AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Technically?”
I offer him a wry smile. “You don’t want to know.”
He groans and knocks back the rest of his drink. “Oh God. I don’t need to know about your sex life. It was bad enough when you were with Lachy.”
I can’t help laughing, remembering how Conrad said the same thing about Ellie. “Now you know how I feel about you sleeping with my best friend.”
He groans. “Yeah, fair. Let’s agree never to talk about this ever again.”
“Deal.” I smile at him. “Does that mean you’re not pissed at me anymore?”
Brady runs the back of his neck. “I can’t say I’m happy, Ives. I don’t like the guy.” He rushes on when my smile drops. “But I love you, and I want you to be happy. So if you’re sure this is what you want, then I’ll deal with it.”
I jump off my chair and practically throw myself into his arms. “Thank you, B. I love you.”
He squeezes me tight. “Just be careful. I don’t want you to get hurt again.”
“I won’t.”
“I hate to interrupt,” Wren says from behind me, and I step away from Brady. “But I’m absolutely wrecked. Can we go back to camp now that you two have kissed and made up?”
Brady pulls her into his side and kisses her temple. “Sounds like the best idea I’ve heard all night, Rookie.”
* * *
“WHERE’S ELLIE’S CAR?”
I follow Brady’s gaze and sure enough, Ellie’s car is missing. My stomach drops. Did Conrad leave? Did he decide I wasn’t worth the drama? I pull my arm from Wren’s and rush over, stopping in my tracks when I see Conrad sitting in a camp chair holding a can of soft drink to his face. Ellie is curled up in a chair next to him, tears streaking down her cheeks. The others are nowhere to be seen.What the hell?
I drop to my knees in front of Conrad, reaching up to pull his hand away from his face. He winces and my mouth drops open at the bruise forming around his eye. “What happened?” I ask, my fingers gently brushing over the red skin. “Where’s everyone else? And where’s your car?” My last question is directed at Ellie, but she just drops her head into her hands, a new wave of sobs shaking her shoulders.
“They’ve left,” Conrad grunts out. He moves my hand away to replace the cold can over the bruise.
“What? Who? Why? They’ve been drinking.”
“Tom and Harley. Tom wasn’t drinking. He drove.”
My gaze darts between Conrad and Ellie. “What happened?”
“Harley punched me.”
Brady mutters something that sounds suspiciously like, “Hope it hurt.”
My glare is met with a grunt as Wren elbows him in the ribs. I turn my attention back to Conrad. “Why did they leave?”
Conrad drops his head. “Harley found out something pretty upsetting.”
“I’m cutting you some slack, Foster, because for some goddamn reason my sister likes you,” Brady grits out. “But you better stop talking in riddles and tell us what happened.”
“I only found out this week.” Conrad lifts his gaze to meet mine, pain flashing through those baby blues. “I didn’t know Tom already knew.”
“Knew what?”
“My mum had an affair with Sam Breed. I’m their half-brother.”
Wren gasps.
“Bullshit,” Brady snaps. He pulls his phone out of his pocket, spitting out a curse when I assume it goes to voicemail. “Call me back when you get this. Don’t do anything stupid.” He hangs up and pulls up another number. When that one doesn’t pick up, he throws his phone on the ground in anger.
