Good Stepbrother (Love #2) (6 page)

“No way! You have to help me! I got a couple of kegs.”

“How did you get kegs?”

“I had a couple of college boys buy them for me. I just had to persuade them.” I grinned and tried to pretend it didn’t bother me the things I’d done for the beer.

He grimaced. “Really?”

“It’s no big deal, really. I don’t mind.” Lies, every word. I hated what I’d done but hey, every girl did that stuff…right?

“You’re better than that, Bri,” he grumbled.

No, I’m not your Bri.
“Why didn’t you call me Brielle?”

“I don’t know.”

“Almost everyone else in the world calls me Bri but you. You call me Brielle. Don’t call me Bri.”
I’m not your Bri. I’m your Brielle. Don’t forget that. Because if you start calling me Bri too, there’ll be no one left knowing who I used to be.
“Come on, Carter. We need to get the house ready. Hide the valuables.”

“I want to sleep.” He rolled over and pretended to snore.

Stroking his arm, I whispered, “Please…for me?”

“Fine. Give me a little bit to wake up,” he groaned.

I laughed. “You mean jerk off. Okay. Have fun!” Leaving his room, I closed the door and went to work. The house had to be readied for an epic party.

He came downstairs half an hour later and I jumped on him, looping my long arms around his neck. “Can I use your stereo?” Batting my lashes prettily, I pouted and waited for him to answer.

“No.” He extracted my arms and moved away.

“Why not?” I asked.

“Your music sucks.”

“But your stereo’s the best. Please?”

“Ah hell. Okay, fine. I’ll bring it down in a little while.”

“You’re the best! I have almost everything locked up and hidden so we should be good to go.”

“I can’t believe we’re having a party.”

“We are! A great one!”

The party was amazing. I got ready with my girls upstairs, changing into a skimpy little red dress I’d stolen from the hottest store in the mall, and sky high heels. We all popped an E to make the party even better. Music oozed from his stereo and everyone danced. I sipped at the lukewarm, disgusting beer and sang along to my favorite CD. Setting my beer down on the coffee table, I grabbed Britney’s hand and we dirty danced. As the song ended I turned back to my drink and chugged it down.

That was the last thing I remembered until the next morning when I woke up in Carter’s arms. It was pretty easy for me to piece together what had happened, and I was mortified. My inner thighs ached, and I felt woozy and half asleep. I struggled to figure everything out. I’d been dancing with Britney, then I drank my beer…

Shit, I got roofied.

Looking up at Carter, I found his hazel eyes on me and I smiled softly. “You saved me.”

He struggled to sit up. “Are you okay?”

Gripping his shirt, I held him in place. “Carter, thank you.” I shifted up his body and pressed my mouth against his. It felt like coming home. Just that fast, bile skittered up my throat and I pushed off him, leaning over the edge of the bed to puke.

Dozing off again, I vaguely remembered him carrying me to bed and talking sweetly to me as he peeled off my hooker dress and slipped an oversized band T-shirt over my head. He never tried anything. No, Carter Travis wasn’t the type. He was the best type of man and I didn’t deserve to even breathe the same air as him.

Curling up on my pillows, I slept for a few more hours, until I felt my mother’s hand on my cheek. “Bri, baby? Are you okay?”

Shit...what am I gonna tell her?
Blurting out the first thing I could think of, I rasped, “Food poisoning. Bad Chinese.”

“Oh honey, that’s terrible. Let me go get you some ginger ale and crackers, okay?”

“I just want to sleep,” I whispered.

She kissed my forehead and brushed my hair back. “Okay, baby.”

I hoped my lies protected us. I really did. I didn’t want Carter to take the fall for my stupidity.

Chapter Seven

Tenth grade year was miserable for me. I hadn’t been accepted to the cheer squad, and I was furious over it. Apparently, the clout Leslie had before she graduated was gone and now all the new seniors didn’t like me. Therefore, no cheerleading for me. I was also miserable because Carter was snuggling up to a foreign exchange student named Carla.

Maybe I’d been a fool, but I thought after the kiss we shared, he would’ve known how I felt. But no, he was just a stupid boy. A stupid boy that I loved. Carla was ridiculously beautiful, and I hated her gorgeous, perfect, Brazilian guts. Watching them coo over each other in the lunchroom made me sick.

“Stop staring at him, Bri,” Jennifer grimaced. “It’s pathetic.”

“Fuck you,” I growled back. “You don’t get it.”

“You love him, it’s cool, whatever. Incest-y, but whatever.” Britney sighed, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

“Shut up before I shove your teeth down your throat,” I snapped and her eyes went wide.

“Sorry, fine, whatever. Love him if you want to. But for Christ’s sakes, either screw him or don’t. This back and forth drama is exhausting.”

Narrowing my eyes, I focused back in on the bubbly and bold Carla. I knew exactly what I’d do. Carter laughed at something she said and even from across the cafeteria, I saw a look in his eyes that hurt. He liked her, a lot. He’d never looked at me like that.

I had to nip this budding romance in the bud. Sooner, rather than later. My opportunity came a few days later in gym. Carla dressed in her regular clothes after her shower, and I pounced while she pulled her shirt on.

“Do you like my brother?” I blurted, and she froze, her shirt halfway on.

Pulling it the rest of the way down, she nodded. “Yes, I like Carter.”

I sighed. “See, you can’t really like him.”

Her eyes widened and she frowned. “Why not? Carter’s a nice boy.”

Propping my hand on my hip, I whispered, “He likes boys.”

“Carter? Likes boys?” she gasped, her mouth falling open in shock. “But he’s so nice.”

“He is, and he’s super gay.” Nodding sadly, I touched her arm like we were best friends and I genuinely cared. Inside I rejoiced. I was breaking up Carla and Carter. There would be no dating her now.

By the end of the day it was all over the school that Carter was a man lover. Riding on cloud nine I bounced out of school with Britney and Jennifer at my side. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my arm and I whirled around to see a very angry Carter.

“Carter!” Gasping, my face paled slightly.

“Why did you tell Carla I was…gay?” He growled softly.

“Me?” I choked out. “No way.”

“Liar.” He shook me and my neck bounced back and forth. “You’re a liar.”

Narrowing my eyes, I hissed between gritted teeth, “And you’re hurting me, so I suggest you take your hands off me before I tell my mom everything. It’s obvious I’m real good at telling a story and having people believe me. Do you want to cross me?”

Releasing me, he spat, “Whatever. At least I’m not a slut.”

“Aww, that’s soooo original. Like I haven’t been called that before.” Shrugging, I turned away and linked arms with my best friends. “Find your own way home, homo!”
Screw you, asshole. You know nothing about me and why I am the way I am.

The whole way home I steamed. Dropping the girls off, I drove home alone and sulked in the driveway before crawling out of the car and storming in the house. Mom caught me as I walked inside. “Bri, baby? Can we talk?”

“Sure.” I sighed, hanging my backpack up and kicking off my shoes. “What?”

“Come sit down.” She caught my elbow and steered me into the kitchen. Pushing me into a chair, she sat down across from me and smiled tightly. “How was school?”

“What is this?” Sighing in irritation, I stood to leave. “I’ve got things to do.”

“Bri, wait. I need to talk to you about something. Charlie and I are trying for a baby. Will you be okay with that?”

My knees went weak and I collapsed back into the chair. “A baby?”

“Right. It would be more siblings to love. Your dad’s wife is going to have another baby soon…”

“When have I even seen the first one? He got her knocked up and forgot all about me. I’m never allowed over, he never calls me, he never wants me around the brat. I barely know her name, Kayleigh, and we’re supposed to be sisters. So is that what you and Charlie have planned too? Get knocked up, have a brat or two and then forget all about me? Well here, let me make it easy for you. You don’t have to be my mom anymore. Not that you were a great one anyway. So have all the babies you want. I don’t care.” Tears pricked my eyes and I jumped up from the chair and ran to the front door. Pulling on my shoes, I grabbed my keys and threw the door wide.

Running to the car, I opened the door and slid behind the wheel. Mom rushed down the stairs, her blue eyes wet with tears. “Bri! Wait! Let’s talk about this.”

Starting the car, I threw it into reverse and backed down the driveway. I could barely see through my tears as I drove aimlessly. Mom wanted a baby. She would forget all about me too. First my father, now her. Carter hated me. Everyone hated me. I hated me. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I called Peter.

“Hey, baby, I was beginning to think you forgot my number.” It had been months since the party and the guys he’d made me pay for the kegs.

“I need…” I sniffled, unable to say what I wanted. I needed someone to make me forget, and Peter was good at that.

“Aww, you need some lovin’, don’t you baby?”

“Yeah.”

“Come on over. Door’s always open for you.”

“Be there in five,” I breathed, turning onto his street. Peter Mansfield was exactly what I needed. No strings attached. Just our bodies, figuring shit out.

***

I became even further detached from my family over the next few months, and Mom gave me my space. True, it could’ve been that I threw a shoe at her and threatened to run away if she came in my room again, but I didn’t want her sympathy or her love anymore. I didn’t want anyone, except Peter. He made things bearable. I stayed over at his house all the time, lying and telling Mom I stayed with Britney and Jennifer.

“So, kid,” he asked me one night as I lay wrapped in his arms. “What are you running from?”

Sitting up, I slid off the bed and found my clothes. “Does it really matter, Peter?”

He shifted up to his elbow and peered at me. “I guess not.”

“Then let’s keep this just like it is. No strings. No emotions. Just what we both want, okay?” Pulling my boots on, I ran my hands through my hair and tied it back in a ponytail. “I need to go.”

“Where you going?” he pouted, patting the mattress beside him.

“There’s this crazy thing called school I gotta go to.” I laughed. “I can come by later?”

“You do that, Bri.” He beckoned me closer and I bent over for a kiss. I liked his kisses, a little too much.

“See you later,” I breathed against his mouth, and he groaned.

“See you later, baby.”

Meandering through his apartment, I gathered my things and opened the front door. Stepping out into the hallway, I closed it behind me and hustled down the stairs to the main doorway of the building. Opening it quickly, I stepped into the early morning sunlight and jogged across the parking lot to my old car. Unlocking the door, I opened it and slid behind the wheel.

Resting my head against the cool leather steering wheel, I blew out a breath. I was lost, and I didn’t know how to find myself anymore. Somehow, I started the car and drove to school. Everything was a blur, all except for lunch, when I was called to the cheerleaders’ table again.

“Bri Harper!” Maggie Adamson called me. She was a senior, and the new captain of the cheer squad.

“Yeah?”

“You should try out for the squad again,” she grinned.

“Think so?” I asked coolly.

“Know so. So, why don’t you come and sit with us from now on? You’re one of us by proxy.” She tossed her long red hair over her shoulder and smiled. “Come on!”

I settled in beside Corie George, a blonde with braces. “We’re psyched,” she whispered, “Hope you are too.”

“Sure, I mean I thought I’d be on the squad this year…”

Maggie pursed her lips. “Unfortunately this year we signed on a girl who ended up breaking her ankle. So, if you want to join now, we’d take you.”

I was second best, and it burned my ass. But I knew if I walked away, I’d never get another offer. “Okay, sure.”

“Great. We’ll be working out all summer and then next year you’ll be ready to go. I’ll help through the summer before I go to college,” Maggie explained. “Then I’ll name a new captain and you guys will carry on the tradition! Now, no drugs or alcohol. We have an appearance to maintain.”

“Of course,” I nodded quickly, my stomach knotting painfully. “I understand.” That meant no more hanging out with Peter and getting wasted on E to forget. I wanted so desperately to belong… so I agreed to change who I was. It lasted, for a while.

Occasionally through the summer the loneliness would creep back in and back to him I’d go. I couldn’t find a job and I was alone with my thoughts. Twice a week we worked out and practiced cheers. Otherwise, I had nothing and no one. I hated the quiet, that’s when my demons screamed the loudest.

By my junior year, I was fully accepted into the cheer squad. Our new captain, Corie, led us well. She wanted to add in some sexy dances and make us a little hotter. Maggie hadn’t been willing to do that, but Corie was a new breed of slutty cheerleader.

“Roll your hips, up and down ladies! We want to make them sweat!”

Seriously, Corie would’ve made a hell of a stripper.

“If you got team spirit give a yell, give a Y-E-L-L!”

I could hear Carter snickering up in the stands, and I fought the urge to flip him off. He was really being a douche about having to wait on me for a ride home. He could’ve walked. I’d already made my mind up, I was going to make him walk home that day.

“Great practice, ladies!” Corie squealed. “Huskers in for the spirit slap!” We all put our hands in, stacking them on top of each other. Then Corie hollered, “Who’s got spirit?”

“Husker Cheerleaders!” we all replied, bringing our hands up with shimmying spirit fingers.

Carter stood from his spot on the bleachers and hustled down to meet me. “Can we please get home?” he whined.

Jangling the keys, I grinned. “You can walk. We’re going to the mall.”

“Fuck that! I waited on you! We’re supposed to ride together,” he argued.

“Sucks to be you, doesn’t it?” I sashayed away and all the cheerleaders followed me, giggling and pointing at him.

Corie, Jessica, Layla, and Denise crawled in the car with me and I cranked bubblegum pop as we peeled away. I knew it would piss him off a little more. “Bri, you’re so
bad!”
Corie laughed. “Let’s hit the mall!”

One problem with being a “good cheerleader” was that I couldn’t steal, at least not when they were with me. I had to be a pillar of society at all times. I hated it. But I loved the attention I got in my short skirts when I shimmied my ass on the field.

“This dress is
so
cute!” Denise cooed as she pulled a short pink mini dress off the rack. “I’m getting it!” She sashayed to the register and paid with a shiny new credit card. I was horribly jealous.

I didn’t even have money for gas. Carter paid for me to get around town. I stole or used my body to get whatever else I wanted, while these girls had rich daddies who gave them everything they desired. Once upon a time, I’d been rich too. I’d had things but no love. Now I had no things and no love. It sucked.

“Aren’t you gonna get anything?” Corie asked me as she checked out.

“Nah, not today.”

“Oh, okay.” They looked at me funny and I wanted to slip down between the cracks in the tile floor and die. I was mortified. The shopping trip was wrapped up pretty quickly after that and I drove everyone home. Singing along to the radio, I drove home and straight into hell. Parking in the driveway, I noticed everyone was home, which was unusual. Killing the engine, I opened the door and slid out. Charlie met me at the door with sad eyes.

“I wondered when you’d be home, Bri,” he started softly. “Your mom isn’t feeling well…”

“What’s wrong?” I asked, pushing past him to get inside. “Mom?” I called, and he put his hand on my arm.

“Shh, she needs her rest. Bri, honey, she lost a baby today.”

Whirling around to face him, I swayed on my feet. “What?”

“She was ten weeks pregnant and she miscarried…”

Everything hurt. My heart. My head. My soul ached. She’d gotten pregnant and lost a baby. Somehow it made me feel like I was the one being punished and hurt. I never wanted her to have another baby and maybe all my hate for the possibility of a sibling had snuffed out the little life she’d carried.

Charlie tried to pull me in for a hug, but I didn’t want his comfort. Breaking free from his grasp, I ran back to the car and slid behind the wheel. There was only one place I could go, back to the man who was the worst thing for me.