Anti-Stepbrother - Tijan Page 0,46

moment, I was content to burrow into Caden’s backside.

“You guys are back together?”

I felt the growl coming back from earlier. I could hear the disdain in Maggie’s voice. Why was Avery friends with her again?

“We’re hanging out. Yeah.”

“Don’t even go there, Maggie.” Marcus’ voice was a warning. “You’ve got no say in who I see.”

She laughed.

I winced at the sourness.

“You’re right,” she said. “I have no say, but Avery’s boring. You told me so yourself. You think taking her out with your brother and whatever floozy is with him is going to make her fun? Think again, hotshot.”

Avery wasn’t boring.

I waited, expecting Marcus to say something. He didn’t. I waited some more, expecting Avery to say something. She didn’t.

My hands balled into fists, pressing into Caden’s back. Fuck it. I was going to say something. I pushed forward, but he held firm. He knew I was pissed. One of his hands swept back, touching my side, as if to calm me down. I didn’t need calming down. I needed to back my friend up, and I tried again to get through.

He held me back. Again.

So I yelled from behind him, “Avery’s not boring!”

“What?”

That came from Kevin, in a sharp strident tone.

“Summer?”

The crowds parted for me. Or, well, Avery and Marcus stepped aside. Caden didn’t. He was a big boulder that I couldn’t move an inch—not that I minded trying—so I stepped around his side.

Kevin’s eyes were narrowed as he took in the way Caden tried to block me with an arm in front. I pressed into it, ignoring the guys and glaring at Maggie. “You’re stupid.”

She started laughing. “Really?”

“You say stupid things. You sound stupid.” It wasn’t the best argument, but hey, it was true. She was stupid.

“What are you? Five?”

Maybe, but I wasn’t done. I gave her a savage smile. When she saw it, she started laughing again. Obviously, she was not taking me seriously. All the better.

I softened my voice. “I don’t know who you dated before Marcus, but you messed up. Big time. You should’ve stuck with that guy.”

I cut to Kevin, ignoring how angry he seemed. “You’re stupid too. You picked a girl who’s just like you. Congratulations. Are you going to cheat first or is she? Or are you both already cheating?”

Maggie’s laughter dried up.

Satisfaction bloomed in me. I threw all caution to the wind. “Kevin, what are you thinking? You’re like the bitch in this relationship. You were hiding in your room from Caden and Marcus. Then when you got caught, you threw a temper tantrum. You didn’t even man up when you moved. You had to sneak behind everyone’s backs, like a sulking little kid, and now where are you? You’re still hiding, but at your girlfriend’s house. Do you really love her that much? She’s going to get sick of you. It’s obvious she wants Marcus back. What do you think when she leaves the house and you’re not with her? Do you remember all the times you’ve left a girlfriend behind to go see the next one? Are you thinking about all the excuses you’ve used? Has she used any of the same ones on you?”

“You’re such a bitch.”

I turned back to Maggie. “I can graduate fast from being a five year old.” I lifted an eyebrow, throwing my head back in a defiant challenge. “But can you? Because that’s what cheating is. It’s immature, and selfish, and narrow-minded thinking. Anyone who dates you after knowing what you’re like is a goddamn idiot.”

I could feel Kevin’s anger rising. I’d handed him his ass on a platter and served it up hot. I was done supporting him, or at least done being his wallflower. I felt a stirring inside of me. The hole that my feelings for him had helped cover up was opening. I gulped. I didn’t want to feel that hole, so I tore my thoughts away. I had a few more moments before he’d explode, and when that happened, I didn’t trust what Caden would do.

Maggie jerked toward me, “I don’t think—”

Marcus and Caden both moved forward, but Avery stepped in front of them, her hands on her hips. “I don’t think you have anything more to say here, do you?”

There was a warning in those words, and everyone felt it. Avery threw down the friendship gauntlet. She’d been hurt by Maggie, but she got over it and remained friends with her. Now Maggie was throwing it all away. Correction—Maggie was stomping all over their friendship tonight. There was