I’d done nothing to push him away, because I loved him.
And I used that love to justify my actions, even though they were wrong.
And now? Now it was too late.
Lucas Thorn didn’t break my family.
Brooke didn’t break my family.
My actions.
My obsession.
My love for a man who was never mine to begin with broke my family, and in turn—I glanced up at him—it broke Lucas Thorn.
And made him a cheater.
Chapter Forty-One
LUCAS
“Avery”—I tugged her hand—“are you okay?”
She was immobile, her face pale, her eyes wide like she’d just witnessed something shocking, which I knew couldn’t be true. She’d known about Molly all along, and in the end, if the truth got out, I couldn’t care less.
I loved Avery.
Therefore my focus shifted from myself to her—to protecting her, to making sure she was okay, even if revealing myself caused my parents pain.
This lie was a reflection on me—my flaws, my character—not her. Seeing Molly had the opposite effect that it should have.
I felt pity.
And anger at myself.
For ever thinking that once I had Avery I would cheat on her or turn my back on her. Seeing Molly had solidified the knowledge that I wouldn’t; it made my phone burn in my pocket.
The phone that had my “other” calendar.
God, I was such a complete asshole.
“Y-yes.” Avery nodded jerkily. “I just need some air.”
“I’ll come with you—”
“Alone.” She released my hand. “Just for a minute.”
I reached for her again, my fingers brushing her warm skin, but she shook her head.
The last thing I wanted was to embarrass her in front of her family, so I let her go and hoped I wasn’t making a giant mistake as I watched her slowly put one foot in front of the other and walk away from me.
“Dude.” Thatch’s voice shook me out of my weird funk concerning Avery. “You never told me how hot Kayla is!”
I glanced back at Kayla, who looked more hot mess than hot, and shrugged. “Yeah, well, she’s had work done.”
His eyes lit up. “Serious?”
“No, you asshole, and stop looking so excited every time I tell you that I know a girl who likes plastic surgery.”
“It’s my job.”
“Shame you aren’t better at it.”
“What crawled up your ass and died?” He pushed my shoulder. “You’re at your engagement party to a hot-as-hell chick who actually likes having sex with you.”
“Hilarious.”
“And even better, you’ve got like five more on the side.”
I froze. “What did you say?”
“Or is it six? I can never keep track.” He popped a cracker in his mouth and crunched down. “Not that it matters, since you have them in your trusty calendar.”
“Thatch.”
“What?”
“Shut the hell up.”
He wrapped an arm around my body. “Why are you pissed about this? You’ve got the girl you want to commit to and a few others who are obsessed with the great Lucas Thorn—I really don’t see a problem.”
“It’s cheating.”
“Not cheating if they know about it, and your girl knows.” He shrugged again as if we were having a completely sane and logical conversation.
My words kept crashing back to bite me in the ass.
I groaned. “Thatch, I’m not going to keep seeing other girls.”
His eyes narrowed. “But . . . why?”
“Because”—I gritted my teeth, then shouted—“I. LOVE. HER.”
Maybe I shouted it a bit too loud.
Because all talking around me ceased, and then some ladies to my right emitted a few happy sighs.
Kayla looked guiltily down at her feet and then tried to grab Brooke. Fire lit up Brooke’s eyes as she stomped toward me, hands on her hips. “I need to talk to you.”
“So talk.”
“In private.”
“Been there, done that,” I sneered. “I think I’ll pass.”
“Thatch can come.” She nodded at him, her eyes raking him over in a way that made me want to strangle her.
“Fine.”
The three of us walked down the hall to one of the guest bedrooms. I was turning to close the door when Kayla walked in.
I wondered whether I was being set up. But Thatch was there. And Thatch had my back.
I backed away slowly and glared at Brooke. “Make it quick.”
“We know what you’re doing.”
“And what exactly is that?” I crossed my arms.
“Using our baby sister to hide from your parents—what a complete jackass you are! Once a cheater, always a cheater!”
I winced, but Thatch just shrugged and mumbled, “Not too far from the mark.”
“Pick a side, Thatch.” I glowered at him.
“Hi, I’m Kayla.” She stepped forward, and Thatch reached for her hand.
What the hell?
I wanted to strangle him. He was dating Austin. He had come with Austin, who deserved better than a guy who couldn’t be loyal to her. Damn it, I was going soft.
They freaking rode to the party in the same car.
What a douche!
“We’ll, uh . . .” Thatch was abandoning me for Kayla. Unbelievable. Though in the furthest shameful corner of my brain, I realized I’d been that guy—even just a day ago I still identified with that guy. “We’ll be letting you guys have that talk.”
Kayla squeezed Thatch’s hand and winked.
He stared at her hand as a flurry of emotions—from defeat, to anger—seemed to cross his face. Hanging his head, he then took her hand and left with her, like he had no choice.
What the hell was that?
The minute they were gone, Brooke moved closer, her chest heaving. “Admit it, you’re using her.”
“I’m not using her,” I said in a tired voice. “I love her, not you, not Kayla. I love Avery.”
“She’s a child!” Brooke burst out laughing. “You forget you stumbled into my bedroom, my bed!” She thrust her chin up in the air.
“I THOUGHT YOU WERE AVERY!” I shouted.
Brooke stumbled backward. “What did you say?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I thought you were Avery.”
“But—”
“Brooke, I say this as a friend—get your shit together. Nobody likes this type of drama, and you’re way too old to be stirring things up.”
She hung her head as a tear streamed down her cheek. “I know. You’re r-right.”
Damn it, why did I always have to make women cry?
“Don’t cry.”
She collapsed against my chest in a sob.
I patted her back but refused to hug her.
Because I didn’t trust her.
Which proved to be accurate when she glanced up at me through fake lashes and gripped my face, then pressed her mouth to mine.
“Oh!” Molly’s voice jerked us apart. “Sorry, wrong room, right, Avery?”
Avery’s eyes zeroed in on the both of us.
I was aware how bad it looked.
How guilty I looked.
Brooke slapped me across the face. “How dare you kiss me? Avery, I’m so sorry, it just—”
Avery stomped up to her sister, drew back a fist, and before I could stop her knocked Brooke on her ass. Then she reached for her sister’s hair and pulled.
Chapter Forty-Two
AVERY
I didn’t want to believe that my older sister was capable of that kind of evil, but from the look in her eyes after I punched her in the face—I should have.
Her glare was venomous, eyes watering, as she poked me in the chest with her finger and spit out, “You’re no different from the rest of them.”