Chapter 3

~Ava~

I spent the entire weekend avoiding Jax like he had the plague and a hard-on with my name on it. Didn’t work. Every time I walked into a room he was already there, shirtless, smirking, pretending to stretch so his abs did that stupid thing. I hated him. I hated my vagina more.

By Monday I was ready to set the house on fire just to get some peace.

Riley texted me at lunch:  

emergency. I'm at the cafeteria. bring ice cream and a baseball bat.

I showed up with a pint of cookie dough and zero chill.

She was sitting at our usual table in the corner, hood up, sunglasses on indoors like a celebrity hiding a hangover. The second she saw me she yanked the sunglasses off and I almost dropped the ice cream.

Her left eye was fifty shades of purple.

“What the actual fuck, Riley?”

“Harper,” she spat, like the name tasted bad. “We got into it Friday. She found some old texts from Scarlett, lost her mind, threw a bottle. I ducked. Wall didn’t.”

I sat down hard. “You okay?”

“Been better.” She snatched the spoon out of my hand and attacked the ice cream like it owed her money. “Also I’m moving into your mansion tonight. Dorm’s too small for my emotional damage.”

I opened my mouth to say hell no because Jax…. but she kept talking over me.

“Don’t even try. Your mom already said yes when I called crying yesterday. Richard told me to pick any guest room. I picked the one right next to yours. You’re welcome.”

Great. Just what I needed. My best friend sleeping ten feet from the stepbrother who jerked off to my government name.

This was fine. Everything was fine.

That night Riley showed up with two duffel bags, a black eye, and a grin that said trouble.

Mom hugged her like she was a rescue puppy. Richard carried her bags like a gentleman. Jax came down the stairs shirtless …of course…and stopped dead when he saw Riley.

Riley stopped dead too.

For three full seconds they just stared at each other like they’d been hit by the same truck.

Then Riley smiled, slow and sharp, and said, “Well hello, tall-dark-and-brooding. You must be the stepbrother Ava won’t shut up about.”

Jax’s eyes flicked to me, then back to her. “And you are?”

“Riley. Ava’s person. Also temporarily homeless. Be nice to me or I’ll cut you in your sleep.”

Mom laughed like that was adorable. Richard coughed into his fist. I wanted to die.

Jax recovered first, smirked, and leaned against the stair rail. “I like her,” he told me, not looking away from Riley. “She’s fun.”

Riley’s grin got wider. “Oh I’m a fucking riot. Wait till you see me drunk.”

I grabbed her arm. “Okay, tour’s over, let’s go upstairs before you adopt any more family members.”

I dragged her up the stairs. Jax watched us the whole way, eyes on Riley’s ass in those ripped jeans. I swear I saw her put extra swing in it just to piss me off.

The second my bedroom door shut Riley spun around, dropped her bags, and whisper-screamed, “Are you fucking kidding me? That’s your stepbrother? He looks like a walking felony.”

“Shut up.”

“I’m serious. I need to climb him like a tree. You think he’s single?”

“Riley!”

“What? You’re not using him. Someone should.”

I threw a pillow at her head. She caught it, flopped on my bed, and sighed dramatically.

“Relax. I’m kidding. Mostly. He’s got that whole tortured-soul thing going on. Bet he moans during sex urghhhh.”

I made a strangled noise. “Can we not?”

She rolled onto her stomach, chin in her hands, batting her eyelashes. “Why? You jealous? Because last I checked you were busy getting railed by Professor Married-with-the-jawline.”

I face-planted into my pillow and screamed.

She poked my side. “Come on. Details. Is the stepbrother packing or is it false advertising?”

I lifted my head just enough to glare. “I hate you.”

“You love me. Now spill.”

I groaned. “I walked in on him jerking off. Calling my name. Like full-on moaning it. Came buckets.”

Riley sat up so fast she almost fell off the bed. “Shut the front door.”

“Wish I could.”

“Details, woman!”

I told her everything (the cracked door, the wet sounds, the way he said my name like it hurt, the come on his chest, the eye contact, the almost-apology). By the time I finished Riley was fanning herself with both hands.

“Okay, new plan,” she said. “I’m definitely fucking him. Purely for science. You can watch if you want.”

I threw another pillow. This one hit her square in the face.

She laughed so hard she wheezed.

Later that night I was brushing my teeth when the bathroom door opened (because apparently privacy is a myth in this house) and Jax walked in wearing nothing but boxer briefs and a smirk.

I spat toothpaste like a startled cat.

“What the hell!”

“Relax, it’s my bathroom too.” He leaned against the counter, arms crossed, looking way too pleased with himself. “Heard your friend’s moving in.”

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “Don’t even think about it.”

“Think about what?” All innocent. Like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. Or anywhere else.

“Riley. Keep your dick away from her.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Jealous, little sis?”

“Gross. And stop calling me that.”

He stepped closer. I stepped back and hit the wall. He caged me in with one arm, voice dropping low.

“You sure? Because you didn’t seem grossed out when you watched me cum saying your name.”

My face went nuclear. “I’m telling Riley you said that.”

“Go ahead. She’ll probably ask for a live demonstration.”

I shoved at his chest. He didn’t move. Just grinned down at me like he knew exactly how wet I still got remembering it.

“Move,” I hissed.

“Make me.”

We glared at each other for five seconds that felt like five years.

Then Riley’s voice floated down the hallway: “Ava, if you’re done flirting with your brother, I need you to come hold my hair while I puke up bad decisions!”

Jax’s grin got wider. “Sounds like my kind of girl.”

He stepped back, smacked my ass as he walked past, actually smacked it hard, “arghhh” he laughed at the sound I made and called over his shoulder, “Night, little sis.”

I stood there hating him, hating Riley, hating myself for the way my stomach flipped when his hand connected.

This house was going to kill me.

Or I was going to kill both of them.

Probably both.