“You punched my date!” I cried out in a high pitched voice, both hands on my hips as I glared at him. “Why would you do something like that?”
“Layla, so help me God—” He exhaled with a heavy sigh. “I need to have a word with your date. In private. Now go before I lose my shit with you too.”
I folded my arms across my chest. “No. I want to hear what you have to say.”
Grayson eyes were hard and unforgiving. He gritted his teeth before grabbing both of my arms and turning me toward Seth. A shiver ran through me.
“Are you cold?” he asked, his voice a fraction softer than before. I shook my head and stared ahead at Seth who stood there holding onto his stomach.
17: Grayson
It hit me like a ton of fucking bricks. I didn’t want another man touching Layla. Ever.
Fuck!
It didn’t make sense to me so how could I explain it to someone else? Least of all Layla. From the way her nostrils flared I knew she was mad as a cut snake. With her hands on her hips and her eyes narrowed at me, she was expecting a rational explanation for my behavior. Problem was that there was no way I could get around this without coming off as a jerk. What kind of stepbrother crushes on his stepsister? She was right to be mad at my interference. I knew how her brain worked and I knew she had this planned out, but Seth fucking Matthews?
Okay.
I’m kidding myself here.
It’s not just Seth Matthews that I didn’t want anywhere near her. It was every man on the goddamn planet, not because I was being a good stepbrother but because I wanted her for myself.
How fucked up is that?
“Grayson?”
I scrubbed a hand over my face, closing my eyes for a moment to digest what I’d just discovered. There had to be some mistake, this wasn’t right . . . on so many levels.
“He’s fucking jealous, Layla. Doesn’t want you with me. I got that at your house already.” Straightening up, Seth crowed with delight at the chance of making me look bad in front of Layla.
“Jealous?” Layla’s mouth hung slightly open as she turned her head away from Seth to look at me as if I’d suddenly grown three horns on my forehead.
“Don’t be fucking ridiculous. I’d react the same if you were with Taylor. You’re as big a scumbag as your brother, and I’m just looking out for my family.”
I swear disappointment flashed through Layla’s eyes for a spilt second. That was the right thing to say, wasn’t it? Then how come it sounded—and felt—like a lie? And Layla’s reaction was even more confusing.
“What was it you wanted to tell me, Grayson?” Layla tilted her head to the side as she waited for my answer.
“He can tell you himself why he asked you to the ball tonight.” I walked over to Matthews and gripped him by the arm to pull him closer until he was standing in front of Layla. He tried to resist, but I tightened my fingers around his bicep and held on with an iron grip.
“Talk, Matthews!” I barked.
The little fucker actually smirked at me as he tried to twist his arm away. Anger spiked through me and I gripped him by the back of his shirt collar. I debated lifting his large frame off the ground and throwing him aside. But Layla needed to hear it from his mouth directly.
“Tell her about the bet!” My voice boomed through the silence. I’d reached the end of my patience. “Tell her or I will.”
“W . . . what bet?” Layla’s eyes were wide as she turned her gaze from me to Seth. He squirmed for a few seconds, but refused to talk.
“You leave me no choice then, Matthews. I thought you’d own up like a man, but clearly that’s beyond your capabilities.”
She held up her hand to silence me. “You aren’t making any sense, Grayson.” Taking a step closer to Matthews, she challenged him. “What’s going on, Seth? What should you be telling me?”
Matthews swallowed hard and turned his head down, avoiding Layla’s stare. Coward.
After a minute or two of silence, I couldn’t stay quiet any longer. If the fucker wasn’t going to tell her himself and as much as it pained me, she deserved the truth. “He’s not genuine. He lost a bet and now he’s playing a game of double or quits. His mission is to . . . to take your virginity tonight or he loses big.”
“W . . . what?” Her mouth fell open as she stared at me with round eyes. She held both hands to her flushed cheeks.
My insides twisted into a knot. “I’m sorry to be the one to have to tell you this since Matthews seems to have lost his tongue.” I swiped a hand over my face. “You deserve better, Layla. You should have a man who adores you to be your first. Not someone who wants . . . bragging rights.”