Torn Apart (Torn and Bound Duet 1)

Not tonight.

Tonight, I just want to get the fuck home and go to bed.

My thoughts keep drifting to Mia. Always Mia. Everything with us is a fucked-up mess. I don’t even know how to fix it either.

She’s all the way in California and probably pissed at me.

I’d be pissed at me too.

“Hey, Stevie Boy,” I chirp when I drop into the back seat of my parents’ car.

Steven, always the professional, ignores my taunting. “Where to, young sir?”

“My place. Unless you want to hang out.”

He puts the car in drive, not bothering to answer. I lean my face against the cool glass, watching the scenery fly by quickly.

Watch your back.

Travis’s words are like acid on my brain. Before I left to have dinner with my parents, I saw him heading into my building. He’d hissed out those words, successfully pissing me off. Sure, he got one over on me once, but I’ll be damned if I let it happen again.

Still, his words got to me.

I hadn’t been watching my back when he planted that shit in my bag. If it hadn’t been for Brayden on Monday, he would’ve done it again. Travis is such a pussy.

Why did Brayden intervene? Why the fuck was he even there?

All too soon, I’m at my place. I don’t bother saying bye to Steven and head inside. Drew’s voice can be heard on the other side of the door as I fumble to unlock it. It makes me realize it’s late and the hockey game is clearly over. I’d wanted to go—to watch Brayden again—but when Dad demands a family dinner, I usually bite the bullet and just go to get him off my back for a while.

“I said I don’t mind,” Drew says to his phone on FaceTime. “It’s not a big deal.”

His hair is wet from a recent shower and he’s shirtless. I shut the door behind me, flipping the lock, and lean my back against it to steal a moment to stare at him. He’s stretched out on the sofa, his jeans low on his hips, revealing too many grooves that make me want to run my tongue across them. My dick twitches in agreement.

“Kace owes me. Seriously. You don’t have to use your credit card. I’ve got it.” Drew’s dimple pops out as he grins.

“Thanks, man.” Brayden. “I hope she doesn’t freak.”

“Nah, Mia’s cool. She’ll be happy.”

All the heat that was simmering in my veins freezes.

“Right. I better pack a bag and catch some Zs. That’s an early flight in the morning,” Brayden says. “Thanks again. I guess this truce shit is working.”

Drew chuckles. “I guess it is.”

After Drew hangs up the phone, he tosses it onto the table. His eyes lazily skim my way, but when he sees me, they widen in shock. It’s then I remember I’m wearing this stupid outfit to please my dad. I start to roughly yank at the knot on my tie.

“Brayden?” I ask, my voice shaking with anger.

He rises to his feet, frowning. “Yep.”

“Why is he going to see Mia?”

“You know why. He likes her.”

I like her!

Storming away from him, I make my way into my room. I strip out of the stupid preppy shit and throw on some swim team sweats. Once I’m not feeling like such a freak, I stalk back into the kitchen to find something to drink. Drew follows me and leans his hip against the granite countertop and crosses his arms over his massive chest.

“You okay?”

I yank a bottle of tequila from a cabinet and unscrew the cap. “Does it look like I’m okay?”

“No, it looks like you’re seconds from losing your shit,” he says slowly. “Having mixed feelings again?”

Tilting back the bottle, I suck down the fiery liquid. When I can’t drink anymore without a break, I slam it down, glaring at him. “Again? They never left. It’s been real fucking confusing for a while now.”

“You could’ve talked to her,” he reminds me. “You didn’t have to treat her like shit before she left.”

His words wound me. “I treated her like shit?”

“Dude, you were a total dick. Barely even spoke to her. If you like her, you sure as hell could have fooled me.”

“It doesn’t matter anyway. Her date rapey dude bro knight in shining fucking armor is on his way to bed her like a fucking princess!”

Drew takes several quick steps, crowding me. “You’re drunk and pissy, I get it. But you can lay off Brayden. This is between you and Mia.”

“Sure thing, boss,” I spit out, grabbing my tequila. “If you need me, I’ll be drinking myself into oblivion, wondering how the fuck I turn myself not gay.”

“You and your goddamn labels,” Drew growls out. “Get over yourself already.”

I flip him off, stumble over his shoes on the floor, and then kick them before making my way back to my room. Flopping down on my bed, I try not to spill my tequila. My head is spinning with all sorts of confusing thoughts, half of which involve Mia in this bed with me.