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Evie
"You're gonna get caught,"he warns for the third time since sitting down.
"We're being careful. Plus, what can he really do? Ground me? Tell my mom? What do you think she's gonna say? I'm an adult, Brady. Why do I feel like I have to keep reminding people?"
Brady's my go-to person.
I needed someone to talk to, and as much as I wanted it to be Sierra, especially since she's not a fan of my brother and I knew she wouldn't run to him, Brady seemed like the obvious choice. He's great at giving advice, and I know he has my back.
Taking a sip of his coffee, he leans back in his chair and seems to ponder my questions. The cafe is busy this morning, the same way it has been every morning when we've met to chat.
We're off campus. Close to the apartment he shares downtown with Julian. He swears none of the guys come in here. It's too posh for them—his words not mine—and they're too far up their girlfriends’ asses to get out of bed this early in the morning. Again, his words, not mine.
He's been running interference for me with Max. Watching his every move. Making sure he's not catching on to what I'm up to.
So far, it's been working. Thanks to Brady. Who I'm now indebted to.
He reminds me of this fact often. Which is why I'm the one always buying our coffee.
Max hasn't questioned why I've been avoiding the frat house. He hasn't cornered Leo and asked about me.
According to Leo, he's actually been in a fairly good mood lately.
"Evie, he's hell-bent on protecting you. I don't know how he'll react when he finds out, especially since you two are still keeping it from him."
I considered telling Max last week. Then Leo kissed me, and I needed that kiss more than I needed my next breath.
Thoughts of confessing my sins went out the window as he pressed me against the wall of my dorm, lifted me into his arms, and stole the oxygen from my lungs while somehow breathing life into me.
I live for his kisses, and the thought of never having another one makes me want to puke.
"We're going to tell him."
"When?" he pushes. "Because as much as I'm all for this relationship"—Brady knows everything now. From why I originally set my sights on Leo to the fact we've done nothing more than kiss—"I also don't want to be there when Max gets his hands on Leo."
The thought causes a shiver to crawl up my spine. It has nothing to do with the cooler temps outside, or the fact the weatherman is calling for snow by Thanksgiving. The images that flash through my mind are enough to turn my blood to ice.
Max with his hands around Leo's neck.
Max with his fist pounding into Leo's face, leaving him broken and bruised.
"Thanksgiving," I state. "I want to tell him before then since I'm asking Leo to come home with me for the Holiday."
"Bad idea."
"What? Why?"
"This will be the first big holiday you guys have without your dad. Max is already going to be on edge. He'll snap if you bring Leo home."
Brady has a point, confirming my decision to choose him as my person.
"What do you suggest then?"
He thinks it over for far longer than I'm comfortable with, sipping his coffee and surveying our surroundings. I always pick a table in the back, just in case someone we know walks in. My back is to the corner, giving me a perfect view of the front door. Brady is to my left, having pulled his chair next to mine, so we both can see everyone and everything going on around us.
"Julian wants to cook dinner for everyone for the holiday." Big deal. Julian likes to cook for the group all the time. And we let him because he's amazing in the kitchen. What does one have to do with the other? "I'll get Julian to invite Leo. All the guys from the Kappa house. It'll be less conspicuous that way. It'll give you an opening to be honest with Max."
"You want me to tell my brother I've been lying to him in front of all his friends?"
