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It was like déjà vu. Except this wasn’t how things went last time. Shay appeared behind Kyle, her hair a tangled mess, suggesting that she hadn’t been able to do her usual bedtime routine. I didn’t know what to say.
Kyle took a step back, bumping into Shay. “It’s not what it looks like,” he barked immediately. It took him a moment to see me, then his hands fell to his hips, and he puffed his chest up. “What the fuck are you doing trying to start shit here when you’re dropping my sister off?” He shot me a look, his lip curling. “I don’t doubt that it’s definitely what it looks like here.”
“Is that what this is?” Darius asked, not backing down. He took a step into the apartment, eyeing the other man with an intimidating air. “I was with your sister, so you’ve got to fuck with mine?”
“Dee!” Shay puffed out. “Stop. Both of you! It’s way too early for this shit!” She dodged around Kyle and pushed at Darius’s chest. “I am an adult. I can have people sleep over when I want to.”
“Really?” Darius asked, looking at her. “Is this just because you suddenly wanted him to sleep over or,” he paused, taking a step back to glare at me, “is this just another part of the game?”
“What?” Kyle looked confused. “What are you talking about?”
I felt like Darius had put me on the spot, and I wished the world would just open up and swallow me. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t have an explanation ready. Shay hadn’t wanted to tell him, so I didn’t think I’d ever be in this position. But now that I was, I could only open and close my mouth like I was a fish out of water.
Something shifted on Darius’s face, darkening. “That’s what it is, isn’t it?”
“No,” Shay suddenly snapped, elbowing Kyle back into the apartment. “This is me giving into a crush I’ve had for years.” She stomped her foot, glaring at her brother. “And this is you putting your nose in my business.” She thrust her arm between us, pointing back at the parking lot. “You can leave, because nobody here has time for this drama right now.”
Darius seemed to realize that, taking a moment to pull his phone out to peer at the time. His brows furrowed, and he looked at me. “This is not over. We are talking about this as soon as I get off work.”
He didn’t wait for me to respond. I didn’t even get a goodbye kiss. Darius turned around and stalked back out to his truck.
“What the fuck, Grace?” Kyle finally huffed back up. “Whose clothes are you even wearing?”
“Kyle,” Shay snapped again. “Go home. You said you had to get ready for work and so do I. Quit trying to act like you’ve got the biggest dick.”
“I don’t want to know,” I said immediately, looking at Shay. “Don’t say shit about his dick.”
Shay rolled her eyes and turned to look at my brother. “We’ll talk about it. But you let me handle it.” She waved a hand, motioning for him to leave. “But now’s not the time to talk about it. I will text you, and I will take care of this,” she said as she gestured toward me.
Kyle looked at me doubtfully, like he expected me to start something. He leaned down and kissed Shay. It was slow and pointed. I looked away because I wasn’t comfortable watching.
“Call you later?” Kyle whispered. “This doesn’t wreck shit, right?”
“I’ll handle it,” Shay said firmly. “Go.” The door closed, and she leaned back against it. “I hope to God that that wasn’t intended.”
I immediately shook my head. “I just got up from being between all three of them. I wouldn’t try to fuck it up by walking on you with my brother.”
Shay made a noise and shook her head. “I don’t want to hear about what you were doing.” She released a breath and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Goddamnit, what am I supposed to do?”
“You told the truth,” I pointed out. I shrugged helplessly. “Can we just lean on that?”
“That might be our only option.” She sighed. She pushed off the door and headed down the hall. “Since my night wasn’t spicy, I’ll let you have the bathroom first. I need to do something about this,” she said, trying to tame her hair with her hands.
“You didn’t sleep with him?” I asked.
“All we did was sleep,” she said without turning around. “Because I told him I wanted to take things slow. If he wants more than friendship from me, he needs to pursue me on my terms.”
“And he agreed to it?” I asked, unable to keep the doubt from my voice.
Shay turned to look at me, raising her chin upward. “That’s what he said. So I’m giving him a second chance.” She went into her bedroom. “Hurry up with the shower before I change my mind.”
That was enough to get my butt in gear.
Chapter 28
Grace
Ialmost missed the bus, and it seemed like it hit every red light between the apartment and the dealership. I was running late and there wasn’t anything saving me time. I ended up having to sprint two blocks and through the car lot itself to get to the parts department.
