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Prologue
JONAS
“Just fix your tie,” Lachlan snapped at me. Mom hadn’t let us know they were coming. We probably wouldn’t have known if Ramsey hadn’t woken us up with the news. Now, he and Lachlan were both glaring at me to hurry.
All I’d done was back-to-back exams, papers, and projects for the last three weeks. KC and I had nearly been paired on a project, but the teacher decided to make them individual. Probably better.
She hadn’t spoken to me since the day of the fight. She barely even looked at me. When she did—well, it was like I wasn’t there. This morning, however, the music had been posted to my door with the lyrics added. I’d been sitting and reading it, trying to process when Ramsey showed up.
“Jonas,” Ramsey said. Oh good, it was time for big brother to tell me what I was doing wrong. Turning away from both of them, I buttoned up my shirt. We never went to parents’ day or whatever it was. Mom usually had a tour or recording studio. It would be a first for Gibs, too.
Probably because KC was here. I tucked the shirt in mechanically, then retrieved my school tie. It was the last one to survive the school year. The weight of their glares made me take my time. If I hoped they would just go and leave me, I was doomed to disappointment.
Ramsey always seemed to know when I would not show up.
When I slid my feet into my shoes, Lachlan let out an aggrieved sigh. “Finally… let’s get this fucking over with so you can go back to moping.”
I would have lunged at him, but Ramsey stepped right between us and put a hand to my chest to keep me from going after him.
“Stop being such a dick,” Ramsey said over his shoulder to Lachlan. “Antagonizing him is only going to make it worse.”
“Whatever,” Lachlan said. “Let’s just go. You know how she gets if she has to wait too long.”
Icy. Impatient. Insulting.
Ramsey shook his head, but Lachlan missed it as he was already gone. “Look,” he said, removing his hand when I backed up a step. “I get it, you’re pissed at us. Maybe we deserve it. Maybe we don’t. But for the next hour, we’re going to make nice with Mom and Gibs and be perfect sons.”
I just stared at him.
“It’s all she’s asking.”
I continued staring.
“Right, fucking off. Just come on.” Not waiting for me, he turned on his heel and stalked out of the suite Lachlan and I had been sharing this year.
Next year I would be rid of him. Lachlan graduated in a week. I had already requested a single. No roommate. No brother. No more backstabbing.
Despite my lack of hurrying, both brothers waited for me before we headed for the dining hall. I kept my hands in my pockets as I followed them. The urge to punch Lachlan buzzed under my skin like a beehive had been kicked over.
He was such a dick
The noise from inside hit like a tidal wave as Lachlan shoved the door open. Ramsey caught it before it could close, and then we were inside.
“There’s my boy!” Mom’s grin was wider and more open than I’d seen it in a long time. She gave Lachlan a big squeeze before reaching out a hand to me. I wasn’t big on—I held my breath as she crushed me to her.
The overwhelming floral spray she favored filled my nostrils. It wasalmostenough to overpower the smell of cigarettes. Mom was smoking again. Didn’t surprise me. Gibs smoked. Mom would smoke with him.
“All of my boys.” Mom pulled back then pressed a kiss to my cheek before she went to Ramsey. Gibs chuckled as he clapped my shoulder.
“Good year?”
“Yes, sir,” I said, shaking his hand briefly. At least he didn’t expect much more than a quick handshake.
“Good. Good. Your mother worries.” He said it like he shared a confidence. I was aware. My mother didn’t worry that much. Gibs, however, had already turned away to Ramsey, and I savored the reprieve. There were too many people in this vast, overcrowded room.
A flash of blue caught my eye and I shifted to see KC staring at us.
No.
