Anti-Stepbrother - Tijan Page 0,43

us, already off to a great start.”

Caden picked up his bowling shoes. “And there’s my brother, showing off his moody-asshole side once again.” He shook his head as he passed him. “She’s my friend, dipshit. Be nice.”

Caden led the way to our assigned lane and sat down to put his bowling shoes on. The rest of us followed, and Avery went with me to pick out a bowling ball.

I tried a hot pink one, but my thumb would’ve been crushed. I set it back and picked up a yellow one. The finger holes made a smiling face.

“It’s weird, isn’t it?” Avery said.

“What?” The smiley face ball felt like it was frowning at me. I picked up a purple one and named him Barney.

She reached for the smiling ball. “How Marcus still hates you. It shouldn’t bother me, right?” The smiling ball didn’t work for her either.

I handed her the Barney one. I wasn’t feeling his love. “It would bother me.”

She sighed, sinking her fingers into the ball. “I think he still has feelings for Maggie.”

There was a rainbow-colored one. I had a feeling it might work. “Or do you think it’s just because it still stings? I’m a reminder that he was cheated on. That’s gotta suck.”

Barney didn’t love her either. She waited for my rainbow ball. “If that’s the case, he better get over it. He did the same to me.”

My feeling was right. Rainbow worked for me. “Get your own ball, woman.” I hugged it to my chest.

She laughed. “Are you being a ball hog?”

“When I’ve found my bowling ball soulmate, hell yes.” I turned a nose up at the others. “I had to try many balls before the perfect one came.”

She reached for a white ball with a single pink streak, and my heart did little somersaults. I had a feeling I’d be a ball-cheater. The single pink streak was speaking to me. She fitted her fingers in it and lifted it up. “It’s perfect.” She sighed.

We turned as one, Rainbow and Pink Streak held against our chests, and started back to the guys. They were already warming up.

“Caden’s kinda…” She hesitated. “Overwhelming, isn’t he?”

“What do you mean?” He was a big teddy bear to me now. Well, a hot and delicious teddy bear that wasn’t a teddy bear. He was more of a grizzly bear. No, not even that. What was I thinking? He was a damned panther, but I could hope one day he’d turn into a teddy bear. Much safer.

We stopped a few lanes down from them and watched. Neither seemed to notice us, but I knew that wasn’t true. Caden knew we were staring; he just didn’t care. He did what he wanted, no matter the audience. He didn’t give a damn.

He was raw power, the kind that was primal, rippling over everyone in a room, overtaking them. Avery loved Marcus, I could tell, but she wasn’t immune to the effect Caden had on people. It just seeped into your pores, lining your lungs as you breathed. It wasn’t a conscious manipulation. He wasn’t purposely affecting everyone with his presence, he just did.

“Picture him wearing only underwear,” I suggested. “It offsets him a little bit.”

Her eyes widened.

“Grandpa underwear,” I added.

Her eyes went back to normal, and she shook her head. “It doesn’t work. He’s Marcus’ brother too. That adds to the intimidation factor.”

I tried to look at him from her perspective—someone getting back together with his brother—and she was right. Caden was downright scary.

I flashed her an apologetic look. “I’m sorry.”

“It’ll be fine.” She switched Pink Streak to her side. “Besides, it might not work out with Marcus. It didn’t before.”

“Because of him.” I’m not even sure he’s good enough for you, Av. I didn’t say those words. She already loved him.

There was no reaction on her face, but she aged in front of me, looking tired and worn for a moment. I noticed a glimmer of sadness in her eyes.

She was scared. He could hurt her again.

I nudged her shoulder with mine, gently. “Let’s not think of the hurts right now.” I patted Rainbow in front of me. “It’s only about Rainbow and Pink Streak tonight. Mano a mano.”

“Our bowling balls are male?”

“Chica a chica.”

Avery laughed.

Marcus called, “Is the girl talk portion of this evening done with? Avery, we got a game to win.”

“My rainbow ball laughs in the face of your arrogance,” I told him.

“There’s nothing wrong with feeling sure of yourself,” Marcus countered.

“Said the lone camper when he didn’t realize