Page 41 of Keeping Kyler
“Next he’ll be climbing into your room with a rose between his teeth spouting Shakespeare,” Kent derides.
“Dude, her bedroom’s on ground level,” Keaton reminds him.
“Dude, who cares? The point is, Ky has turned into a fucking pansy. It’s pathetic.”
Rachel and Jill shoot inquisitive looks at me. “Don’t ask,” I plead. They’ll get the makings of Kent this weekend without the need for any advance explanation.
I’m expecting Ky to tear him a new one, but he surprises me. Enfolding his arms around me, he presses a delicate kiss to my forehead. “I’m betting you go to greater extremes when you find your dream girl.”
Kent snorts. “That will never be me. Girls are good for one thing and one thing only.” He turns a sleazy look in the direction of my friends, slowly perusing both of them from head to toe. There’s a naughty glint in his eye. “Bedroom door is always open, ladies. Feel free to stop by any time.” He runs a finger up a shell-shocked Jill’s arm. “And I do meanany time.” He hops up and saunters off, laughing.
“Wow. I can’t believe he’s only turned sixteen. He’s definitely a wannabe bad boy in the making,” Jill comments astutely. “And that was mild compared to some of the stuff he was saying.”
“Ignore him,” Ky says, “he’s going through his asshole phase.”
“Takes one to know one.” Brad steps into the room with that enlightening comment filtering from his lips. Swigging from a bottle of beer, he is barefoot, bare chested, and wearing jeans that are hanging indecently low on his hips. “You don’t even know the half of it, but no doubt Faye can fill you in,” he adds. Jill’s mouth hangs open in obvious admiration as she peruses Brad in all his shirtless glory. He extends his hand. “I’m Brad. Nice to meet you.” A slow blush creeps up her neck when he plants a kiss on the back of her hand.
Rachel’s eyes narrow curiously. “So,you’reBrad.”
He turns the full extent of his dazzling smile on her. “The one and only.” He drops Jill’s hand like it’s on fire, taking a step in Rachel’s direction. His eyes take their fill as he lazily caresses every curve on her body. “Who are you, and where have you been my whole life?” His gaze turns leery as he sinks onto the couch alongside her. She folds her arms over her chest, eying him warily.
What the hell?
Ky chuckles, while I try to hide my confusion. “Brad, this is Rachel and that’s Jill. My two besties from home. Ky arranged a surprise visit for me.”
“How awesome. Isn’t he just the perfect boyfriend,” he drawls sarcastically. He takes a long hard slug from his beer as I squirm uncomfortably in my seat. Before anyone can take him to task over his blatant derision, he turns his full attention to Rachel. “What about you, beautiful?” I flinch at his use of that word. “Do you have a boyfriend I should worry about?”
“She’s single,” Jill pipes up, trying to be helpful.
“Sweet.” Brad leans into Rach’s face, until there’s barely a millimeter between them. Rachel gulps, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so lost for words. “Fancy hooking up later?”
“Brad!”What on earth has gotten into him?While I can guess where this new animosity is stemming from, I don’t know what happened between leaving school and now to make him act so abnormally.
“Bro, you’re kinda being an asshole,” Ky tells him.
“Maybe I like being an asshole,” he retorts. “Maybe I’ve always been an asshole and I’ve been hiding behind my nice guy image.MaybeI’m tired of that shit. Or maybe I just want to hook up with a girl who’savailablefor a change?”
I can’t believe he just went there.Ishe drunk or high or something?
“Aw, poor little rich boy,” Rach teases, finally finding her voice. “All sore ’cause he didn’t win the girl.” She stabs her finger in his bare chest. “Grow up, and get a life. And put a damned shirt on. It’s the middle of winter, dickhead.”
Brad throws back his head, laughing hysterically. Ky and I exchange more worried glances.How much has he had to drink?
Rachel scowls, narrowing her eyes at him. Then she turns to me. “He is not at all what I expected. I thought you said he was cool?”
Brad stops laughing. “What were you expecting exactly?” He sizes her up.
“Faye has had nothing but nice things to say about you, so I wasn’t expecting the half-drunk half-naked look or the arrogant personality or the massive chip on your shoulder. Need I continue?”
He laughs but it lacks humor. Leaning in with a transparent sneer on his face, he says, “You don’t know shit, honey. You think you have the measure of me after two minutes? You don’t know me. You know nothing, so do us all a favor and fuck off.”
I gasp, completely appalled.
Ky shucks out of my embrace, ready to tear strips off Brad, but I hold him back. I stand up, taking a minute to get a handle on my anger. Grabbing Brad’s arm, I pull him aside. “What the hell has gotten into you? How dare you speak to my friend like that!” I face Rach. “He isn’t usually like this, I promise.”
“Quit apologizing for me. I’m not sorry I spoke my mind.” He turns the full extent of his anger on me now. “Red is hardly in any position to throw stones unless that prissy, stuck-up, better-than-you attitude is actually who she is, and then I’m even less sorry. At least I’m speaking my mind, not hiding behind my anger.”
Rach’s nostrils flare, and I shoot Jill a worried look. Rach is like the most vicious tiger when challenged, and she ain’t afraid to use claws. “You self-righteous pompous prick!” Rachel’s face is puce with rage. “Who da fuck do yo—”
