Hard Bastard(168)
Still, driving in that fast car with him, threading our way toward the banquet venue, I’d felt alive.
Lacey could be so pushy sometimes, but I knew she meant well. She was a good friend and always supportive. Still, I wasn’t really comfortable enough with anyone to describe Cole’s penis, even if that wasn’t a dick move.
As I contemplated all of the awkward and horrifying ramifications of that conversation, I heard my father’s voice from downstairs.
“Alexa? Cole?”
I got out of bed and poked my head out of my room. “Yeah?”
“Can you come down here?”
Cole came out of his own room and smirked at me. “Hey, sis.”
“Hi, Cole.” I started walking down the steps.
“Fun time last night.”
“It was okay.”
“You should describe to me exactly how much fun you had.”
I turned bright red but didn’t look at him. “That’s okay. I don’t feel like grossing you out.”
He was right behind me as we marched downstairs. I could practically feel his heat pressing up against my back.
“If that assistant hadn’t shown up, we both know that I would have made you come, screaming for more up on that roof.”
“Knock it off. My dad is right downstairs.”
He grabbed my arm, pulling me against his hard body. “I’ll stop if you admit that you wanted me to keep going.” We were pressed together in the stairwell, in the small, cramped space.
I bit my lip, breathing heavily as his warmth and touch flooded my body. “I was drunk and stupid,” I lied.
“So you admit it.”
“Fine. It was a mistake though.”
“Good enough.” He let me go, and I wished that he hadn’t.
I started back down the steps and he followed me quietly. I was so embarrassed, and I could practically feel his triumphant smile boring a hole into my ass. I hated that I wanted him, and I hated that he knew it.
Once downstairs, we found our parents sitting together in the kitchen. It was almost creepy, and I felt like a little kid about to be punished.
“Uh oh,” Cole said. “Who died?”
“Please, sit,” Cindy said.
I sat down and gave my Dad a look. He just smiled and shrugged.
“I bet I know what this is about,” Cole said.
“The reporter.”
Cole nodded. “He survived?”
“He’s fine, thankfully.”
“Pressing charges?”
“No.”
Cole laughed out loud. “How’d you manage that one?”
“Not your concern.”
“Sure it is, Mother. What did you bribe him with?”
“Nothing,” Frank cut in. “We’ve had trouble with him in the past. We simply told him that if he pressed charges, so would we.”
Cole nodded. “Threats then. They work on spineless dickbags like him.”
“Cole, enough,” Cindy said sharply. “This isn’t funny. You assaulted a man.”
“Yes, I did,” Cole said.
“That’s unacceptable, totally unacceptable.”
“I guess so.”
“You embarrassed me.”
“Not sure that bothers me, honestly.”
“Cole, please,” Dad cut in. “Your mother is worried.”
“Worried?” Cole said, smirking. “Sure, she’s worried about her career.”
“Enough,” Cindy said, slamming her hand down on the countertop. The whole room looked at her, surprised. I had never seen an ounce of strong emotion in her before, but suddenly she looked very, very angry. “You have embarrassed me time and time again, Cole. I want you to leave.”
He stared at her hard for a second and then smiled. “Kicking me out already?”
“Yes. Please pack and leave by tomorrow.”
Dad looked away, unable to meet my eye. I was completely taken aback and shocked by the fact that Cindy was so callously throwing her son out on the street. It seemed almost like it was no big deal, but it seemed incredibly absurd. She was making such a big decision without even talking to anyone about it.
“Wait,” I said. “Don’t you know why he did it?”
“Don’t bother,” Cole said. “She doesn’t give a fuck about any of that. This is just an excuse to get rid of me.”
He stood up.
“Wait,” I said to Cole, and then I turned back toward Cindy. “He punched that guy because he called you a bitch.”
Cindy raised an eyebrow. “Is that true, Cole?”
“It’s true. Only I get to call you that.”
She was quiet for a second. “Thank you for defending my honor, but unfortunately this isn’t feudal England. You can’t just punch people whenever you feel like it.”