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Lincoln’s lips curve up, fighting a smile. “Slutty girls?”
I wince, knowing it’s an assumption of mine based on rumors, and it’s not a very feminist view to have of other women.
It’s also not entirely what I meant.
“No. Well, maybe a little.” I press my fingers to the bridge of my nose, trying to collect my thoughts. “I just mean, you guys have fooled around with a lot of girls who know what they’re doing, and despite the few experiences I’ve had with you both separately and…together, that’s not me.”
They watch me intently while I flounder with what can only be described as word vomit. But for some reason, I can’t stop.
“I don’t let guys I’ve hardly talked to finger me at parties. I don’t let my boss eat me out at work while I make out with his best friend. Hell, I’ve only ever slept with two people.” I take a deep breath. “And I certainly don’t want to come between two best friends or string anyone along because, let’s face it, love triangles are the worst. I mean, look atGone with the Wind,Pretty in Pink,Star Wars,Twilight.”
They stare at me like I’ve grown two heads.
“Well,” I continue. “I guessStar Warsdoesn’t count since, spoiler alert, Luke finds out Leia is his sister. And as far as supernatural love triangles go,Twilightis pretty weak compared toThe Vampire Diaries—but I can’t compare them because then I’ve crossed into TV. And you don’t even want to get me started on TV love triangles.”
“Stop.” Lincoln’s authoritative voice cuts through my rambling, and my eyes snap up to his slate-gray ones. “One—whether your actions match this perception of yourself is irrelevant, and frankly, if you enjoyed it, you should own what you’ve done. We don’t think less of you, so why should you? Two—bros before hoes.”
I almost burst out laughing.
“And three,” he continues, stepping close so we’re inches apart, “in order to have a love triangle, you need to be in love.”
For some reason, his last comment stings, but I force a smile. “Fair enough.”
“Come inside and stop overthinking shit, Bennett,” Trey says, ruffling my hair like I’m a damn puppy. So I do.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
LINCOLN
What did Serenity say to her? Did she tell her about that stupid cat?
That girl has never had a big mouth when it comes to me, but what if her jealousy of Charlie pushed her into telling one of my secrets?
Obviously, my fucked-up family situation came up, and I’m a little surprised by Charlie’s reaction. No one but Trey has had much empathy for the plight of this poor rich boy. Even Serenity grew impatient with me. But she grew up with her selfish bitch of a mother, so I can’t blame her for not understanding what it was like to have lost one who cared. My mother was everything—a confidant, a best friend, and the one person who I thought would never leave.
I'm pretty sure Charlie doesn’t knowwhymy mom left—I never even told Seren that.
Am I ready for that conversation?
There was a reason that I didn’t even tell Trey until the other night. Ellen’s death was a pretty high-profile news story, and leaking rumors about a dead woman is in poor taste, no matter how much I hated her. Not to mention, it would destroymy father’s reputation. I’m a bitter asshole, sure, but no need to fracture our relationship further.
I’m really not sure how Charlie would react to the information that her mom tore my family apart and made me into this cynical, uncaring prick. I’m not ready to tell her because then I would have to tell her how I used her—took her virginity—all in the name of misplaced hate.
I watch as she takes off her Converse and moves to sit on the couch, staring out through our balcony doors into the darkness beyond campus. Her brow furrows, making a worry line that I want to smooth away with my thumb. I sit down in the armchair across from Charlie to be on the safe side. I don’t trust myself with her. Ever since our encounter in the theater, some measure of control I had around her slipped, and I haven’t been able to rein it back in.
Trey opens the fridge and grabs a beer, cracking it open and taking a swig before heading over to the bar. I smile slightly as he pours me a whisky neat and mixes a whisky Diet for Charlie. Trey knows I don’t drink much beer, but he also knows Charlie’s drink of choice. For putting on the front of a stereotypical fuck boy, he’s actually pretty thoughtful. Hell, despite his shitty upbringing, Trey has proven himself time and again to be protective of those he loves and loyal to a fault.
“Thank you,” Charlie says quietly, accepting the drink from Trey. When he heads back to the kitchen, she looks at me, and her eyebrows lower.
I have to force myself not to smile because the spark that lights inside her when I push her buttons lights everything inside me too, but in an unexpectedly good way. No one ever challenges me, and I like that she does. She doesn’t treat me like I’m broken.
“I know this shouldn’t bother me, but it does,” Charlie starts haltingly. “I don’t remember either of you from when I wasyounger, and I feel like I should because apparently you both used to come to my house all the time.” Her small fingers run through her wavy hair anxiously, making it a sexy, tousled mess as it falls around her face. “So you knew who I was at the bonfire. How long have you hated me, Link?”
Trey starts to talk from the kitchen, pausing his search for snacks, but she silences him with a glare. “Don’t even get me started on you. You implied you didn't remember when I asked you this exact question the other night at the theater.”
“Cut him some slack,” I say with a smirk. “He was blitzed for most of high school, so he was telling the truth. Marcus and Sebastian were cool guys. So yeah, we spent a lot of time in your pool house.”
Charlie rolls her eyes and glances at Trey. Then she folds her legs beneath her and places her hands in her lap as her rich green eyes come back to me. “Do you remember me?” she asks coldly.
