Page 8 of Deceptive Games

We’d been seven, it wasn’t like it meant anything.

“I don’t know. I haven’t told anyone and it just sort of came out.” Panic filled his eyes as he looked at me, realization setting in about what he’d said. “Don’t tell anyone. Not even Holloway. Shit, why?—”

“I won’t say anything,” I promised, giving him a small nudge with my shoulder. “So, you and Jense, huh?”

“No. It was a mistake,” he snapped, raking his fingers through his hair. “I was upset, it just happened.”

“You know there’s nothing wrong with it, right? Your mother’s just a bitch who’s worried about her social status.” When he stayed quiet, I angled my body to face him more, tilting my head. “He’s a good kisser, I’ll give him that. You really didn’t like it?”

“No,” he forced out, but his voice wavered. “I’m not gay. Show me your tits, I bet I’ll get hard.”

I couldn’t help the giggle that left me, his eyes narrowing and making me wave a dismissive hand at him.

“Sorry, you’ve just never said anything like that to me before. You turned into such a guy.”

“I’m not gay,” he repeated, and I took his hand and gave it a squeeze.

“I know. You can like girls and Jensen at the same time.”

“He’s my best friend. It’s not like I want to sleep with him,” he replied and screwed up his nose as he placed our joined hands on his thigh. “I came in here to comfort you, not the other way around. I wish you’d tell me what was wrong.”

A sigh left me, and I dropped my head onto his shoulder, closing my eyes for a second.

“How did we get here after all these years, Luke? Crying in a spoiled rich boy’s bathroom and hating each other.”

“I like you, I just suck at showing it,” he murmured. “You really won’t talk to me about what’s got you so upset? I’m a vault, I promise. You could tell me you murdered someone and I’d still keep it to myself. I won’t even tell Jense, and I tell him everything.”

My tense was automatic, and I forced out a laugh. “Murder? How did you come up with a wild idea like that?”

“Rory,” he said in a low voice, releasing my hand to tilt my chin up gently so he could meet my gaze. “Did you kill someone?”

A wet laugh left me as I shook my head, tears burning my eyes. “What? No. That’s insane. I couldn’t do something like that. Murder?”

A sob left me and he cursed, wrapping his arms around me to haul me onto his lap.

“Jesus Christ,” he said under his breath as I buried my face in the crook of his neck. “Is that why you were with Skeet last night?” I kept sobbing and he pressed a kiss to my head. “I’ve got you. We’ll figure this out.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I tried to say, but he cut me off by holding me tighter.

“I said I’ve got you,” he said firmly, the door cracking open and making me jump. He held me tightly, glaring over my head. “Out.”

“What’s wrong?” Caden bit out, ignoring him. “I swear to God, you’d better?—”

“If you don’t shut your mouth, walk out, and close that door behind you, I’m going to put Rory down and beat the shit out of you, Holloway. I’ve got her, so leave,” Lukas threw back without waiting for him to finish, surprising me slightly.

Lukas liked throwing hands, but he sounded ready to tear his friend's head from his shoulders.

Caden cursed at him but left the room, slamming the door behind him and leaving us alone. I lifted my arms to thread them around Lukas’ neck, and he grabbed the front of my towel as it fell, putting it back in place to cover me before hugging me back.

“Let me call Skeet,” he whispered, and I shook my head.

“No. I promised I’d be fine, so?—”

“I’d be worried if you were fine right now,” he muttered. “Get dressed. We can lay around your room today and I’ll beat up the guys if they don’t stay out.”

“I still don’t trust you.”

“That’s fine. Let me prove you can,” he said softly, helping me to my feet and steering me into the bedroom to rummage in my closet while I stood awkwardly by the wall. He looked uncomfortable as he handed me some panties, and I chuckled as I took them from him.