“I should be there for that,” Caden said.

“Why?”

Colton started laughing, bitter and dry.

Marcus repeated his question to Caden. “Why do you have to be there?”

“We need to do it together. She won’t listen otherwise.”

“She won’t listen anyway.” Colton turned back now, shaking his head. “You guys have no idea. Caden, you’ve been there the most, but you don’t know what Mom’s like when you leave. She pretends to be supportive in front of you. She knows. But then she tells me ‘to get over it.’ She asks when I’m going to college. She asks why I don’t have a job, and why I’m not exercising anymore.” He added, hoarsely, “I spend more time with the dog than anyone else. Gus is more supportive than anyone.”

I had no words. Marcus was the same, half turning away. The only one who responded was Caden.

“That’s why Marcus and I will do it together,” he said. “You shouldn’t be there at all. Your fight is to keep going. Our fight is to stand up for you.”

Colton looked away.

Marcus’s head hung low.

Caden looked to the sky.

The emotions were high, and the air was thick. These three loved each other. It was glaringly obvious, but they were limited in how they expressed it. They needed a girl—someone who’d say what needed to be said, explain what needed to be done. Their mom should’ve been that person, but it sounded like she’d abandoned them in a way.

I decided. “Colton, you can hang out with me that day.” I was going to be their girl.

All three looked at me, with varied expressions of relief.

“And how could you have a dog and not tell me?!”

They broke into chuckles.

Caden raised an eyebrow. “I wasn’t aware you liked dogs, and besides—”

“It’s mine,” Colton added. He slid his hands into his pockets, mirroring the way Marcus was standing, and faced me squarely. “You can come see Gus anytime you want.” His eyes skirted to Caden. “If that’s okay with you?”

Caden nodded his head. “She can go whenever she wants.” His voice sounded raw.

Colton jerked his head up abruptly, giving a shaky smile. He tapped his brother’s arm. “We should go. I’m kinda keen on hearing you grovel.”

Marcus groaned, clapping him on the shoulder. “You’re going to put me through the wringer, aren’t you?”

“Shovel and rake. Get ready to dig deep.”

Marcus nodded to us. “We’ll see you guys later.”

“Don’t say anything to Mom, not without me there.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

With that, Colton and Marcus headed over to Marcus’ truck. They were gone not long after that, and I let out a soft sigh, my heart breaking. I didn’t understand Colton’s injury, but I understood pain, and he had more than anyone should carry. I knew that much.

Caden cursed under his breath, then folded me into his side.

I broke for someone who couldn’t break.

I was sprawled over Caden’s chest two weeks later, replete after a climax that I’d felt all the way through my tippy toes. I never would’ve considered myself a nympho, but the last couple weeks I’d entered the realm of that possibility. Okay, maybe not. Nymphomaniacs were doing it a few times a day. I wasn’t that bad—or Caden and I weren’t that bad—but who cares. Logistics. I felt I’d entered a new chapter in my life, one where sex was an active component.

A stupid smile stretched over my face.

I was completely naked. Normally I’d be self-conscious. Not anymore. I’d begun to adopt Caden’s whole I-don’t-give-a-fuck attitude, and it was amazing. I’d had my first incident a few days ago when Maggie cornered me in the mail room on campus.

She was all, “You want Kevin for yourself.”

And I was like, “Fuck no. I have someone else.”

But I didn’t elaborate, because there’d been no actual conversation that made Caden and me official. I’d brought it up once, but the conversation never happened again. I was scared to hear what Caden would say, so mum had been the word since then.

Maggie had spouted out a bunch of other accusations, but I’d tuned her out, not sure where this was coming from.

Kevin and I still hung out, but it wasn’t as much. Okay, it was hardly anything. I’d seen him twice, but he hadn’t asked for more lessons, and I was preoccupied. The brother/sister bonding could happen some other day. He was usually with some other guys, and he seemed happy. Maybe not having Maggie in his life was part of that.

“Your breakup to Kevin had nothing to do with me,” I’d told her. “Yell at him.”

She’d huffed, sucking in a breath, but before she could blast me again, I held my hand out. “I don’t give a fuck. Get away before you piss me off.”

She smirked. “What are you going to do?”

“I’ll tell Claudia you vowed to sleep with all her future boyfriends.”

That worked. She fell silent, and I’d slipped away. Exit to the right.

I hadn’t seen her since, but I kept a watchful eye out every time I went to my dorm and while I was on campus. She was a slippery bastard. She could attack at any moment, like a hyena with rabies.

I asked Avery about their friendship, but she said they were done. She and Claudia were still on the fritz as well. I was happy about the first one. Avery deserved better, and that helped lower the chances of Maggie lingering for a dorm-floor ambush, but I wasn’t sure about the latter.