Lies On The Lips

Chapter Twelve

Copeland

I’m just toweling my hair dry when my dad walks into my room like he owns the damn place. His face reddens and his eyes protrude when he rakes his stare up my bare, tattooed chest. I snag up a pair of jeans from the floor and pull them up over my boxers. "What?"

"Seeing someone?" I’m frozen for a moment, unsure what to say. Dad, like always, takes advantage. "I know your secret, son."

Heat burns up my throat and scorches my face. "W....What?" He smirks. "Leah."

"Oh," I mutter. "Yeah. I forgot Brett told you I was seeing her." Lies. Lies my father eats up greedily.

"I learned something pretty interesting today," he goads, crossing his arms over his chest. "About Brett and Leah."

I walk over to my dresser and yank out a shirt. "What’s that?"

"Jason told me Brett’s going to ask her to marry him." He lets out a derisive snort. "Does Jason Cooper know my son is fucking his future daughter-in-law?"

'What Jason doesn’t know won’t hurt him."

"Brett’s too young," Dad says, his tone serious. "I don’t know what Jason is thinking. Pushing Brett and Leah into marriage is only going to benefit one person and that’s Jason."

"And you care, why?"

"Because," he jabs. "Unlike my son, Jason’s son has a bright future ahead of him. Getting married to that Collins girl and most undoubtedly soon knocking her up, he’ll be stuck. Whatever Jason’s trying to do will backfire. You know who will suffer? Brett. If you care one iota about your best friend, you’ll talk some sense into him."

"So you approve of me fucking Leah to make a mockery of Jason and to free Brett from a loveless marriage?" I grab some socks and yank them on before pinning him with a disgusted stare.

He nods, his calculating blue eyes sizing me up. "Your mother nearly sucked the life out of me and left me with you. I can’t sit by and watch the same happen to that boy next door."

"And me?"

"What about you?"

"You have all these plans for Brett," I sneer. "But what about your own flesh and blood?"

"I have no plans for you, son. I never did. You’re too much like your mother. I’m surprised you haven’t bolted and gotten the hell away from me by now. That’s because you’ve got just enough of me in you to like this luxurious fucking life I have given you."

What an asshole. I fist my hands and glower at him. "Anything else? I’m late for an engagement dinner I’m supposed to wreak havoc on for my dear daddy."

He smirks. "I was going to tell you to have fun and be safe. But let’s face it, Cope, if you got the rich little Collins girl pregnant, that’d be the most successful move you’ve ever made." Fuck, I hate him.

Lies On The Lips

When I arrive next door, everyone is already there. I slip in unnoticed. I see both sets of parents chatting away happily with drinks in their hands. Backing out I head towards the game room where clacking of pool balls can be heard, yet in this room Leah and Brett didn't look happy.

Leah, poor girl was all dolled up to look slutty in a classy way. She's wearing a pink dress that's low cut and short, but no doubt expensive. I've known Leah my entire life and she would never wear something like this of her own accord. The heels make her taller, but she's still a shrimp compared to the brooding beast of a man beside her. He clutches the pool stick and glares at the pool table as if it wronged him.

"Hey kids, who's dog died?" I ask as I saunter in. Both of them go from scowling to grinning. It feels kind of nice to have that kind of power over people. I quickly squash away that thought because it's today's way of thinking.

"Leah sucks at pool." Brett says without missing a beat.

"And you suck at pretending," she huffs. "We'll never make this work."

Lifting my eyebrows and leaning a hip against the pool table. "Why? What happened?"

Brett frowns again. "It was awkward as hell man."

"He practically turned green when I kissed him in front of them." Leah crosses her arms over her chest making her tits look bigger than usual and surprisingly it didn't affect me. "This is a waste of everyone's time."

Looking over my shoulder making sure no one can overhear me. "We can do without the diva meltdown Leah, it won't work if you get your frilly panties in a twist."

She curls her lip up in disgust. "Gross."

"Your soon to be fiance likes dicks." Specifically mine, but she doesn't need to know that. "So cut him some slack." Bretts stare is scorching me, I don't dare look at him.

Then he laughs. "Where are all adults, so what in the hell are we doing?"

I grab Leah's hand and pull her to me for a hug. "We're all playing games. Better than them to get what we want." Brett stares at me for longer than he should, his eyes full of hope. Leah fleets between us both, but neither of us dare look away. His lying eyes tell me he hopes it's pretend. All but whatever chaos has been happening between him and me.

That, he hopes is real.

I don't even know what to hope for anymore. With Brett, we have a connection. And now that it’s been plugged back in after having been disconnected for two years, it buzzes to life. I have an innate need to look after him. His happiness has always been something I loved seeing. When we were kids, I loved to hear him laugh and to see him smile. The only way I was able to cope without him the last two years was because I turned myself off from everyone.

Well….anyway, Brett's dad hates me being here, in support of his son, but watching them together is comical. Brett scowls way too much to be in love. Leah rolls her eyes so much I'm afraid they'd fall into her soup. Their parents are completely uncaring though, at the lack of connection between them. Gil and Jason are here for business and their children the transaction. Their wives are fucking ornaments.

And me?

I'm the threat.

Jason didn't push me away when I waltzed into the dining room with Brett and Leah. He probably hopes he can rub it into my dad's face that he's somehow smarter and more cunning. Like my dad would ever let Jason Cooper pull one over on him. Regardless, I think he allows me here to report back to my dad.

"Lets see the ring again." Leah's mother says. I roll my eyes.

Leah forces a smile on her face, holding out her dainty hand, before her mom can admire it. I stand and reach across the table and take Leah's hand. "Wow," I praise. "Nice gem," I look up at Leah and smile. "Prettiest one I've ever seen." Her cheeks blush red at my words. Brett shakes his head. And I can't help but look at Jason who had the look of death on his face.

Yeah, fucker, I'm going to steal your son's fiance. At least that's how I make it look, if only he knew I wanted to steal his son.

I freeze in my train of thought, no, no I don't want to steal Brett. I want him to be fucking happy.

Jesus.

I frown hard when I feel Brett's curious eyes on me. I wish I had the power to ignore him, but I can't. Our gazes meet, heat prickles up my spine.

Jumping back into a friendship with Brett was easy. The love I had for him was brotherly, but everything since has been something entirely different. Its new territory. I've somehow convinced myself I'm doing it all for him. When really I'm doing some of it for me.

How much is the question?

MaybeI should call Ashley and fuck out my frustrations. That would only complicate shit, though. Ashley, no matter how much of a bitch she is, she doesn't deserve to be used.

I sigh and scrub my palm down my face before excusing myself. The dining room is too hot. I can hear rain pattering against the window. If Brett and Leah didn't need me here for moral support I'd take a run through the cold rain.

Stalking through their home I find a powder room and push inside, Before I can close the door behind me someone else makes their way in too. The bathroom is too small for me and Brett. He stands close, locking it behind him.

"You okay," he asks, his voice a husky rumble.

Panic makes my chest ache, I move back and hit a cabinet. There's nowhere to go. Brett looks at me like I'm a wild animal caught in a trap. I'm reminded of how he pinned me against the wall at school.

Fuck.

He's fucking me up.

"G...get away," I snarled, my hands making fists.

His brown eyes soften. "What's going on?" I try to look away, because it's hard to be angry when he talks to me with such concern. He grips my jaw, holding me in place, his brown eye's drop to my lips, sending my heart bouncing about my chest.

"Brett, just stop, this has gone too far."

He winces at my words. "I'm not going to kiss you."

"Could have fooled me." I rasp out, hating how weak I sound. "You do realize how close you are?"

"I know," he whispers, bringing his lips to my ear. "I just need to know you're okay."

"I'm fine," I was a mess, a complete mess. "Please, don't kiss me."

"I said I wouldn't," his words are unwavering as he rests his forehead against mine. "I Promised I wouldn't." I believe his promise not to kiss me. But I can't trust him not to work his way in there. He already lives in my heart, and has for a long time. I'm already falling into him. I'm fucking terrified of where he might take me next.

"I...I have to go." I croak out, pushing against his solid chest.

He allows me to push him away, his eyes sharp with worry. "Where not done," he said.

No, Brett, we'll never be done.

It's too late for that

This mess is too big to clear up.