He’s about to answer when a loud set of knocks rattles the driver’s-side window. Jesse and I whisk our heads to the left to see Finn standing inches away from the glass.
Fuming, Jesse gives me the side-eye and rolls down the window to face my housemate. I’ve barely had time to prepare for whatever stupid shit is about to come out of Finn’s mouth when he says, “Sorry to interrupt, sir. I just thought I’d come over and introduce myself. I’m Finn. Your daughter works for my dad.”
I understand when he holds out his hand to Jesse with a wicked grin that he only came over because he saw we were in a fight and thought to himself, “Hey, I should go make shit worse.”
Jesse doesn’t even bat an eye at Finn’s hand held out to him, staring bullets through his head. A thousand-pound silence weighs me down, and I feel the need to speak before Jesse jumps down Finn’s throat.
“He’s not my dad,” I correct.
“Don’t pretend like you don’t remember me, punk,” Jesse accuses, and Finn pulls back an inch, assessing my brother thoroughly.
His eyes light up a few seconds later.
“Holy shit, Jesse?”
My brother doesn’t confirm his identity, but his glare speaks for him.
“Long time, man,” Finn adds.
“Not long enough,” Jesse says bluntly.
Ignoring my brother’s comment, Finn leans forward to brace his forearms on the window frame. A familiar glimmer of hate streaks through his gaze when he spots me in the passenger seat.
“A little young for you, don’t you think?” Finn makes a vomit-inducing assumption.
Jess shares my disgust. “Oh, fuck off. She’s my sister.”
Shock merges with the cockiness in Finn’s eyes.
“Your sister, huh?”
“Is that so hard to believe?” Jesse spits.
“Nope, small world, that’s all.” Finn plays the nice-guy act to a T. “Well, no introductions needed, then. I’ll leave you two to finish your… talk.” He fails to conceal his smile, knowing damn well the appropriate word here is “fight.”
Finn gives himself a push and starts to walk away but halts two steps in.
“Oh, and sitter girl?”
Our eyes lock across the driveway.
“Welcome back.” He tops it off with a smirk that’s full of ulterior motives.
“Yep, you’re coming home,” Jesse declares the instant Finn is at an acceptable distance.
As though he can feel his master plan working, Finn glances at us over his shoulder, flashes a conniving smile, and gestures for Theo to follow him inside.
“You do realize he did that precisely to piss you off?” I point out once the boys are out of sight.
“Well, it worked. Let’s go.” Jesse starts the car, and my hand jerks to the ignition.
“Jess, please, I really need this job.”
He shrugs. “You can get another one.”
“Not one that pays this well,” I argue.
“I don’t trust him, Dia. He wants to get in your pants.”