Page 25 of The Triple Threat

He shrugged. “Jennifer thought it would be funny. She’s dressed as Bill.”

“Does she have a sign too?” I asked. “Or is it more obvious.”

Alaska grinned. “It’s obvious. We rubbed mayonnaise into her crotch.”

I bust out laughing at the thought, Carter though looked at me with narrow eyes and a facial expression like he was constipated.

“You don’t get it do you?” Alaska said with a roll of his eyes.

Carter shook his head.

“Damn, Carter, for a brainy guy you’re totally stupid,” I muttered. “Come on let’s get a drink and I’ll explain it to you later.”

Alaska shook his head and slapped my back. “I’ll catch you later, I’ve left Jennifer with Minnesota and he ain’t the best company at the moment.”

“How come?” Carter asked.

“His girl dumped his ass. He wasn’t going to come tonight, but Mom made him. It was a kinda last minute decision, so he’s come dressed as a cowboy.” He grinned at me. “You should hang out together tonight, you'd be a pretty good pair.”

My smile dropped as I was reminded of my costume. I wondered if I could poison Carter in some way and get away with it.

“Pass me a beer would ya?” I held out a hand to Carter and waited for him to pass me one of the bottles. “Is your sister coming tonight?”

“Yeah, her and damn Bronte are coming. One night I hoped I could spend without her giving me shit, but no, she had to agree to come.” He popped the caps off two bottles and handed me one. “When was the last time you remember Ellie ever going to a party, especially one Belinda was throwing. They hated each other at school.”

“Well Belinda did say Ellie had a fat ass.”

I took a sip of my beer and considered whether Ellie had a fat ass or not. I quickly concluded while it wasn’t skinny it wasn’t fat, but just the right handful – if I really cared about her ass of course.

“Yeah well, we all know it doesn’t take much to get my sister to exact revenge.” Carter rolled his eyes at me and I knew he was getting at two nights before when Ellie and I had tag teamed to put Dominic down.

“I was going to call her,” I said, a little surprised I’d admitted it to him. It had always been an unsaid rule that you didn’t make any moves on a buddy’s sister, and I didn’t want Carter to think that’s what I was doing. “Just to check she was okay, and that nothing had been said about it at the hospital.”

I felt the need to clarify my reasoning, but I wasn’t sure who I was trying to make a point to; Carter or myself. If I had to be honest, I’d worried about Ellie and whether the whole situation had upset her. She’d been cheated on and then made to look a fool when he’d rubbed her nose in it with Miss. Watkins. I didn’t like the idea of that. For all her spit and fire, Ellie Maples could be easily hurt—Belinda’s comment about her ass being a case in point. Tonight would be Ellie’s first time at any of Belinda’s parties for years, she certainly hadn’t let it go easily.

“Ellie is always okay,” Carter replied. “Don’t you worry about her.”

“You’re not concerned he’ll report her?” I asked.

Carter shook his head. “Nope, you saw Miss. Watkins' face when you called them out about being together when we were at school. Dominic knows if he reports Ellie either you or me will tell the school authorities about them.”

“Yeah, but we can’t prove anything. It was only the fact she went as white as a sheet when I said it. He could still decide to go to the hospital board.”

Carter slapped my back. “Hunt, I have no idea why you’re worrying about this. Ellie isn’t, I’m not, so don’t you.”

I couldn’t believe how damn cool he was being about it. I knew if it was my sister, I’d be doing everything I could to make sure nothing came back to bite her on the ass; but then Ellie wasn’t my sister and Carter wasn’t exactly the best of big brothers.

I was about to ask him if we should make sure somehow, when I saw his face change. The grin dropped from it and his lips moved into a thin line. I looked over his shoulder to follow his gaze and saw Ellie and Bronte moving through the crowds and greeting people with kisses on cheeks and hugs. I knew he had a thing about his ‘little sister’ hanging around with him, but Carter’s attitude toward Ellie being at the party seemed a little off by the way he was looking at her with narrow eyes and clutching his beer bottle so hard I thought it might break.

Carter shifted a little and I got a better view of Ellie as she started to move towards us.

“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath as my mouth went dry and I swallowed hard.

She looked as sexy as hell. Every guy in the place had their eyes on her. She was wearing a cheerleader costume covered in fake blood. The tight top, which stopped just below her tits, was slashed and gave glimpses of her tanned skin, while the skirt rested on her hips and just about covered her ass. Even her hair, in two pigtails high on her head, looked sexy as they swung with each step she took.

“What the hell is she wearing?” Carter mumbled and took a step forward.

I stepped in front of him; Ellie’d had enough public humiliation for one week. I glanced over my shoulder at her brother while Ellie turned around and immediately saw me. She stopped dead still, both hands flew to her mouth, and she began to actually shake. Her legs shook uncontrollably, tears sprang to her eyes as her breathing got heavy.