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And the guys start shouting.
“What the fuck?” Felix demands, fists clenched. “Which school had the nerve to turn you down? Tell me! Do they know who our father is?!”
Darius’s eyebrows collapse into a frown. “What about the University of Reyfield? You applied there? I’ll call up their admissions office myself.Because after that big ass donation I made last year, they’d better think twice about denying my baby sister.”
“Did you tell them that I’m your brother? Did you put that on your application form?” Ronan puffs up his chest and indignantly adjusts the tuque on his head. “You’re the sister of The New York Troopers star player! That’s got to count for something!”
Nolan pushes his twin out of the way. “Who does Ronan have to sleep with to get you a second interview?”
I know the guys mean well, but they’re too much. I’m pretty sure this maddening army of cavemen is the reason I’m as messed up in the head as I am today. Come on, just look at them. Then look at me. My brothers have it all, and I’m a twenty-four year old mess who can’t even get into med school. Let alone become a doctor and make loads of money.
I’ve always felt so inadequate around them. The silly little girl with mud on her knees and twigs in her pigtails, always struggling to keep up, always having to scream above the noise just to be heard.
As they stomp and swear and pound their big hairy chests, my annoyance morphs into embarrassment. “Guys, please,” I whimper. “I don’t need you beating people up or paying them off or flashing them your wieners to get me into med school. I didn’t get in and I didn’t get in.” I feel myself deflate.
“Aw shoot, sis.” Archer reaches over, squeezing me in a one-armed hug while I drown in embarrassment.
And I get pushed around the room again for more hugs and words of pity. I hate this. I hate this feeling and how they coddle me. This is how my life has always been. I’ve spent my whole life trying to claw myself out from behind their shadow. But it’s a mighty big shadow, and I have a knack for failing miserably whenever I try to do anything on my own.
Just once, I wanted to get something right. I wanted to do something right without needing my brothers or my parents or my family’s influence to swoop in and save me.
As usual, I failed.
Because that’s what I am. A failure.
I swallow down my wobbly emotions and put my poker face back on. Pretending to be cold, detached, and tough is a lot easier than letting people see how disappointed I am in myself.“Guys, it’s fine,” I manage to push out. “I’ll be fine.”
By the time I blink away my self-pity, my brothers are busy making plansforme, figuring out my living arrangements with Mason. Not bothering to get my opinion. Which is fair. After everything that just happened, it’s fair to conclude that I can’t be trusted to make my own life plans…right? I’m questioning everything at this point.
“This doesn’t have to be complicated,” Felix is saying. “The house is big enough for Mason and Karli to stay here without getting in each other’s way.”
Ronan holds both hands outward, dramatically cutting in. “Whoa, wait. The lock on the main bathroom doesn’t work.”
Felix waves it off. “They’ll hang a sock on the door.”
“And isn’t the downstairs shower broken?” Ronan continues.
Felix dismisses that, too. “But the toilet is totally fine.”
I bite my tongue, annoyed. Even though there are two toilets in this house, Mason and I will be forced to share the same shower. I instantly get a flashback of him dripping wet, in that flimsy little towel from earlier.I’m really not sure about this.
“Big house or not, I don’t know how I feel about our little sister staying with some guy I don’t know,” Nolan intervenes, his voice raised and concerned.Thank you, Nolan.
Felix squares his shoulders confidently. “Well,Iknow him. He was my college roommate. We shared a dorm for years. Mason is a good guy.” Then the asshole snickers. “Plus, Karli already introduced him to her fists.”
“What?” Archer questions, his eyes swinging to mine.
Felix jumps into position, punching the air and doing some exaggerated boxer moves. “Hell, yeah. Karli Bear used her fighter moves on him. You should see his black eye.”
“She what?!” Nolan hoots, his face lighting up with amusement.
“Like this?” Now, Ronan is bouncing around and air-boxing with Felix.
“Nah, like this.” Felix takes things up a notch, hopping around the room and throwing fists like a Rocky wannabe.
“I hate you,” I mouth at him and he cackles like a banshee.
“Nice work, Karls. We taught you well.” Darius gives me an impressed nod, hand lifted for a high-five.
