Brothers of Paradise Series

Hayden’s eyes slide back to mine. “You should have told us you were coming.”

“Why, because I owe you two my itinerary?”

His jaw clenches. It’s a slight movement, but I see it. He isn’t happy I’m here either.

My heart sinks.

I feel silly. The elaborate eyeliner, the short skirt I’d bought for this occasion. Straightening my hair. I feel small.

And I don’t know if Hayden sees that in my eyes, sees what my own brother can’t, but he gives a short nod. “She should stay, Parker. Let her have some fun.”

“Shit. I don’t… Fine. But Mom and Dad can’t know about this.”

“I’m not an imbecile, you jerk.”

“Yeah.” He runs a hand through his hair. “And… don’t tell Henry, either.”

“It’s not like I have a chance to.”

“Stay with Jamie or me. Or Hayden.”

“Yes, yes, yes, I know, behave myself, etcetera.”

“We’re not children,” Jamie says, her voice sharp.

“I know,” Parker says. “Come on, have a seat.”

The people on the couch part like the Red Sea when we return, Parker leading the way. I knew that the guys had sway in the school, surrounded by adoring fans, but I’ve never seen it this clearly before.

Blair shoots me an annoyed glance as Hayden takes a seat next to me. He smells like smoke and soap.

Parker peers into my cup. “Did you at least get something good to drink?”

“Beer.”

“From the keg?”

“Yeah.”

He shoots me a sideways grin and reaches over, grabbing a bottle of whiskey from the coffee table. I recognize the expensive label. “If you want the good stuff, you come to me.”

“I will. What’s up with the cans in the fireplace?”

“A game. Think you can hit them?”

“What do I get if I get them all down?”

“Everyone has to do a shot. Want to try?” He hands me a tightly coiled ball of tinfoil, the same mischievous grin on his face that I remember from childhood.

I nod.

“All right. Shut up, everyone! My little sister is going to have a go. Get ready to drink, you miserable motherfuckers.”

Parker’s back on my side. There was nothing quite like having his burly, good-for-nothing grin in your life.

I aim and throw. Half of the cans topple.

“Damn.”

“No worries, no worries. You get to choose who has to take a shot.”

“One person?”

“Yeah.”

I slide my gaze from Turner’s smug appearance, to the proud gleam in Jamie’s, to Parker’s laughing eyes-to Hayden’s impassivity. He hasn’t said another word to me since I arrived.

“Hayden.”

Parker grins. “Drink up, brother.”

Hayden reaches for the whiskey. Not taking his eyes off of mine, he takes a long sip straight from the bottle. His hand grips it tight-long, broad fingers, tan from time spent in the sun. I’ve never noticed them before. Somewhere along the line, they’d become a man’s hands.

He puts the bottle down with a sharp sound. His eyes say one thing. Happy?

I spend the next hour laughing with Parker and flirting with Turner. My short skirt must have worked better than I thought, because I see Turner looking at my legs more than once.

And maybe it’s the beer, or the two shots I’ve done, but I’m enjoying myself-despite Hayden’s sullen silence by my side. I hear Blair try to talk to him, but he barely says a word, and she disappears in a huff.

Parker challenges Jamie to beer pong. Turner asks me to join, and I start to rise, but a glance back at Hayden stops me. He looks… well. I know that look.

“I’ll sit this one out,” I tell Turner.

“You sure?”Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“Yeah. I’ll join the next one, though.”

Hayden has one leg over the other, eyes only on me. We’re alone on the couch now. I see as part of his defenses come down, slowly. He isn’t entirely the Hayden he is when it’s just me around, but the mask he’d worn with the others is gone.

“Don’t stop on my account,” he says. “If you want to go with Turner.”

“What’s up with you?”

His eyes narrow. “Nothing.”

“Right.” I tap my fingers against the back of the sofa and feel far braver than I should. “You don’t want me here.”

“Not true.”