Breaking Bro Code (The Line Up #4) - Misti Murphy Page 0,65
She must have been visiting and he was stoked to have her phone number or something. That was a while ago though.”
“That’s Arwen,” I say. “She’s my younger sister and the only member of my family I bother talking to. She’s married to a pop princess and they have three boys. I also have a brother. Ryder.”
“You have a brother.” She gasps. “How did I not know this?”
“That’s literally the equivalent of what Hud knows about my family too. If that helps you feel better.”
“What’s your brother like? Do you look similar? How old is he?” She swallows her next question. “Sorry. I’m listening.”
“He’s my half-brother. On my mother’s side. Although we didn’t find out that we weren’t full-blooded siblings until we were almost adults.” I grumble under my breath. Her interest is enough to flare old jealousies. “He’s a year older. And we are nothing alike. Not in looks or temperament. He’s probably not a bad guy. I assume. He’s a lawyer. Arwen occasionally keeps me up to date. She can’t seem to help it. But I don’t really know him anymore. It’s been so long since we’ve talked.”
“Oh.” She squeezes my hand again.
“Our dad is a competitive man. In business. In family. My very earliest memories are of him praising either Ryder or myself for doing better than the other. And because I was more introverted Ryder had the edge in a lot of ways. Whereas you and Hud formed a tight knit bond after what happened with your parents, mine fostered the opposite between my brother and I. We had to prove ourselves as the best. Constantly.”
“And your sister?”
“Arwen was different. She was the girl. Our job was to protect her and help her and treat her like a princess. Which we still do, because she’s the best of us. But Ryder and I were in competition at every level. It grew worse when we were in high school.” There were a few bruised knuckles. A broken nose. A chipped tooth. I broke my hand.
I rub at my wrist. Sometimes the bones ache when the weather changes. “He was bigger and into sports. I was, well, I’ve always been more tech minded.”
“You were a brain, weren’t you?” The way she says it, sort of breathlessly, like it’s sexy. That’s not something I’m used to. Normally women see me as a hot fuck. Handsome. Physically talented. I’ll never get over how Lily sees me as who I really am.
“Yes. Except that wasn’t enough for my dad. So I was also playing basketball while Ryder was playing football. And we both ended up on the wrestling team. I could hold my own. I won a few trophies.”
“Can I just say I’m devastated that I didn’t get to see you in your leotard. I bet you were adorable.”
“It was a singlet and compression shorts, thanks very much.”
“Either way. All that muscle on display.” She digs her bony elbow into my ribcage. “The girls must have loved you.”
“There was a girl,” I admit, rubbing the spot where her elbow hit.
“The redhead?”
“Actually no.” I snort under my breath. Still remember the first time I saw Jessa at a driftwood party on the beach. Her black hair swaying down her back, the way she flicked a few strands out of her sky blue eyes. Her smile. There was something about her that drew me in. Funny how that resonance turned out to be a totally fucked up instinct.
It was also the first time Ryder saw her. He’d chosen to go to UCLA to study business so he was home a lot, and this particular evening he’d decided to tag along. I hadn’t hesitated when it came to Jessa. Practically knocked down a girl with an armful of solo cups in my haste to beat him to her. Looking back, that wasn’t a real proud moment for me. Hindsight is a bitch. “The redhead came later.”
“Oh. So the girl—”
“Her name was Jessa Kincaid. And Ryder was into her too.” I shrug and bring our joined hands to my chest. “We were already in competition over everything else. Why wouldn’t it be the same for girls too? Except I really liked her.”
“And he stole her away?” she asks.
I laugh. The sound is bitter. It tastes rancid on my tongue. If only it had been that simple. “Well, they’re getting married so it turned out for the best.”
“Does that bother you?” She contemplates our joined hands.