My Brother's Best Friend

Chapter 15

"Yeah," he agrees. "I know. I'm sore as hell still. Practice today is going to suck."

We inch closer in line to get our food, and I avoid looking at Maddie as much as possible. I'll give it away for sure if anyone catches me staring at her.

"So, this weekend I think I want to just keep it low-key," Ethan says. "Maybe just play video games? Watch football?"

"Perfect," I tell him.

"Really? I thought I'd have to convince you. You don't have plans with Sadie? Or Kelsey?"

Little does he know the girl I want to have plans with lives under the same roof as him. I can't get Maddie's body out of my mind. I played house with this girl for crying out loud. She stayed the night! No one has ever stayed the night.

"Nope. No plans," I say, even though I'm planning many things I can do with his sister in my mind right now. "I need a chill weekend too."

I quickly glance over to their table again and see Mark hovering over her, his hand inches from hers.

What the actual fuck does he want with her?

I can't storm over there, I can't tell him to fuck off, all I can do is hope that Ethan takes care of it. "He's never going to learn," I say nonchalantly as if anger isn't coursing through me, directing Ethan's attention to their table.

Ethan's expression hardens when he sees him talking to her, and as soon as we pay he strides over, slamming his tray down in front of him. "Hey, dipshit," he sneers. "Did you not learn the first time? Get the fuck away from my sister."

"Ethan, stop," Maddie warns, clearly uncomfortable by the attention this is bringing her. Everyone's eyes are on them, and Ethan is so furious that it looks like Mark is about to get punched for a second time.

"I was just asking her to the homecoming dance," Mark says, and then he looks at me, and it seems as if he knows everything. He knows that she means something to me.

What is his motive here? Is this because I made captain over him? Is it because I slept with Sadie when he's had the biggest crush on her for years?

"In your dreams," Ethan spits. "If you actually think I'd let her go with you you're fucking insane."

"Honestly, stop." Maddie gets irritated now, and she shifts in my sweatsuit, hugging it tighter against her. "I already said no, Ethan, but if I did say yes then you wouldn't have a say. I can go with whoever I want."

"As if," Ethan retorts. "Dad would never allow that. He knows Mark."

Mr. Holden is probably the only man I'm intimidated by. He's a regular at the gym, huge and muscular with tattoos covering his body. I wouldn't mess with him, and he knows all of us inside and out. He used to be us. He wouldn't let us get within two feet of Maddie.

"Can you go?" Maddie asks. "Honestly, just leave me alone."

Maya rises up from her seat to de-escalate the situation, and as soon as she grabs onto Ethan's arm I see him instantly relax. Maddie narrows her eyes, clearly sensing something is going on. She's not stupid. "Let's go cool off," she whispers gently. "Come on, Ethan."

He roughly hits his shoulder against Mark as she pulls him away, leaving just the three of us at the table. I'm not going anywhere until he leaves her the fuck alone.

"Can you just think about it?" he asks. "You're the only person I want to go with. I'm not scared of your brother. I'll do whatever it takes to bring you."

He's just doing this to get into her pants. He said it as clear as day in the lab the other day. He doesn't actually want to go with her, and if it weren't for the scene Ethan just caused then I would have tackled him to the floor already.

She nods. "I will."

He turns to look at me again, another knowing expression. As if he won. As if she would ever actually go with him.

"Looks like I might just succeed after all." He chuckles lowly enough for her not to hear as he walks away from the table, and I grab onto the sleeve of his shirt before he can walk away from me.

"Over my dead body," I threaten. "You touch her and I swear to god I'll—"

"What?" he responds humorously. "Protect your best friend's honor? Beat me up for him? Please. It's obvious as fuck what's going on, bro, and quite frankly I think it'll be fun to get a girl you've never had. Make it a little game, you know?"

He's just suspecting it. He doesn't have any proof, and Ethan would deny that rumor if it ever surfaced. He's never seen me remotely flirt with Maddie, so he'd never believe it.

But little does Mark know that my fingers have already been inside of her. I've already tasted her, licked her clean, and given her the best orgasm she's ever had. He will never be able to score her because she's always been mine. Long before we started messing around.

Mine?

Wait, what?

No.

Absolutely not.

My eyes grow wide at the realization of my feelings, and Mark lets out another belly gut laugh as he walks away, leaving me alone to my thoughts.

Oh, god.

I'm in much deeper shit than I ever imagined.