Hard Fought (A Stepbrother Warriors Novel)(54)

"I mean, after what's happened to Alexa, and what Ray's been doing, maybe it wouldn't be such a big deal," Bree continues.

"What wouldn't be such a big deal?" Carter asks, frowning.

"Carter, why don't you come stand over here? Away from them," I intercede.

"OK..." he replies grudgingly, and walks over to my bedside.

"Or maybe after all that's happened, today wouldn't be such a good day for something else to happen," Jack says to Bree.

"What the hell are you all talking about?" Anne asks, exasperated. "I feel like you're talking in code."

"Carter, just remember that I'm injured right now, and I really need you to stay calm," I tell him.

"This doesn't sound good," he grumbles. I wink at Bree, and she walks over to stand next to Jack, who looks far less confident than she does.

"Well, the thing is..." Bree says, looking around the room and taking a deep breath. "Jack and I are together and we're in love."





Chapter Thirty-Five



A shocked silence settles over the room, then Carter turns to me. "You knew?"

"Just remember that I've been kidnapped and shot today, so again, I really can't stress enough how I need everyone to remain calm and not punch anyone right now," I reply rapidly.

"You're too young!" Anne exclaims.

"I'm nineteen and Jack's twenty-four!" Bree replies.

"How long has this been going on?" Carter asks. His voice is quiet, but his jaw is twitching.

"Since the summer," Jack replies.

"You've been lying about this for months?!" Carter exclaims. Bree moves just in front of Jack, clearly worried that Carter is about to explode.

"You and Mom just would have tried to get us to break up, and we didn't want to!" Bree adds.

"Damn straight!" Carter says, his voice rising. "You've been sneaking around behind our backs!"

"Like you have a leg to stand on!" Bree retorts.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Carter asks in confusion.

"Oh...um, nothing," Bree replies, giving me a panicked look.

"She knows, Carter," I say quietly. "And she's right."

"Who knows what?" Anne asks. "WHAT IS HAPPENING?"

"Anne, why don't you sit down," I suggest, attempting to take control of the situation. Carter hurries over and pulls a chair from the wall. His mother practically collapses into it. "Jack and Bree are together, and I found out a little while ago and promised I wouldn't tell. Also...Carter and I had a, um, fling."

"Woah, woah, what?" Jack exclaims. "Lex, you dirty dog!"

"Not helping, Jack," Bree murmurs.

"I thought I sensed something. But it's over now, right?" Anne asks, glancing between Carter and me.

"Well, it's complicated," I reply. Jack bursts out laughing and Bree punches him in the arm.

"We were just waiting for the timing to work out," Carter explains. "But this is different!"

"Carter, it's not," I tell him. "It only seems different because she's your little sister."

"Are you really in love?" Anne asks Bree quietly. Bree looks up at Jack.

"We are," he replies. "And I'm sorry we lied to you. But I'm serious about her."

"And what about you two?" she asks, turning to her son.

"Honestly, we haven't quite gotten the chance to figure it out...but I think it's real," Carter says, taking my hand.

I'm shocked to see Anne smile. "Well, isn't that something," she murmurs, so quietly I almost can't hear her. "Something beautiful coming out of it, after all. Just when I couldn't see the beauty in the world anymore, now here you all are."

"I was serious about you moving in with us, Anne," Jack says.

"Jack never actually asked me to move in," Bree says with a smile, "but I think it's a good idea, too."

"Oh, right, sorry," Jack mutters, looking bashful. "I was just trying to help."

"I know," Bree replies, gently rubbing his back. I glance at Carter, who looks slightly alarmed at first by this display of intimacy, but relaxes when I squeeze his hand.

"If you two are just moving in together, I don't want to intrude," Anne says.

"It's a really big apartment," Bree says with a grin. "You can have your own floor."

"Well, I certainly don't want to go back to the house right now," Anne murmurs.

"What about you two? Now that we don't need to sneak around, you can use the extra apartment," Bree says, turning to us.

"Wait, hang on a second, this apartment was where you two would sneak off and...?" Carter says, looking shocked.