I had to clamp down on my tongue to keep from saying something snotty. I was not in a supportive mood.
I was trying, though. “Well, I mean, now you don’t have to hide anymore. Right?”
“Yeah.” He looked up, and his face relaxed into a grin. “You’re right. That is one good thing. And after tonight, I won’t have to live with these dickwads anymore.”
I eyed the box. “Where are you going to live?”
“Maggie’s parents. She said I could move in there. She’s been alternating between the house and her dorm room, but since I’ll be there, she’ll move back full time.” He perked up. “It’s a pretty big place, too. I’ve been there a few times. It’ll be nice, you know? A break from school political bullshit.”
“Yeah.” I had no other words. I couldn’t wrap my head around what was going on.
He had been sleeping with someone else’s girlfriend. Her boyfriend was the real brother to one of his fraternity brothers, and Kevin was acting like the victim. My bullshit meter was off the charts, probably along with my blood pressure.
So all I said was, “Yeah.”
He frowned, a line forming in the middle of his forehead. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
He motioned around his room. “For coming here. For checking on me.” His eyes softened, matching his smile and tone. “For caring.”
My heart flip-flopped. There he was. There was the Kevin I’d crushed on for years and fallen in love with, the one I’d slept with three and a half months ago. I instantly scowled. Brother. He was my stepbrother. Enough with the annoying feelings, and whatever was underneath them.
“Oh, no problem.” My voice was raspy. I could feel the big black hole my feelings for him were covering up. Why was I so scared to feel whatever that was? “I wanted to be sure you were okay after I heard about the fight.”
“That was bullshit too. Marcus caught us yesterday, and there was a whole huge scene, but no fighting. Maggie went home with him. I didn’t hear anything about it again until late last night. I was in my room, minding my own business, when Marcus burst into the house. Maggie dumped him, and he couldn’t take it that I got his girl out from underneath him.”
“Did he hit you?”
“No. He just shoved me into the wall and was yelling. That was it. Everything was fine and calming down when Caden showed up. As soon as he stepped inside, I don’t know what happened, but Marcus went crazy. He was yelling things about a horse or something, and those two looked ready to battle it out. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Those two were duking it out—”
“Hitting each other?”
“—yelling, and then suddenly Caden turned and popped me in the mouth. I didn’t do anything. I was just standing here, watching. That was it.”
Kevin began talking faster, louder. “I fought back. I got him right in the face. I’m sure that dick had to go to the hospital. I mean, I would’ve, if I’d been hit as hard as I got him.”
I was pretty sure his bruises turned another shade while he was talking.
“And these bastards, guys who are supposed to be my brothers, took his side.” He shoved the chair back, surging to his feet and pointing to his chest. “They told me to get out of the room. Me. Me! He coldcocked me, and I was supposed to leave the room.”
Feeling some unease, I shifted on the bed, sliding my hands out from under my legs. I rested them next to me, pressing them into the cover.
“What happened after that?” My mouth was dry.
He flung a hand up, his middle finger extended, to point at the door. “I came in here and called Maggie. She picked me up, and I stayed with her last night. This is the first time I’ve been back. I don’t even know if the guys know I’m down here.” He looked me up and down. “Did they tell you I was down here?”
“The guy I asked didn’t know.”
He rolled his eyes, cursing under his breath. “Figures. They’re always going to take Caden’s side. It’s like he walks on water around these parts. I’m sick of it. Hey!” An idea came to him. His eyes suddenly focused right on me. “Are you busy this weekend?”
I glanced away before answering. “Why?”
“The guys are going to the football game. I’m going to grab the rest of my stuff when they’re gone. I could use all the help I can get.”
I was at a loss for words.
“Really?” That was it. That was all I could manage.
No. Wait. I added, “Huh.”
“Maggie said she’d ask some of her friends, and I’ll call our parents. I’m sure your dad would come up and help.” He inspected the box and then opened his second closet door. More boxes were stacked in there. “I don’t have that much. Desk, bed, and dresser all stay here.” He kicked at one of the boxes. “I’ll need more of these. Maybe I won’t need your dad after all, but then again, you’re all girls. You won’t be able to lift these. You think you could call your dad for me?”
My eyebrows arched, and I had to swallow a ball of disbelief. “You want me to call and have him come four hours to carry some boxes?”
“It’d give you two time to bond. I’m sure he’d want to take you out to dinner.”
My mouth fell open. I couldn’t even.
“He could stay over,” Kevin continued. “He’d have to get a hotel room. I wouldn’t feel comfortable asking Maggie if he could stay at her parents’ house. That wouldn’t be right.”