Strung(37)

“A few weeks.”

“Three fucking weeks.” He punches the top of the bar a few times, before speaking again. “Since she got here. That’s messed up and you know it.”

“Xan, that’s enough! I’ve seen how you get. Now stop before it’s too late and you say or do something that you can’t take back. I care about Micah and I want to be with him. It’s not your choice and there isn’t a damn thing you can do about it, so stop right fucking now.”

I try to focus on Tegan’s words to calm myself down, but Alexander breaks my concentration by shoving me into the bar and getting in my face. “I practically raised her. I’ve witnessed her broken-hearted more times than I wish I had. The last thing she needs is to have it broken again by some man-whore who doesn’t even know the meaning of commitment. It’s only a matter of time until you’re bored and ready to move on.”

I push him off of me and try to reason with him. “Do you think I’d risk our friendship if it wasn’t serious? I fucking care about her and I’d prove it to you if you’d give me a fucking chance. Now back off.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it.” He shoves me again and I get up just to be shoved for a third time.

“Dammit, Alexander, stop! You’re fucking pushing it now,” I bite out, fighting with everything in me to keep my cool.

I don’t want to fight my best friend when I know I deserve the beating, but I can only take so much before I snap.

“You’re done,” he says, rubbing his hands over his face to calm down. “We’re done. I don’t want you around my sister. I want your shit out of my house and bar by tomorrow.” He turns his attention to Tegan, who looks torn over what to do. “There’s no changing my mind, Tegan, so don’t even try. If you stay here with him then I want you out too, because you’re opening yourself up to get hurt and used by the biggest player I’ve ever known. Don’t come crying to me when it happens. I will not pick up the pieces this time. I warned you. More than once at that.”

“Xan, he’s not going to hurt me. Do you hear yourself?” She walks over and gets in his face. I’ve never seen her this angry before, and I don’t like it one fucking bit. “We were planning on telling you about us tonight. I tried at the beach before you ran off. You weren’t supposed to find out this way. Don’t give me ultimatums. That’s not fair.”

He shakes his head and looks between the two of us. “My best fucking friend and my sister, both lying to me behind my back for weeks like it’s a game. For fucking weeks! Do you know how that feels? Do you know how much that hurts? It fucking kills me. This is exactly what I wanted to avoid. There is no good ending here.” He turns his attention back to me. “All I wanted was to protect you both, but if I have to choose between the two, protecting Tegan is my number one priority. If I have to cut you out of my life in order to do that then I will. You may think you care about her now, but what about a month from now? What about in a year? I will never trust you not to hurt her, because at some point it’s inevitable. That’s how you’re wired.”

“Then maybe you don’t know me as much as you think you do.” I take a step forward, looking him in the eyes. “If you did then you’d know that when I care about someone I put my all into them. And that’s what I plan on doing with Tegan if you would just give me a fucking chance to do that.”

“Maybe you can do that with the kid. I’ve seen you do it, but it’s different with him. He’s not someone you’re trying to sleep with. As soon as some easy chick comes around, wanting your dick, you’ll realize like you always have that meaningless sex is your thing and then where does that leave my sister? Broken and crushed.” He turns back to Tegan, who’s standing there, looking hurt and confused “Let’s go.”

“Dammit, Alexander,” I growl. “Don’t make her choose. It’s not fair to her. I tried to talk to you like a fucking man before. To find out your reasons for distrusting me with her. Give me a fucking chance to show you how much she means to me before making her walk away. You know damn well that’s what she’ll do because she’ll always choose you first and that’s how it should be. You’re her family.”

“I can’t, Micah. You’re not like the assholes that broke her heart in the past that she was able to get over in a few weeks. They were nothing. There’s something about you that leaves girls hanging on after being with you. I’ve seen it day in and day out. It’s been three weeks. I’m not taking the chance of seeing what happens if it goes on any longer.”

“Tegan is different,” I say, pissed off more now than when he punched me. “I don’t give a shit about my past and the women I’ve been with. None of them have been her. I’m not the same asshole I was before she came along, but you’re too wrapped up in being pissed off at me to see that. I haven’t touched or even looked at another woman since I’ve slept with your sister.”

“You fucked my sister?” The mention of me sleeping with Tegan has his fist flying into my jaw before I can dodge it. I pop my jaw. Did he really fucking think she hadn’t given it up to me yet and that I’ve been chasing her this whole time? We’re grown. “I’m really going to kill you now, asshole.”

“That’s it!” We both look at Tegan as she rushes over to her brother and pushes him back a few steps. “I’m going to be with Micah and you can’t stop it from happening. All I hear about are your whoring ways too. The booty call after our lunch date and the office sessions. You’ve told me and I’ve heard. People talk. Why do you think you’re better than him? And who are you to force me to choose between the man I care about and my family? You’re my brother, Xan. My damn brother. You may be pissed right now, but you’ll get past that once you give us a chance. That’s all I’m asking for.”

“I can’t do that, Tegan, so don’t fucking ask me to. We’re not talking about me right now. If you don’t want to listen to me and stay away from Micah then I need to walk away right now before I kill him, because I can’t look at either of you without feeling betrayal in my chest.”

“I’ve fallen for her, Alexander. It was never supposed to happen, but it did. Don’t fucking walk away from her as if you’re going to cut her out of your life because we want to be together. That’s bullshit and you know it.”

“Do us both a favor and stay away from her, Micah. You know it’s best for her. Think with your heart and not your dick for once.”

“That’s what I’m doing for the first fucking time ever! Jesus, that’s what you’re not understanding.” I punch the bar, before gripping it, wishing I could rip the fucker apart.

“Yeah, well it would take something huge to make me believe that, like a miracle, and I doubt that will happen.” When I look up he’s talking in Tegan’s face. “I’m out of here. You can stay with that asshole for the rest of the summer if you want, but when he rips your world apart don’t come running to your big brother to mend your broken heart. It won’t be fucking happening.”

Tegan stands there shaking as her brother walks away, leaving her like she’s about to fall apart.

I want to go to her. I want to wrap my fucking arms around her and tell her that I’ll protect her.

But it’s my fault this is happening. I should have tried hard to stay away.

The thought of their relationship being ruined because of me has me saying the last thing I wanted to be saying tonight, but I did this, and if anyone is going to suffer it needs to be me. Not them.

“You need to go with Alexander.” I grip the bar tighter, until my fingers feel like they could break. “Repair things with your brother. I’m not worth it, Tegan.”

“Micah.” She reaches for my arm. “What the hell are you saying? I don’t want to leave you. Did you not hear me tell my brother that I want—”

“I’m saying that you need to leave, Tegan,” I growl, shaking her grip on my arm. “I will not stand here and let him cut you out of his life over an asshole like me. Go.”

My chest aches more with each demand that leaves my mouth. The words are physically crushing me.

“Just go before he leaves, dammit.”

“Fine.” She pushes my arm and then my chest when I turn to face her. “You want me gone, then I’m gone. I guess you can’t handle it when things get tough. Fuck you, Micah! Fuck you for making me fall for you.”

“Tegan . . .”

“No. You don’t need to explain shit to me. I’m gone.” She rushes over to the table to grab her laptop. “Maybe I should’ve listened to my brother. You’re fighting real hard for us. Real hard.”

I stand here, frozen in place, watching as she walks out the door.

Everything inside of me aches at the idea of losing the two people I care about the most. I really fucked up this time.

Grinding my jaw, I swing my hand across the bar, knocking over a couple of bottles of liquor along with everything sitting atop. Limes, straws, and cocktail napkins go flying.