Anti-Stepbrother(71)

I smoothed my hands down my pants. There was no need for them to be sweaty. I just needed to get this over. “My love life sucks,” I muttered under my breath.

“It does if you’re heading down there.”

I recognized that voice. Of course. I had the best luck in the world. But then again—I looked at Marcus. “Why are you here?”

He smirked, but his eyes weren’t amused. “I’m here to see Caden. I thought I’d walk through the house, and I saw you.” His face went blank. “I want to state a few facts for you.”

He wanted to fight.

Okay. I turned fully to face him and put my hands in my pockets. I needed to get comfortable to hear this, and then it would be my turn. I had a few thoughts to share as well.

“Fine,” I told him. “You have the floor.” I raised my finger. “For now.”

The corner of his mouth lifted. “You are a smartass.”

“Your brother hasn’t told you that?”

“He did. I didn’t believe him. I just thought you were kind of crazy. I’ve been thinking he’s lost his nuts since taking up with you, but I don’t know. I like the spine. You should show it more often.”

I snorted. “As opposed to the times I haven’t? You mean all those times we’ve hung out since bowling? All those times you just glared at me in class? I’ve missed my chance to stand up and roar?”

“You don’t have to be sarcastic.”

“Oh contraire. Your statement just now called for it. Literally.”

He rolled his eyes. “Avery’s been a little nervous around you. I thought she was nuts too.”

I showed him my teeth. “Razor sharp.” Wait. Why was Avery nervous around me?

He grunted. My little quips and one-liners weren’t working on him. He’d looked at me with disdain when he first spoke, and that disdain was still there.

He motioned to the closed basement door. “Why are you going down there?”

“Because I heard Kevin and Maggie broke up. I was going to comfort him.”

“You’re lying.”

“What? You’re here to comfort him too?”

His lip twitched. “Okay, you’re a little funny. I’ll give you that.”

I deadpanned, “My life is complete.”

His smile vanished again. “You’re here for the same reason I am.”

“Didn’t think you and Kevin were that close. I must’ve missed the bonding time while he was screwing your girlfriend, who you’re not going to start dating again. Right?” I scowled. “Because that’d be a really shitty thing to do to Avery.”

Now I had his full attention. He studied me, reassessing. “You’re here because of Avery?”

“Who do you think Maggie went to for comfort?” I shook my head, making a tsking sound. “Not me. That’s for sure.”

“Maggie went to Avery?” He laughed, raking his hand over his head. “What a piece of work.”

Had Maggie called him too, sending him to Kevin’s to discover the new girl?

“It’s a little weird to have an ex-girlfriend call you when the boyfriend she left you for breaks up with her, right? That’s weird.” Unless… “Unless she called because she wants to get back with you.”

A light flared in his eyes. It highlighted his guilt before he masked it.

I shifted on my feet, crossing my arms over my chest. “Huh.”

“Huh?” His lip curled in a sneer. “What does that mean?”

I gestured to the door with my head. “I could change his mind.”

His nostrils flared. “You’re lying.”

I was. “I know how to manipulate Kevin.” I totally didn’t. “I could make him want to go back to Maggie.” I stepped toward him. “What do you think of that?”

I searched his eyes intently. If he wanted Maggie, there’d be a reaction—I saw it. A brief glimmer of irritation flared before he caught himself again.

I stepped back. “I see.”

“You don’t see anything.”

I pointed at his face. “No, I did. I saw the guilt in your eyes. You’re here to make sure Kevin really is over with Maggie. Aren’t you?” My nose wrinkled. “You’re an asshole.” I shook my head. “Is every guy an asshole?”

“I’m not here to make sure he’s done with Maggie.”

“Then what are you doing here?”

“I didn’t even know they broke up. I was fucking with you.”

“What?” I stiffened.

He gestured to the door. “I saw you from the sidewalk. You usually go around the house to see my brother, but you didn’t this time. You went in through the front door, so I thought maybe you were doing something else. Like I said before, you’re changing my brother, and I don’t like that. I wanted to know what you were doing.”