Page 6 of Falling for Them

“Tommy,” I say.“We talked about this.You’re supposed to call first, remember?”

“It’s not like you’re entertaining anyone,” he says with a chuckle, then shoves more of my second dinner into his face.

“Do you mind?”I say.“I was eating that.”

He looks puzzled.Typical Tommy.Like, how could another person have been existing and living their own life before he walked into the room?He carefully sets the carton and chopsticks down.

“Go on, you can eat it,” I say.

“You sure?”

“Yes, just eat it, for fuck’s sake.What do you need, Tommy?”

“Just wanted to say hi,” he says.

He never just wants to say hi.I give him my most skeptical look.

“Okay, yeah, I could use a place to crash tonight,” he says.“My roommate’s pissed at me again.”

Gee, I wonder what he could possibly do to piss off another human being.

“Yeah, you can crash here,” I say.“But you take the couch this time.”

He looks at it doubtfully—the loveseat isn’t even long enough formeto stretch out on, and I’m only five-four.Somehow, Tommy got all the height in our family, and all the charisma.I ended up with all the manners, which I make up for with my potty mouth.

I close my eyes.He doesn’t even need to ask.“Fine,” I say.“Take the bed, I’ll take the couch.”

“Thank you, sis,” he says, finishing off my general’s chicken.“You’re the best.”

I go into my bedroom to stow my vibrator in a drawer so he doesn’t have to see that, then I quickly change the bedsheets.I snag the better blanket for myself, because if I’m going to be on the couch, I at least won’t be cold.

When I come out of the bedroom, Tommy has already moved on to my carton of chow mein.

Yeah, he’s a butthole in so many ways, but he’s the only family I have left.

And at least he isn’t asking for money.

Probably because he knows I don’t have any.

Three

Sebastian

On Thursday, Kingston’s nowhere in sight when I arrive at Vice.Usually he’s standing outside, looking impatient.I’m going to be pissed if he makes me wait long for him.He knows I hate coming to places like this without him.He’s the only person who knows this about me, though, and he wouldn’t make me suffer on purpose.So he must be inside.

Sure enough, as I make my way through the entry and past the coat check, I spy him sitting at one of the low tables off to the side of the dance floor.The prick thinks he’s too good to sit at the bar with everyone else.Then again, there’s a crowd of younger people all mashed up along the side of the bar, and King probably got annoyed with the scene.

Maybe we’re too old for this place.But it’s the best club in San Esteban.

I’m moving toward King’s table when a man stops in front of me.He has to tilt his head back to look carefully at my face, and I see the moment that recognition really hits home.

“You’re him, aren’t you?”he asks.

“Depends on who ‘him’ is,” I say.

The guy gives a little laugh and nudges the woman with him.“Brianna, you know the song ‘Princess’?”

Her mouth falls open in surprise.“No way!They were just playing that an hour ago.I’m a huge fan.Will you sign something for me?Is it rude to ask for your autograph?I don’t want to be rude, but wow, it would really make my night.”