My mind racing, I make quick work of killing the engine and heading for Finn’s front door. I’m about to ring the doorbell when I hear what sounds like a heated argument inside the house. My first instinct is to check the knob, and sure enough, the door is unlocked.
“You haven’t been home in fucking ages. Why come back now?” Finn’s voice is the first thing I hear when I walk in. I hesitate between making Finn aware of my presence and eavesdropping, but my body ultimately makes the decision for me, tiptoeing toward the conflict.
“Am I not allowed to worry about my little brother?” The deep voice makes me cringe.
Brody.
The last time I saw Finn’s brother, he’d just locked Lexie in the library so he could get hammered with his friends.
Finn scoffs. “Drop the concerned brother act. I’m fine.”
“Dude, you’ve been fucking the help. You’re not fine.”
The help…
He’s talking about me, isn’t he?
Because I started out as Mr. Richards’s employee?
“You’re one to talk. Last I checked, you’re not exactly making the best choices in that department.”
Finn has a point. Xavier’s and Aveena’s confessions revoked Brody’s right to judge others for their partners ever again.
“This isn’t about me.” Brody dodges his brother’s accusations.
“Remind me again how this is any of your business?”
“You getting involved with Jesse Mitchell’s sister is my fucking business!”
It’s no secret that Brody isn’t a fan of my brother, but I didn’t know that hatred extended to my entire family.
“I don’t even know what the fuck went down between you two, and you expect me to just drop everything because you asked?”
“You’re just going to have to trust me on this one. If you care about our family at all, you’ll steer clear of this girl.”
What the hell?
“No,” Finn says bluntly.
“Jesus, Finn, are you that fucking whipped you’d choose your girlfriend over your own blood?”
“She’s not my girlfriend. We’re just fucking,” Finn counters.
His words feel like chunks of glass puncturing my lungs.
“Cut the crap. Fletcher said you two look like you’re going to elope or some shit. You’re in it for the long run. Admit it.”
Silence fills the room for a moment.
Then Finn carves my heart out of my chest with one sentence. “Nah, man. She’ll do for now, but college is a different story.”
My stomach plummets to my feet at his admission.
Well… looks like I have my answer.
High school fling it is.
It’s like my brain just switched to autopilot as I tear through the hall, stopping near the doorway to the kitchen. The boys’ gazes immediately lift to me. I’m not even sure why I exposed myself to them. I think I just wanted Finn to have to look me in the eyes as he belittles everything we went through.