Page 39 of Wicked Little Darling

Fair enough. “I don’t think I did anything to deserve his all-consuming hatred.”

Val poked my back. “You never think you do, but trust me—and I say this with love—you’re kind of a dick sometimes.”

“Love you too, Val,” I said dryly.

He laughed and patted my shoulder. “What are brothers for, if not to hold a mirror to each other’s bullshit?”

“Someone should do that for Everett. His head would probably explode. Which actually wouldn’t be such a bad thing.”

Val laughed then hummed in agreement, refusing to say the words out loud, but I knew he thought them. He was too kind to voice anything like that. “So where’s your roommate now? It’s kinda late to be out.”

“He went down to the laundry room, but that was like…” I turned onto my back and pulled my phone from my pocket. “That was an hour ago.”

And speaking of the little devil himself, the door burst open and a stormy Reese blew into the room with his bag of laundry. He stopped short when he saw Val lying with me. This weird expression took over his face, something halfway between anger and confusion.

I jerked my thumb at Val, who waved at Reese. “This is my brother, Val. Val, this is Reese—my roommate who hates my guts.”

“Hi,” Val said. “Sorry you were roomed with him. I know your pain.”

Reese shook his head and raised his brows at Val. “Maybe you could switch with him? Or me.” He threw his laundry at the foot of his bed.

Something soured in my stomach, and I sat up. “Um, no. Nobody’s switching. Val, don’t you need to go to bed?”

Val laughed in my ear, and I shoved him away from me. “Oh my god, I see you, Dakota. Okay, fine.” He hopped up and gave Reese a smile. “Real nice meeting you,” he said. He shot me the bird and left.

“Are you gonna be having people over all the time?” Reese rifled through one of his bags and threw an irritated look at me over his shoulder.

He looked like a little gremlin, crouching and glaring like that. It was adorable.

I plopped onto my back and turned my head so I could watch him. “No, I’m not. Besides, Val isn’t ‘people’. He’s my brother.”

Reese didn’t respond.

“Did you find the laundry room?” I turned onto my side and propped my head on my hand as I watched him.

He snatched up a few pieces of clothing and shoved them in one of his drawers. “No. I didn’t.”

“I tol?—”

He whipped around so fast it startled me, pointing one of those long, pretty fingers at my face. “Don’t you dare say it.”

“What’s got you so cranky? At least I don’t go attacking people for no reason. Jumping naked all over their bodies.”

His face flushed a deep red, and the flash of remorse in his eyes stung me hard.

“I told you I was sorry for that,” he said, turning away from me.

His shoulders were tense, his posture stiff as he got ready for bed.

Fuck, I was an asshole.

“Yeah, it’s okay,” I told him, dropping my teasing tone. “Sorry, I was just messing around.”

He shrugged, not looking back at me, and climbed into bed.

He had his walls built up high, for whatever reason. I was starting to think that all my teasing was just making him build them even higher.

I was starting to think I didn’t want that.