Beautiful Brute (Court University 3)

Mom: Everything went okay?

Mama Bear: I can’t believe you’re so far away. *sad emoji*

The woman who adopted me, Mama, came from a house full of children but couldn’t have her own. I supposed I’d been a blessing for her when she came into my biological mom’s and my life. Even though Mama and I didn’t share biology, that didn’t matter. That was my mom just as much as my own biological mother.

They were my everything.

I hated being this far away too, but it was necessary.

I let them rest easy knowing I was good, but left out a few of the more… colorful details about how I’d arrived on campus. I’d been on the side of the road for about five minutes before a Jeep full of brunettes had come into my view. They’d been on the other side of the guardrail, just wrapping up after some surfing on the beach.

Needless to say they’d been more than accommodating to help me out with my plight. I told them the gist of my situation, that I needed a ride.

I’d even gotten a few digits in the process.

Mom: Glad to know you’re okay. You let us know if you need anything.

Mama Bear: Like a plane ride back home *grin emoji*

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I rolled my eyes. Odds were both my parents were in another country now. They constantly traveled for work with their jobs, cooked for people all over the goddamn world. When they weren’t doing that, they were managing the half a dozen or so restaurants they owned and operated together.

I personally couldn’t cook much for shit compared to them, and was actually going for my business degree just to help them out with that side. They’d laughed when I told them, never thinking I could take shit serious.

If only they knew.

I was taking shit as serious as a heart attack down here, the victory of that in my ear for the last hour or so. I’d heard it from Kit for screwing her and not telling her I was Cleo’s stepbrother. Honestly, when I walked in here and saw a leggy, blue-eyed goddess, I’d had nothing but revenge on the brain. I just got done basically hitchhiking, so screwing Cleo’s roommate and rubbing it in her face later seemed like a hell of a good plan. Now, had I’d known Kit and the Girl Scout were actually friends and not just a roommate placement, I would have recorded that shit. If anything, just so I could play it back and drive the dagger deeper. My stepsister was making this shit too easy here.

She’d shown that with her temper tantrum.

Kit honestly hadn’t known who I was, not that the Girl Scout would let her get a word in edgewise. I’d heard it all outside my door, Kit pleading, Cleo ignoring. After Kit had given up, that’s when she came for me, but it wasn’t my fault she had her hands all over me after I arrived. I’d barely introduced myself before we were in her room, and though I had opened that door for us to hook up, the choice had all been hers in the end. She wanted a screw, and I gave it to her.

So that had been my first hour at Bay Cove, eventful to say the least.

Me: I’m not coming home, Mama. At least, not now.

I wanted to, God did I, but it wasn’t happening. I had an opportunity here. A way to kill old wounds, and I was fucking taking it. Neither of my moms knew why I’d actually come here and they wouldn’t.

I’d carry that shit to my grave.

Me being here was as much for them as it was for me. Especially for Mom. I’d always been the one to protect her. I owed her that for doing that for me my entire goddamn life.

Mom: Of course he’s not and stop trying to make him, honey. Jax, I’m so happy that you’re trying to do this. I know this is hard for you.

My hand squeezed my phone, the one part in all this difficult for me. I had to turn on a lot of shit inside myself, do a lot of shit, but lying to the woman who gave birth to me I’d never wanted to be a part of the equation.

Mama Bear: I’m sorry, baby. I support you. You know I’m soft. *wink emoji*

I put away the feelings inside, at least tried to.

Fuck.

Mama Bear: Anyway, we both love and miss you already.

Me: I miss you both too. Don’t worry about me.

The only person who needed to worry was my stepsister, and tossing my phone, I started unpacking my stuff. I didn’t have a whole lot so it didn’t take me long. I got my computer and stuff set up when my phone buzzed again.