“It was Becky.”
Austin stares at him wide-eyed while I shift in my seat. “What …?” I shake my head. I must have heard him wrong. “Becky? My Becky was driving?”
“Yes.”
He doesn’t correct me that she wasn’t mine then or now. “I don’t understand. Why was she with you?” They didn’t hang out. As far as I know, they didn’t even talk. He knew how I felt about her. All the guys knew. Why would he keep this a secret from me? Why not just tell me? Unless he … My eyes narrow on him. “Were you sleeping with her?” I demand, and my heart begins to pound in my chest.
“No,” he answers immediately.
I stand and so does he. My hands are already fisted, ready for a fight. “Why was she with you?”
“I wasn’t sleeping with her, but she was sleeping with someone.”
“Who the fuck was it?” I shout.
“Eli.”
Austin remains on the couch, looking back and forth between us. I run a hand through my hair. Why hasn’t she told me this? It’s not that I don’t believe Cole. I do. One hundred percent. He has never lied to me. Well, maybe he has. He’s kept this secret from me for a year now.
I’m breathing heavy, and I fist my hands by my side. I want to punch his fucking face in. I don’t care if he wasn’t sleeping with her or not. “Why would you not tell me this?” I demand.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
COLE
DEKE HAS ALWAYS had my back no matter what. That’s why I hate what I’m about to tell him. It’s going to hurt him, and he’s going to kill me, but he deserves to know. Austin deserves to know. I’m going into our new life leaving every fucking secret here in this fucking town. And at the time, it was the only rational thought I had. I realize now it wasn’t the best one.
We stumble out of the house party, kids littering the yard. Some passed out. Some rolling around in the manicured grass because they are high on Mollys. Cars parked all along the circular and long driveway.
“Fuck, those shots are hitting me,” Maddox calls out as he almost trips over his own feet, but he manages to keep a hold of his beer. “What about you, Eli?”
“Not yet,” he answers, chuckling.
“Give it another five minutes.” Maddox hiccups, making me laugh.
We make our way down the driveway, heading to my car. We got here late because we had a swim meet in another town. Pressing the key fob to unlock my white Porsche Cayenne, it lights up, and I see a figure leaning up against my hood.
“Who the fuck is that?” I ask.
Eli looks up from his phone. “Babe.” And then he runs over to my car. Babe stands up straight and jumps into his arms once he reaches her. He spins her around and kisses her.
I look at Landen and Maddox. They just shrug and take a drink of their beers. I didn’t know he was seeing anyone. Well, he sees several girls a week, but I didn’t know any of them were serious enough to meet us out tonight. We come up to the car, and I come to a quick stop. “Abso-fucking-lutely not!” I snap when I see the girl’s face.
I blink a few times. I had way more alcohol than I should have, but I want to make sure I’m really seeing what I think I’m seeing.
The girl giggles, and Eli drops her to her feet. “Come on, man …”
I grab his shirt and yank him over to another car parked on the opposite side of the street. “You can’t be serious?” I hiss.
“What?”
“You know damn well what!” I snap. “That is Becky Holt! There are two things wrong with that.” He rolls his bloodshot eyes. “One, she’s dating David. And two, your best friend Deke is in love with her!”
He pulls away from me. “They’ve been on a break.”
“Is that what she told you?” I snap. What the fuck? I’m so glad Deke didn’t make it out with us tonight. I wouldn’t even be having this conversation with Eli right now. He’d be passed out cold with Deke’s fist print in the side of his face. “You know she’s off-limits.”
He places his hands on my shoulders. I don’t know if it’s to help stabilize his drunk ass or mine. “Listen, Cole.” His heavy eyes close and then open again. “If Deke wanted her, all he had to do was make his move.” He goes to walk back over to her, but I yank him back.
“End it now!” I’m about to punch him myself.
“No!” He pulls away from me.
“End it right fucking now, Eli!”
We have a code.
We don’t fuck or date the girls who one of us likes. I mean, sure we’ve shared girls, but they didn’t mean anything. Off-limits means you don’t even fucking look at them.
He ignores me as he walks over to her and kisses her again. Landen and Maddox look at me like I’m supposed to do something about it, but what the fuck can I do?
“Let’s go!” I snap and walk over to the car.
“Let Becky drive,” Eli offers.
“Fuck that!” She’s not even getting in my car!
I go to open the driver’s door, and he comes to stand between the door and me. “Let Becky drive,” he repeats. “She’s the only one sober.”
I look over at her. I wouldn’t say Becky Holt is a slut, but she is quickly making the cut. She wears a white crop top with sparkly pink writing on it and a pair of short shorts that shows off her ass. “How did you get here?” I demand.
“A friend dropped me off.”
My phone beeps, and I pull it out of my back pocket to see a text from the girl I plan on hooking up with tonight.
Where are you?
I run a hand through my hair but don’t respond and narrow my eyes on Eli. “Tomorrow, you are telling him.” I will not be in the middle of this shit! If he doesn’t tell him, then I will. This is his only chance to make it right.
“Tell who what?” Becky asks, flipping her hair to her side.
“Eli?” I growl when he ignores me.
He nods. “Tomorrow.”
I toss Becky the keys. “All of you fuckers are riding in the back.” Then I walk around the car and climb into the passenger seat and put on my seat belt, cursing them all.
She gets in, hands the guys the thirty pack she brought them, and starts the car up. “Riot” by Hollywood Undead blares through my speakers. The guys climb into the back, laughing and shoving each other around. I pull out my cell to text the girl back that I’ll be at her place soon.
“He was going to tell you the next day,” I say, my chest tightening at that memory. Minutes later, my best friends were gone, and everything changed. Who and what Eli was doing no longer mattered because he was dead. And after all we had been through as brothers, I didn’t want Deke to remember Eli as the friend who betrayed him and fucked the girl he loved.
Deke begins to pace the clubhouse.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Austin says. “Why wouldn’t she take the blame? You said she was sober, so why run?”
“It was … complicated.” I sigh. My eyes go to Deke really quick, and he’s still pacing. His shoulders pulled back, and his entire body rigid. He’s going to snap any second.