Page 131 of Three Pucking Ex's Brothers

“Brett…”

25

NORA

I reachfor Tommy and pull him to me as Freddie grabs the blanket from the back of the couch to cover me.

My gaze meets Brett’s, and the anger, the fire in his gaze is evident.

“I thought you were away?—”

“Is this what you do when I’m gone? You got nerve, Nora. You know that?”

“Don’t talk to her like that,” Freddie says, getting up, and I feel shame and guilt ransack me. He’s naked. Very naked. And he just got up from this couch, where I’m lying naked with his brothers.

My mind races with emotion.

I know what just happened, and yet I can’t seem to wrap my head around it.

I wanted it—them.

I don’t regret it, but seeing Brett before me, it brings everything back. All those nights I spent with him. Pleasing him. Hoping for this future that he threw in my face when I found him in bed with someone else.

Brett flies toward us, and Rush leaps up, not giving two shits that he’s naked at the moment. All I can do is try to stop him, try to keep him from Brett, but it’s no use.

I yelp as feel Brett’s fist connects with Rush’s jaw.

“You think you can just fuck my girl onmy bed, and I wouldn’t find out, is that it?”

“What?” Freddie gasps. “You?—”

“That’s rich coming from you,” Rush snaps at Brett, spitting out a pat of blood.

I hear Freddie’s belt jingle and Tommy tells me we need to move.

“I can’t,” I say.

“We have to, Nora. I’m not letting you stay here and?—”

“Don’t you fucking touch her, you prick!” Brett hollers.

Freddie pulls Brett off Rush, mid punch. Rush rubs his jaw, and Tommy pulls me up, wrapping us in the blanket and guiding me.

“Come on,” he says, his voice shaking. He runs with me, stumbling down the hall as Brett’s voice rings in the air.

“Nora!” Brett calls out. “You get your ass back here right now, or I swear?—”

“Or what?” I bellow as Tommy tries to lead me down the hall.

“She’s not yours anymore!” Rush yells.

Freddie calls out, “Both of you, stop. This isn’t going to solve anything.”

I can hear them down the hall as Tommy pushes me into his bedroom. I hurry to dress myself in the clothes abandoned in his room, as does he.

“What the hell is he doing here?” he asks.

“I don’t know…I thought?—”