Chapter 009

KATY’S POV I knock on Braydon’s door, expecting his usual lazy grin to greet me. Instead, the door swings open to reveal my brother, Justin. For a second, I just blink at him, thrown off, but he doesn’t look surprised to see me. In fact, the look he gives me makes it very clear that he’s been waiting for me. My stomach dips. Great. Of course, this would happen today. The universe is definitely against me for some reason. “Get in here,” he says, his tone leaving no room for argument. I hesitate, shifting on my feet. Part of me wants to spin around and pretend I knocked on the wrong door. But Justin doesn’t bluff. When he’s in big-brother mode, he’s scary. So I do as I’m told and step inside. The living room smells faintly of pizza and body spray, a mix that screams college guys live here. A couple of textbooks are scattered across the coffee table, though I’d bet good money nobody’s actually read them. Justin sits back on the couch like a judge ready to pass sentence, then motions for me to stand in front of him. I roll my eyes, but obey because it’s not like I don’t know the drill. He’s always been overprotective, painfully so. It took Bryan three weeks, three weeks of convincing, before Justin finally let him take me out. And he monitored all our dates till we became official. Why older brothers are built like this, I’ll never know. “Dude!” Justin suddenly calls out, loud enough to make me flinch. “Get out here!” Right on cue, Braydon walks out of his room shirtless, his hair a complete mess like he just rolled out of bed. Seriously, does this guy even own a shirt? He drops onto the couch beside Justin, who shoots him a look before turning all of his attention back to me. Perfect. So why am I the only one standing here like I’m on trial? “I wanted you to get here before I ask my questions because I’d like to hear both sides.” Justin says, like he’s officiating a trial. “I could’ve texted you, but this is better, so I can beat the s**t out of Braydon if it’s true.” He stares between us. “What the f**k is going on between you two?” My fingers squeeze the strap of my purse until the leather creaks. Braydon meets my gaze and gives me a look that says he’s about to spill everything, and my throat goes dry. For some reason, I’m not ready for him to. I know what you’re thinking: this is simple. I should tell Justin the truth and get it over with because it’s the smart move. But the truth carries weight: it means admitting Bryan cheated on me, that he mocked me, and these are things my brother won’t let slide. And Justin does one thing exceptionally well when he’s mad: he beats people up. If he lays hands on Bryan, it won’t just be a fistfight. It will be a disaster. And he’s on the hockey team which is his scholarship, his way through college, and his ticket to something bigger after graduation. One fight on record could cost him everything, including his spot on the team, his funding, and maybe even his shot at going pro. I'm his sister and will definitely not be the reason he loses his chance at hockey. “Is anyone going to say something?” Justin snaps, dragging me out of my spiral. His leg bounces against the coffee table, rattling an empty soda can. “This silence is already pissing me off.” Beside him, Braydon shifts in his seat. He doesn’t look like himself right now without his cocky grin and confidence. Instead, he looks uneasy, like he knows exactly how thin the ice under his feet is. “It’s not what you think,” he says carefully, glancing between us. “We had an arrangement, buddy.” “Don’t buddy me,” Justin cuts in. “The arrangement I remember you having with my sister was tutoring. So why the f**k is everyone suddenly whispering about a relationship?” Braydon looks at me, waiting for me to bail him out. My stomach knots, and I force myself to swallow, then exhale. “It’s fake,” I blurt out, and Braydon lets out a sigh like I just saved him from drowning. Justin’s head snaps toward me, confusion written all over his face. “What’s fake? The news?” And just like that, I wish the floor would open and swallow me whole. I always thought the most humiliating moment of my life was when I s**t my pants in fourth grade during a math quiz. Turns out, no. This, standing here in front of my brother, confessing to this is worse. “I asked Braydon to pretend to be my boyfriend,” I say quickly, my words tumbling out in a rush. Justin stares at me like I’ve completely lost my mind. His eyebrows are halfway to his hairline, his mouth opening and closing like he’s not sure which question to ask first. Panic kicks in, and I scramble to keep talking before he can explode. “Nothing’s going on between us. It’s staged. That’s all. That’s the truth.” For a long beat, the only sound in the room is the low hum of music coming from the apartment next door and the faint ticking of Justin’s jaw as he grinds his teeth. Then, slowly, he turns to Braydon. “What?” “I think she forgot to mention her ex-boyfriend cheated on her and claimed she wouldn’t find someone better,” Braydon says smoothly and humiliation burns up my neck and settles hot on my cheeks. He doesn’t even stop there. “So we made a deal: fake boyfriend for tutor. You wouldn’t really think I’d mess with your sister, did you?”