I lean against the counter while he rummages around in the fridge and cupboards. He turns back to me and grins. “I’ve got white rum and pineapple juice?”
“It’ll do.” Rum would be my third choice, but with pineapple juice, it just tastes like juice.
He smiles and fills me a red cup before grabbing a bottle of Bud from the fridge. “Thank you.”
“So, you know Dante?” he asks, motioning to my jersey.
“Kind of. Is it really going to be an issue if I wear it?” I ask, biting my lip. I have no idea why it would be, but I also don’t want to deal with any drama tonight.
I look up and find the man in question sauntering toward us. “Briar Moore, you really are here, slumming it with the St. Vincent scum no less.”
I freeze, wondering if this is an actual thing, or if it’s stupid boy shit. So when Sawyer laughs, I let out a relieved sigh.
“I told you I’d be here,” I say with a shrug before leaning against the counter.
“Where’s Penn?” he asks.
“No idea. She disappeared with Connor.”
His grin widens and his dimples make an appearance. “I guess that means you’re all mine for the night then.”
“I don't think so,” Sawyer interrupts, stepping up beside me.
“It’s my jersey on her back,” Dante says with a shrug before moving to the fridge and grabbing a bottle of beer too.
“Stupid fucking jersey,” I mutter and lift it over my head. I wince at the pain and realize too late that my back is on show as I throw it at Dante.
“What the fuck happened to your back?” Sawyer asks, and I freeze for a moment before turning to face him and rolling my eyes.
“I fell,” I deadpan. “Calm down, caveman.”
“Who’s a caveman?” I turn and find Asher standing on the other side of the island with Cole and Travis flanking him.
“Your brother,” I say with a sigh.
“Why is he a caveman?” Asher asks, quirking a brow at Sawyer.
Sawyer grabs my shoulders and spins me, lifting up the bottom of my crop top, showing them the giant bruise between my shoulder blades. “That’s why.”
“Sawyer, will you please stop manhandling me?” I hiss and push him off of me. “Dante, do you want to dance?”
“Sorry, Briar. I’d like to know how you really did that too,” he says, and I swear the testosterone in here is freaking suffocating.
I turn and face Travis who has a face like thunder. Asher seems to notice where I’m looking first, but it only takes a second for Sawyer to catch on.
“Travis did that?” Sawyer asks, pulling me back a step and moving to almost stand in front of me, creating a barrier between me and my supposed stepbrother.
“I didn’t know,” Travis says, his gaze traveling back over to me. For a second, he almost looks sorry, but then that stony facade of his returns.
“Fuck that noise, bro,” Sawyer yells, and Asher and Cole move back, herding the crowd away from the kitchen with Dante’s help. “You did this to her?”
“It’s not like I meant to,” Travis says with a shrug.
“Sawyer—” I start, trying to dial this back before what is essentially nothing explodes into more than something.
“Briar,” Sawyer says, turning to me, eyes blazing. “He doesn’t get to fucking hurt you like that.”
“It’s done,” I tell him with a sigh. “Doesn’t make it right, but you can’t change it.”