Page 16 of Three Pucking Ex's Brothers

Of course, I did tell them their brother is a cheating bastard. I’m sure that would piss anyone off. And they did get roped into taking me home…their brother’sex.

Rush opens the door for me and helps me in, his palm on my back guiding and smooth. I don’t need the help—drunk or not, I can get into a car by myself—but for some reason I don’t want him to stop touching me.

So I get in the car, and he shuts the door while Freddie gets in the driver’s seat.

The brief moment Rush is not beside me leaves me feeling strangely empty, but it doesn’t last long. When he gets in beside me, I scoot closer to him, seeking his warmth. His touch.

Maybe I just feel alone because I’ve been broken up with—over text, mind you.

Maybe I really am that drunk that I just don’t want to second-guess things.

Either way, I don’t think he notices.

The radio comes on and I close my eyes, letting the peak of my night of drinking hit me. I lean my head back against the leather seat.

“You good?” Rush asks, his voice strangely soft.

“No,” I say honestly. “My boyfriend cheated on me and dumped me over the phone.” The pain hits me tenfold. “I thought we were going to get married…thought we were going to have a bunch of cute little kids, but now?—”

My head rolls to the side as tears threaten to come and I don’t know if I can stop them.

“He told me he didn’t want to get me pregnant.” I feel the words leaving me like a curse. “Said we had to use condoms so I wouldn’t…not before…”

“Nora…you don’t have to—” Freddie’s voice is a mixture of calm and stern command that beckons me to stop, but I can’t. The words are too fluid and it feels good to say them out loud. To tell someone the truth.

To tell hisbrothersthe truth.

I don’t know whose side they’re truly on—they seemed pissed enough to learn he’d cheated on me, but that doesn’t mean they won’t back up their brother in the end. Family always protects family, but something tells me I can trust them. More than I can trust myself right now.

I only hope I don’t remember this tomorrow.

Another sob racks my body as the words leave me. “But Iwatchedhim come inside her…” My voice cracks with the utmost despair. “I watched his cum drip out ofheronto our bed, and he didn’t even chase me when I ran.”

I turn into Rush’s spicy scent, burying my face against his neck, seeking his warmth. I don’t miss the faint gasp or the sudden brush of his warm palm on my arm.

“Fucking bastard,” he bites out. “Freddie, we need to?—”

“Why her and not me?” I whine. “Am I not desirable enough? Not skinny enough?”

The resounding unanimous “no,” in the car only makes me cry harder. I feel warm arms pull me close and Rush’s scent thickens in my throat.

“Fuck, no. Nora, you’re perfect,” Rush whispers. “You are so fuckingperfectjust the way you are…”

“She’s drunk, Rush.” Freddie’s tone is a warning. “She doesn’t know what she’s saying.”

It’s not his words that upset me, it’s the way he says them. Not harsh or angry, butpained.Like my words are knives and I’ve stabbed him right in the gut. But I guess that’s par for the course, considering I’m talking about his brother. His family.

A choked sob escapes me as I bury my face in Rush’s neck. God, he smells so fucking good. His touch is warm and soothing and I don’t want it to stop.

“I’m going to kill him,” Rush says.

“Please don’t,” I whine. “Please don’t hurt him, he?—”

“You are not defending that asshole right now!” Rush cuts in, his touch on my skin hot like fire. “You are not?—”

A rush of heat and nausea overtake me.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” I say as Freddie curses.