Beautiful Oblivion (Maddox Brothers #1)(62)
Author: Jamie McGuire

I glared into the mirror, staring at her reflection in disbelief. “Are you kidding me? You are putting up with this frat boy nonsense to go to a party?”

“I bought a dress!” she said. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“You’re right. I wouldn’t.”

The doorbell rang, and Raegan and I stared at each other.

“Maybe it’s Brazil,” she said.

“Colin and Chase came by Skin Deep today. Almost got in a fight with Trenton . . . and everyone else.”

“Shit, you think it’s them?” she asked.

I stood up, crept over to the door, and looked through the peephole. I rolled my eyes and pulled off the chain, opening the door. Kody was standing there, bundled in a wool coat, scarf, gloves, and cap.

“What are you doing here?” Reagan asked, stepping out into the living room.

“It’s getting worse, Ray. I don’t think it’s a good idea that you drive. Either of you.”

She looked down. “I’m not ready for work, yet.”

Kody fell onto the love seat. “I’ll wait. I’ll leave the truck running so it’s warm when you get in.”

Raegan stifled a smile, and then she rushed to her room and shut the door.

“I just got home less than twenty minutes ago. It’s not that bad,” I said with a smirk.

“Ssh,” Kody said. “She doesn’t need to know that.”

“You’re good,” I said, walking back to my room.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

SATURDAY NIGHT AFTER A GRUELING NIGHT AT THE RED, I dragged my ass into the apartment, and flipped on my bedroom light. Trenton was lying on top of my covers in a pair of navy-blue boxer briefs . . . and socks.

I peeled off my clothes, flipped off the light, and then crawled in bed next to him. He fought with the blankets as he tried to get beneath them with me, and then grabbed at me until I was close enough. He buried his head into my neck, and we lay there for the longest time, still and warm. I’d never come home to anyone before, but it wasn’t a wretched feeling. Just the opposite: I was in a warm bed with the warm, incredibly-hard-to-resist body of the man who loved me more than anyone ever had. It could be worse. Way worse.

“How is Olive?”

“Hmmm?”

“Olive. Is she doing okay?”

“She misses you. I promised to bring her here to see you tomorrow.”

I smiled. “How was Chicken Joe’s?”

“Greasy. Loud. Awesome.”

I squeezed his arm that was across my chest even tighter against me. “I see you found the key.”

“No, I couldn’t find it, so I crawled in through your bedroom window. Did you know it’s been unlocked?”

I froze.

Trenton laughed, slow and breathy. I elbowed him.

The front door slammed, and Trenton and I both sat up.

“Quit! Don’t f**king wave at him! Raegan!” Brazil yelled.

“He was being nice! He just didn’t want me to drive in the snow!”

“There’s no snow on the roads! They’re just wet!”

“Yeah! Now!” she said. She stomped down the hall, and Brazil followed her, slamming her bedroom door.

I groaned. “Not tonight. I need sleep.”

Brazil’s muffled voice filtered through the wall. “Because you can’t ride around with your ex-boyfriend, that’s why!”

“Maybe if you had taken me to work . . .”

“Nuh-uh, don’t pin this on me! If I had done the same thing . . .”

“Who says you didn’t?”

“What does that mean? What do you mean, Raegan? Has someone said something to you?”

“No!”

“Then what?”

“Nothing! I don’t know what you do when you’re out! I’m not even sure I care anymore!”

It got really quiet then, and after several minutes, they continued speaking in lowered voices. Ten minutes later there were no voices at all, and just when I thought to go check on Raegan, I heard her moaning and yelping, and her bed was knocking into the wall.

Ugh. “Seriously?” I said.

“Living together is sounding better all the time, isn’t it?” Trenton said against my neck.

I settled in next to him. “It’s been less than four months. Let’s pace ourselves.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s a big deal. And I barely know you.”

Trenton touched my knee, and then let his hand slide upward until his fingers were touching the cotton piece of my panties. “I know you fairly intimately.”

“Really? You want to get it on with Buffy and Spike next door?”

“Huh?”

“They’re fighting, and then they . . . never mind.”

“Not in the mood, huh?” he asked.

Raegan’s yelps were becoming shriller.

“Not . . . right now, no.”

“See? We’re practically married already.”

“You got jokes!” I said as I dug my thumbs between his ribs. He tried fending me off, grunting and laughing as I tickled him. Eventually, he began emulating Raegan’s high-pitched cries. I covered my mouth, giggling incessantly. Raegan grew quiet, and Trenton fist bumped me. Then we settled down again.

Half an hour later, Brazil and Raegan crept down the hall and then the front door opened and closed. A few seconds later, my bedroom door flew open and the light turned on. “Assholes!”

I covered my eyes until I heard Raegan gasp.

“Holy shit, Trenton, what happened to you?”

I turned to look at him. Three bloody scratches were on his cheekbone, and his lip was split. I jerked to a sitting position. “What happened to your face, Trent?”

“I haven’t thought of a good lie to tell you yet.”

“I thought you went to Chicken Joe’s with Olive tonight? You went to that biker bar, didn’t you?” I said, my voice thick with accusation.

Trenton chuckled. “No, I went to Chicken Joe’s. So did Chase and Colin.”

Raegan gasped, and so did I. My eyes filled with tears. “They f**king jumped you? When you were with Olive? Is she okay?”

“They tried. She’s fine. We went outside. She didn’t see much.”

Raegan took a step. “What happened?”

“They won’t try to jump me again, let’s just put it that way.”

I covered my face. “Goddammit! Damn it!” I picked up my phone and sent the same text to Colin and Chase. It only said one word.