AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Didn’t he know she was someone you treasured? Someone you promised forever to?
When Lukas finally spoke, his words were measured, deliberate, as if he was trying to convince himself as much as convince me. “It was just the one time, I swear. Seline and I were drunk. You know how I get when I’ve had too much to drink. We didn’t realize what we were doing until it was too late.”
“You cheated on her. There’s no way I’d have agreed to this plan of yours if I’d known.”
Lukas must’ve heard the finality in my voice because he blurted out, “But I’m your brother. I got your book into the hands of thousands of readers. If I hadn’t mentioned StarFire in that interview, nobody would have even known your story existed.”
His petulant tone grated on my ears. “Maybe so. But let’s be honest with each other. If my writing wasn’t any good, no one would’ve bothered reading the other books in the series, would they?”
There was another long silence before he spoke again. “You owe me, Wyatt.”
That might have worked before, but I was tired of him holding it over my head again and again. When would my gratitude be enough? “I never asked for your help. And I must’ve thanked you at least a million times.”
“Remember what Gramps used to say? He told us to always watch out for each other,” Lukas added, burying the dagger deeper. “You’re the only family I’ve got. Doesn’t that count for anything?”
How dare he use memories of our grandfather as his ultimate trump card! Guilt-tripping, withholding the truth—that wasn’t how family worked. “That cuts both ways. And since you’ve brought up Gramps, he would have told you not to hold things over me. He also would’ve been appalled by how you treated Everly.”
“What are you talking about? I treated her—”
“Enough!” I was done listening. Years ago, I stepped out of their lives because I didn’t want to be a constant damper on their relationship. But if I’d known then how Lukas made her question herself, I would never have left Everly’s side. I’d have defended her, even if it meant going against my own brother.
“I’m not convincing Everly for you. End of story. Talk to her yourself. Leave me out of it. She deserves someone better.”
“Someone like you?”
The blood drained from my face. Lukas’s question struck me like a train, stopping me dead in my tracks.
My heart pounded in my chest.
Ask him.
Ask him.
Indie’s words looped over and over in the back of my mind.Everybody knew you liked her. Everybody.
Not my brother. It wasn’t possible. “Did you know how I felt about Everly?”
His lengthy pause confirmed my suspicions.
“You knew?” I roared. “You knew that I cared about her, but you still went after her?”
“I had my suspicions, but you never said anything. When Ev and I hung out when you were in England, I realized why you were always going on about her. Everly has this way of seeing people, of drawing them in. She reflects all the best there is inside of them.”
“So you waited until I was gone to make your move.” The truth had me reeling. “How could you do that to me?”
“I’m sorry, but in my defense, you never actually said that you liked her. Look, what if we make another deal? You’ve always wanted to make your books into movies. What if I organized for you to meet someone? You talk to Everly for me, and I’ll introduce you to a guy—”
“Don’t.” My answer was short and swift. “Don’t talk to anyone about me. In fact, don’t talk to me ever again. We’re done.” I ended the call and pounded my fists against the steering wheel.
He freaking knew. My own brother knew how I felt and yet still went behind my back and asked Everly out anyway.
How much had I missed out on by failing to act on my feelings? After graduation, I’d tortured myself, convinced that my time with Everly was like a comet that came to earth once in a lifetime—one blazing, brilliant event not meant to last forever. Everly was the woman I gave my heart to, and she was supposed to remain in my past.
But now, I’d make sure she was in my future too. This time, nothing would keep me from her.
