Tempting

But still…

A rock star is flirting with me.

“This is Emma.” I nod to my best friend. “She’s a big fan. We both are.”

“Thanks.” He offers me a hug.

I take it.

I’m hugging Joel Young.

This is so weird.

Then he’s hugging Emma.

He opens his arms to Brendon. Chuckles when Brendon shakes his head. “It’s been what, six years now? Still can’t get any affection from the guy. Must be hard living with a brother like that.”

“You have no idea,” Emma says.

“Nah, I do. My older sister is a tough cookie. And she’s a shrink. Count your blessings,” he says.

Emma laughs.

“He doesn’t talk much, does he?” Joel asks.

Emma shakes her head. “Not usually.”

“So sometimes?” Joel cocks a brow. “Go on. But only if it gets juicy.”

“There’s someone he talks about a lot.” Emma presses her lips together. “A girl.”

A voice echoes through the room. “Five minutes.”

“Damn.” Joel shakes his head. “They really gotta warn us about this shit. Pretty sure Ethan is still fingering Vi off some place.”

“Oh… Uh…” My mouth gets sticky. How can he be so casual with that information? It’s just… Umm… Uh…

“It was nice to meet you, Kaylee. Emma.” He winks. “Give your brother a hard time, for me.”

She laughs. “Will do.”

The three of us make our way back to the main room. We cut through the crowd just in time for the lights to go down and the band to step on stage.

Emma and I get lost in the music for the entire set. Even Brendon seems to enjoy it.

Everything is perfect.

Until we’re on our way out.

And Emma is dragging me into the bathroom. “Come on, Kay. We need to talk.”

Chapter Forty-One

Kaylee

Emma goes straight to the sink. She sets her purse on the counter and digs through it until she finds her lipstick.

I lean against the wall. Watch her add another coat of red. Try to wipe the guilt from my eyes.

It’s not working.

I find the lipstick in my purse and apply another coat. But my hands are shaking. The line is messy. Like it was after I was making out with her brother.

“So…” She zips her purse and taps her fingers against it.

“So…?”

Her chest heaves with her sigh.

I keep my lips pressed together.

I can’t say anything.

She can’t know.

It’s just not an option.

“Whatever is happening, you can tell me.” She turns toward me. “I won’t be mad.”

I don’t believe that. I force my lips into a smile. “Nothing is happening.”

“You… you and Brendon are being weird. And your lipstick was smudged in the car.”

“I had a snack at Inked Hearts.”

“Nobody snacks at Inked Hearts.”

“In the lobby.”

She shakes her head. “What is it, Kay? Why don’t you want to tell me?”

“It’s nothing.” Shakiness seeps into my voice. I want it to be nothing. Or at least nothing important. But it’s huge.

“It’s something.” She presses her ass against the counter. Folds her arms. Frustration creeps into her eyes.

It’s hurting her that I’m keeping a secret.

This is my chance.

I can confess everything.

Or I can double down on the lie.

I take a deep breath and exhale slowly.

Her dark eyes stay fixed on mine.

“I… uh… Brendon… uh. Brendon caught me and Dean.” Guilt nags at my throat. It takes everything I have to keep my expression neutral.

“Oh.” Emma tilts her head, turning over the so called admission.

“Yeah.” I dig into my lie. “We were just kissing, but he got pissed.”

“What did he say?”

“Dean’s a whore. I can do better. That kind of thing.”

“Did he threaten to kill Dean?”

“More or less.” Or a lot less.

Emma’s eyes bore into mine. “Really?”

I barely nod.

“Look me in the eyes, Kay.”

“Why?” My gaze goes right to my shoes. They’re grey. Canvas and rubber. Comfortable. Perfect for a concert.

“Kay.”

“What?” I force myself to stare back into Emma’s dark eyes. They’re lighter than Brendon’s. Wider. But still a lot like his.

“Tell me the truth. Whatever it is.”

“I…” My voice cracks. The words claw at my gut. They make it all the way up my throat, but I stop them with a swallow.

“You…”

“I…”

“Are you fucking my brother?”

“Em…”

Her eyes go wide. She shakes her head. “Kaylee, what the fuck?”

“It’s not like that.”

“You had sex with my brother.”

“Yeah, but—”

“He was the one at karaoke?”

I nod.

“And the one… oh God, he was offering to, ew…” Her nose scrunches. Her eyes fill with disgust.

All the details I’ve spilled have been about her brother.

And her best friend is a liar.

Of course she’s disgusted.

I…

“I’m sorry.” I don’t know what else to say.

“You and Brendon…” Emma shakes her head. “How long have you—”

“A long time.”

“And he?”

“I don’t know. A long time too.”

“And everyone else knows?”

“I didn’t tell them.”

Emma steps away. “So, what, you don’t trust me?”

“No, Em. I thought you’d freak.”

“You. Don’t. Trust. Me.”

“I’m sorry. But I… I love him.”

She shakes her head. “No. You do not love my brother.”

“Yeah, I do.”

“He’s fucking ancient!”

“But he… he’s a good person. You know he is.”