Unwritten Law (Steele Brothers 1)

“Then why does it feel so shitty?”

“I’m actually kinda glad it happened. Makes you more human when you screw up. That’s usually my job. Do you know how hard it is living in your shadow?”

Finally, I manage a smile. “Wait … can you repeat that? I think I need to record it.”

Anders’ tone shifts and gets weighted with his I’m-not-fucking-around attitude. “Not only are you doing something to contribute to society here”—he waves his hand around the dojo—“you were there for me through everything. You break up with guys for me with only minor complaint because you can’t stand to see me struggle, and I can’t help thinking you wouldn’t have been in this position if it weren’t for me. Maybe you would’ve met Reed on your own at work and fell for him as yourself.”

“But then I might not have had the guts to go for it. Guess it’s better it all came out sooner rather than later. At least now I don’t have to pretend to be mad at him for breaking up with you. I’m angry because he left me.”

“You’re in love with him,” my brother says.

“Am not.” The words feel thick as they fall from my mouth, because I know I’m lying. The truth is, I don’t want to love Reed because there’s no chance in hell he’d ever forgive me after what I did.

“You can’t lie to me.”

I raise my eyebrow. “Oh, I can’t? How’s this for not being able to lie to you—this thing with Reed has been going on for a month.”

“Okay, so you were able to keep him a dirty little secret, but I knew something was up with you. I just thought it was chick problems, and we all know how unhelpful I am with that type of plumbing.”

I snort.

“How are you going to get him back?” Anders asks.

“Not gonna happen. Even if he was willing to forgive me, he’s with someone else. Not to mention his ex is a lying asshole, and I’ve done exactly the same thing. The best I can hope for is for him not to hate me and we can be friends … I guess.” The thought of having to go to dinner with Reed and his new boyfriend makes me cringe. Maybe the best we can hope for is being civil during work hours. One hour a week; that might be doable.

“Can I ask something that will probably piss you off?” my brother asks.

“You’re you. You’ll do that anyway.”

“Truth.” Anders sighs and looks away. “If Reed were a woman, would you give in so easily?”

“Fuck you.”

“Told you, you wouldn’t like it. But my point is, you’ve put in more effort with women in the past—arguably when they didn’t deserve it”—he coughs in between saying Olivia—“but here you are giving up on Reed easily even though it’s obvious you’re a wreck without him, and the only difference between your exes and him is he has a dick.”

“He’s dating someone else now,” I argue. “What am I supposed to do? Break them up?”

“When you were with him as me, did you act like you or me? Because if you tried to act like me as well as use my name, then I can kinda understand why he’d choose the other guy, but now he knows it was you pretending to be me …”

I grunt and get to my feet. “I’m done talking about this. It’s over. Done.”

Anders hesitates before nodding once. “If that’s how you want to play it, but this conversation is not done. Still want to go to a bar tonight?”

“Nah, I just wanna go home.”

“Probably for the best. We’ve never had to deal with cutting each other’s grass before. Might cause fights.”

“Except I’m really not into twinks. Broke up with too many of them for you.”

“Should be no problems then.” He grins.

13

Reed

Brody’s laugh echoes as if he has me on speakerphone. He better not. I don’t want anyone overhearing how stupid I am. “The guy you broke up with because you were falling for his brother is actually the brother?”

“Why do you find my life hilarious?”

“You chose the wrong subject to teach. You should be teaching drama.”

“When you’re done, can you tell me what I do now?”

Brody’s laughter dies. “I thought that’d be obvious. Be with the guy you’ve wanted—and had—all along.”

“He lied to me about who he was for a month.” I pace my small living room and run a hand through my hair.

“Hmm, yeah, douche move. Why did he do it?”

“Who knows.”

“You didn’t ask? Maybe he had a good reason. Like … umm … okay, I can’t think of any reason why he’d do that.”

“I think I was a sexual experiment. He’s straight.”

“Clearly not. And why couldn’t he do that as himself? Why pretend to be his brother?”

“I don’t know.”

“Maybe they did a whole parent trap style switcheroo to mess with you?”