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soften in the event they think they re off the hook for pigeonholing me like this. Today is
the last day that Bryson and Holt Edwards treat their little sister like a porcelain doll. I m
through with their overprotective bullshit. I know everything there is to know about
Olivia. Are you satisfied? Blake has a past big fucking deal. I m the one who s with him
now, and nothing is going to change that.
Holt s lips move as he gives a quick interpretation to the girls.
He takes a breath.  Do you know that she s having his baby?
Sucker punch. The ground jolts beneath my feet. The wind gets knocked out of me so
fast I think I might pass out.
This is low. I give a wild look to everyone in the vicinity. Cole and Roxy step into our
circle, and I see Baya filling them in. I would never think that you two would come up
with such outrageous lies against the first boy the first and only man that I ll ever love. I
try to get my bearings. Do you understand what I m saying? I m in love! Their faces fill
with pain. I wish you could understand how much I care for him, but you just can t seem
to get it through your stupid, thick skulls! I hone in on Bryson. And while you re
interpreting this, I want you to add the words I am an ass for tormenting my sister this
way!
Roxy comes up and rubs my shoulder. I take a few steps back just to pull myself
together.
 Annie. Bryson and Holt come over.  We promise, we are not making any of this up.
This isn t some manufactured bullshit. It s real. I m sorry.
Holt touches his hand to his chest.  We know how much you care for this guy, that s
why we waited until we were certain. We spoke with this girl ourselves.
Really? I m almost amused. And where did you find her? How do I even know she
exists? If you want me to believe that Blake is a liar then consider yourselves on an even
playing field because I am not believing a word either of you say! My heart hurts because
I can t imagine why you would make something like this up. Don t you know all I have to
do is ask Blake myself? I m sure he ll take me straight to this girl and prove you re both
wrong. Can t you see the only relationship you re damaging is the one between the three
of us?
Bryson steps in.  The last thing we want is to damage our relationship.
 Too bad, it s done! I scream so hard my throat feels as if it s on fire. I ve never
wanted to use my voice so much before in my life. I hope I ve stung them in the most
intimate way possible.
Bryson cups the side of my face with a pressing hurt in his eyes that I hope never
goes away.  We knew you wouldn t believe us, Annie. That s why we brought Olivia here,
so you can speak with her yourself.
I stagger back. Do I even know these people anymore? Just how far are my brothers
willing to take this charade? What did they do hire some actress to play the part of
Blake s ex-girlfriend? I bet she s wearing one of those maternity cushions over her
stomach. I bet she s some size two actress that s strapped one on just for the role. My
heart thumps unnaturally because, on some level, this is starting to feel real. My brothers
have wrapped their words around my neck and are choking me with their lies.
 She s in the back room. Holt nods behind the bar.  We ll go with you.
A train could hit me. I wouldn t feel a thing.
No. I glance around at the sea of concerned faces. I ll take Roxy. She s the least
connected to the situation, and, in truth, I don t want anything to do with my brothers or
their significant others at the moment.
We head back with me leading the way. I m feeling brave perhaps foolishly so. God,
what if they re right? How could this be? It couldn t be because it s all bullshit.
The small staffroom reeks of whiskey because Holt and Izzy broke a bottle last week
while they were getting frisky. Or at least that s the story he fed us. God knows if either
of my brothers know what it means to tell the truth anymore.
A girl sits in the dark corner, and it s not until I come upon her do I notice her huge
belly. It looks real. She looks real. She s pretty in a throwback kind of way with her
crimson washed hair dipped in a large curl in front, the rest pulled back in a low bun. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]