Series Starter Firsts in Series Collection - Kaylee Ryan Page 0,334

I can reply, I hear Allison. “Ace, I’m done.”

With that, Aiden walks back into his room and shuts the door. I stand here for several minutes before Hales steps out into the hall. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing.” I stomp back into my room and slam the door.

Hailey joins me a few minutes later and climbs into bed. “Liam, are you okay?” she whispers.

I roll over and ignore her.

“Liam.” She places her hand on my arm.

She’s sitting up in bed when I look over my shoulder. I sigh and roll over. “What is it, Hales? I’m tired.”

She studies me. “What happened to get you so pissed off all of a sudden?”

I stare at her, debating on what I should say. Should I tell her I’m mad as hell Allison is sleeping in Aiden’s bed? Do I tell her Allison is all I can think about since meeting her yesterday? Do I tell her I feel like my world is spiralling out of control? No, I can’t tell her any of those things. I’m not so sure she’d believe me anyway. Hell, I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around it. I’m losing my fucking mind!

“I’m fine, Hales, go to sleep.”

“Liam, come on, I’m your sister. I know you better than that.”

“Hailey,” I warn her.

“I’m not ten anymore, Liam. You don’t intimidate me. What the hell happened between the kitchen and now?” she continues to question me.

“Drop it, Hales, I mean it.”

“No. Tell me what’s up with you. We were all having a great time, and now all of a sudden you’re Mr. Pissed-Off, and I want to know why,” she insists.

“Fine, you want to know what’s wrong. Allison, that’s what’s wrong, okay? Now. Go. To. Sleep.”

Hailey looks confused. “Allison? Why, what did she do to you? She’s the nicest person I know.”

“Fuck,” I grumble. “She won’t get out of my head,” I admit as I pull my pillow over my head.

There’s complete silence following my outburst, and I think that maybe I’m lucky and Hailey has decided to leave well enough alone and has fallen asleep. I pull the pillow from my face and look over at her. She is staring at me. “You like her, don’t you?”

“No…yes...Fuck, Hales, I don’t know, okay?”

Hailey’s grin spreads across her face. “Hot damn, I knew when you finally fell, it would be hard. I never dreamed I would have a front row seat in the action.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“You, dumbass. You refuse to get serious about anyone. All that matters to you is football. You hook-up. You get a reputation as a player and you keep at it, like it’s no big thing as long as you get yours and have football.” Hailey nudges my shoulder. “Until now, that is,” she adds, still grinning like the cat that ate the fucking canary.

She isn’t done. “Not only do I get to witness this wondrous revelation take place, but since it just so happens to be with my roommate, I’ll get an up close and personal view of my big brother, the player, falling for a girl.”

“What? That’s crazy. I’m not falling for her. I’m just extremely attracted to her, that’s all. It’s been a while since I’ve hooked up. I just need to remedy that and all will be back to normal. So, don’t go spouting off crazy shit like that. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Whatever you say, big brother, whatever you say.” Hailey smiles as she rolls over and falls asleep.

I lie here, for what seems like hours, staring at the shadows on the ceiling. My mind keeps drifting back to Allison and her gorgeous dark brown hair, and those big, beautiful, emerald green eyes. I also think about her being wrapped up in Aiden’s arms and feel resentment sweep over me. It’s almost four in the morning the last time I look at the clock before falling asleep.

A few hours later, my internal clock wakes me up. I’m used to getting up early to either run or hit the gym. I slip out of bed, careful not to wake Hailey. I’ll let her sleep a little longer, but we have to be at our parents’ house for lunch at one.

I walk down the hall to the bathroom to relieve myself, before heading to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. I glance over at the couch and discover Blitzen has already left. As I walk into the kitchen, I have to blink to make sure my