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The one person I loved more than anything—stilllove, more than anything. The person I should have been with instead of trying to save Layla from herself. The one who left me with more questions than answers at the darkest time of my worthless life.
If I could have chased her to the ends of the earth, I would have gladly done so. On my fucking knees, if that’s what it took.
Fuck you, Archer. You left a huge mess behind you, man.Gracias, asshole.
And right there, in the middle of the elevator, I let my mind drift back to the last day that things made sense. The day before everything went to shit.
* * *
“Come on, wanker. Let’s get this party started.”
Archer turns wide blue eyes towards me as he emerges from the river. “I’ve got a pussy that needs a good hammering, and you, my darling brother, are in my damn way.”
My brother pins me with a dark look, and I roll my eyes good-naturedly. “Where did Mum find you, you absolute animal!”
I snort with unconcealed laughter as Arch smirks when he comes up alongside me, pushing me further away. “Clearly, brother, I’m the black sheep because I am exactly nothing like the rest of the North flock.”
“You’re a fucking idiot, Archer.” I sprint forward, eager to close the distance between Summer and me, but in usual Archer style, he runs faster, closing the gap before I can reach both girls.
“Who wants to play Spin the Bottle?”
Layla brandishes the now-empty bottle of vodka we’d stolen from her mum’s not-so-secret stash.
As we come closer, my gaze slides to Summer’s big doe eyes, blown even wider by Layla’s suggestion.
“How about Truth or Dare instead, Lay?”
Archer sidles up alongside Layla, and I nod enthusiastically, grateful for his alternative suggestion.
“Yeah! Now that’s something I can get behind.”
Layla smirks at Archer like the cat who’s got the cream. “Okay then. Girls first. Caden—”
Her eyes flit from my brother to me. “Put your money where your mouth is. Truth or dare?”
I shrug like it doesn’t faze me.
“Dare, Lay.”
Bringing her forefinger up to her chin, she taps it several times while mulling over her options until, eventually, a smile lights up her face.
“Okay, Mr Hotshot. I dare you to takethis.”
Reaching into the pocket of her discarded maxi skirt, she pulls out a small bag containing a couple of blue pills. She takes one out, tossing the bag to the side, and places the pill on her tongue before hooking her forefinger to beckon me closer.
Shit.
Sheer force of will stops me from looking at Summer as I edge closer to Layla, but when I attempt to pluck the pill from her outstretched tongue with my fingers, she stops me, shaking her head.
“I think she means no hands, man.”
Layla winks at me, that little blue pill sitting atop her outstretched tongue.
Fuck this shit.
I shoot my brother a droll look that makes him chuckle deep in his chest, then quickly lean forward to suck the proffered pill from Layla’s tongue, darting back to my previous position twice as fast. I don’t look at Summer once, but I can feel her hurt hanging between us.
Washing the pill down with a swig from a second half-empty bottle of vodka, I pin my brother with a disdainful look.
