Page 117 of Secrets and Lies
“Well, if you’re not being a creep and forgetting that trying to fuck your frat brother’s ex days after they break up makes you a shitty person, then you’re asking for other reasons you probably shouldn’t.” He crosses his arms over his chest, and I have to tear my eyes away from his thick muscles and hypnotic tattoo. “Like maybe you’re going to the source to up your odds in the betting pool and people putting money on whether they’ll get back together.”
Derek’s face goes red, and he cuts his gaze to the floor.
“People are betting on whether we’ll get back together?” I ask, anger replacing some of my earlier indifference.
This kind of thing isn’t new, and there’s always some sort of betting pool going on in the house at any given time, but they’re usually about stupid, trivial things like which team is going to win a school game or if a certain professor is going to grade on a curve or not.
It doesn’t feel great that my frat brothers are using my breakup to fuel their gambling addictions like it’s some sort of joke.
Derek mumbles something I can’t make out and stares at his shoes like they’re the most fascinating things he’s ever seen.
“Wow, that’s really fucked up.” I say, not bothering to keep my voice down. “It’s sooooo amazing to know that you all have my back while I’m going through something as devastating as my engagement breaking up.”
“It’s not like that,” Derek mumbles, still staring at his shoes like a kid in time out.
“You sure? Because it sounds like it’s exactly like that.” I don’t care how insane I seem or how loud I’m being. I probably will later because this will just end up as another gossip talking point for everyone, but right now, I don’t give a fuck what Derek or anyone else thinks of me.
“Nothing to say?” I ask, still sounding half hysterical. “You were full of questions when you thought it would help you make some money and give you an edge over everyone.”
Derek looks like he’s hoping the floor will open up and swallow him whole, and I don’t miss how he’s slowly inching away from me, but now that I’ve started, I’m having a hard time shutting the fuck up.
“Here’s some insider info for you,” I continue. “No, we’re not getting back together. Yes, it’s over, over, and no, she didn’t have any complaints while we were together.”
Anthony shifts so he’s standing next to me, and for some dumb reason, the gentle brush of his arm against mine helps calm some of my anger.
“You have until tomorrow morning to shut down all the betting pools,” Anthony says to Derek.
He isn’t raising his voice or even speaking with any sort of inflection, but the threat is there. He isn’t fucking around, and Derek looks absolutely terrified.
Anthony has a reputation as a levelheaded and chill guy, and it’s rare for him to go off on people or get into fights, but he’s also known for being ruthless when people piss him off or cross him.
His family is famous for not just going after the people who betrayed them; they go after everyone and everything that’s ever meant anything to the person, then they exact their revenge on them after they’ve destroyed everything else in their lives.
There are lots of rumors about Anthony dealing with people after they made the mistake of getting on his bad side, and if any of them are even marginally true, then Derek has every reason to be scared shitless right now.
“They’re not mine,” he stammers, glancing between Anthony and me, his eyes wide with panic. “I’m not in charge of them.”
“Don’t care,” Anthony says simply. “You brought them to West’s attention, so you’re now responsible for what happens to them. Either they’re shut down by the morning, or you and everyone else taking part in them is going to learn why it’s a bad idea to capitalize on your frat brother’s misfortune instead of minding your own fucking business.”
Derek goes deathly pale as all the blood seems to drain out of his face at once. “What if I can’t get them to shut them down?”
“I guess you’ll learn the consequences if you fail.” Anthony takes a half step closer to him and shifts so he’s slightly in front of me, like he’s putting himself between Derek and me. “Are you going to fail?”
Derek shakes his head, still looking scared enough to piss himself.
Anthony gives him a long, assessing look, then ticks his chin in a clear move of dismissal.
Derek scurries away like a cockroach after you turn the lights on, and I don’t know whether to laugh at how ridiculous everything is or run back into my room and never come out.
“Don’t worry about those assholes. We’ll take care of them if they don’t listen to him.” Anthony claps me on the shoulder in a very “bro” way.
“We?”
He motions for me to follow him. “Me and the boys.”
I fall into step with him. “Why would they want to help me?”
It barely makes sense that Anthony would stand up for me like that. Why would Connor or Hazen or Rath give a shit if people are making bets about me?
