AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As he finally comes around the front and gets into the driver’s seat, I speak. “Bradley is closer. We’ll go see him first.”
He starts the car with a nod. As we start down the dirt road, back to the civilization I haven’t seen in what feels like weeks, he asks a question that I’m sure has been burning in his mind for a while. “Who is he?”
“Bradley?” I already know that’s exactly who he’s talking about, but I need a second to try and gather my thoughts—to try and ease into this.
“Yes.”
“He’s an old friend. He helped Lydia and Carter put things in place to set your dad up, but they never got the chance to use it. He graduated tech school last year.”
“So we can trust him, then?”
I let out a breath. I thought he would ask more questions, but I’m grateful he isn’t. Telling my current boyfriend? Fuck buddy? Whatever Cyrus is, about the guy I used to hook up with just doesn’t seem appealing.
“Yes. He’s a good guy,” I reply, swallowing all the thoughts of Bradley and me down. It’s better left unsaid. Right now, tensions are high. I don’t want to add to that.
He nods again. “Good.”
As we pull up to Bradley’s parents’ house, I stare at it. The last time I was here was his graduation party with Lydia. It was easier then. We didn’t have secrets—at least I didn’t—and things were simple. Party, smoke, drink, fuck. It was the best things could be. Now, life is… complicated and messy.
The place looks the same. White with dark blue shutters and a wraparound porch, but the trees and pillars lack the fairy lights that normally adorn them for parties. I see his black Tesla parked in the long drive, but no other cars are in sight, which is good. Maybe that means he’s alone right now.
Cyrus pulls behind his car and parks. Before shutting the ignition off, he rolls the windows down for Tiny, then exits and rounds the back. He opens my door and offers me his hand.
“This is nice,” he comments, letting me take the lead.
“Yeah. His parents are pretty wealthy.”
“Not uncommon for someone who comes from Bexley.”
I shake my head as I start up the steps. “He isn’t from Bexley.”
I hear him stop behind me, but I keep walking. “Then how do you know him?”
When I make it to the door, I ring the bell and wait. “We met at a party.”
As the front door glides open, I can’t help but smile. Bradley was my comfortable—my normal—for so long, and seeing his face puts me at ease.
“Baby girl!” he exclaims, leaning down and wrapping his arms around my waist.
Before I can protest, his lips land on mine. Instinctively, my lips move with his as my arms clamp around his neck, but then I remember who’s behind me. Quickly, I pull away. “Bradley, I have—” I’m cut off with a shove.
Cyrus pushes me to the side, then swings his fist directly to Bradley’s nose. It all happens so fast, I don’t even know how to react. One second, they’re standing there shouting words I can’t even make out, and the next, they’re on the ground.
By the time my mind finally catches up with what’s happening, Cyrus has Bradley pinned under him, straddling his thighs as he sends fist after fist into his body.
“Cyrus!” I scream, rushing forward. Grabbing his shoulders, I tug as hard as I can. “Get off of him!”
When he doesn’t budge, I do the only thing I can think of. I grab a fistful of his hair and yank. Immediately, his hands reach up and lock onto mine. He stumbles backward as I drag him. “What the fuck, Carmen!”
With them finally separated, I let my hold on him fall and step in front of his body. “What the fuck is right. What are you doing?” I squeal as he pulls himself to his feet.
“He put his lips on you!” Cyrus yells back, trying to step around me.
“Wow.” Bradley laughs, dragging himself back to his feet. “I see you changed, and I never got that call.”
“It isn’t like that, Bradley.”
“Like what?” Cyrus demands.
