My entire frame is trembling when I splash it on his face, horror and rage warring inside of me.

I’m going to fucking kill her.

Icy cold water does the trick, making him coherent enough to curse as he wipes his face, squinting up at me. “Why?”

“Because you weren’t moving, Matthew. Come on, help me get you up.”

Groaning, he puts an arm around my shoulders and uses the tub for leverage, slowly lifting off the ground. “My head hurts.”

“I know, baby. I’m gonna get you home.”

His weight is hard to hold, but I try, stumbling into the hallway. Eyes follow us, watching when I crash into the wall multiple times to keep him up. In the corner of the room, Pika sits on the couch with Val, sneering in our direction, and if Matty could stand on his own right now, I’d be over there in a heartbeat throwing hands. I don’t care if it landed me in jail. She fucking assaulted my best friend. Took something that wasn’t hers to take.

We’re almost to the front door when my legs give out, and I go down hard. Bracing for impact, I wait for Matty to crush me, squeezing my eyes shut and praying that nothing gets broken when he hits.

Only nothing happens.

Peeking through my lids, I glance up to find Oscar holding Matty up. He extends his free arm toward me.

“I got him. Let me help.”

“Get the fuck away from him,” I growl, slapping his hand away before getting to my feet.

Oscar’s brows jump as I snatch my best friend out of his grip. “I just want to help, man, Jesus.”