Beautiful Brute: A Stepbrother College Romance (Court University Book 3)

by Eden O'Neill

  Then there’d been the girls.

  He moved his way through them, our dorm basically a revolving door. And Jax didn’t discriminate. Women from all walks of life waltzed through our dormitory, then right into his bedroom. They never stayed, though. He always walked them out before it got too late.

  A perfect gentlemen.

  It was during one of these nightly exits he happened to come across Kit and myself. We’d been sitting on the floor, studying. We hadn’t made it completely known we weren’t at odds anymore, but we hadn’t tried to hide it either. We were just both extremely busy with the last year of our college education, and I assumed Jax was too. We actually didn’t see or hear him a lot.

  Not that we wanted to.

  The moans could be heard clear into our rooms, at least mine, and seeing Kit and me together that night, he smirked. He sauntered into the room in his normal fair, shirtless from his previous tryst. His ripped pecs and massive biceps were especially golden these days since he was out in the sun like the locals now that he was living here. It gave him a glow and streaked his chestnut-colored locks in a way that annoyed me that I actually noticed.

  His board shorts hanging low, he worked a shirt over his tight abs, his eyes dancing on Kit and me. “So you two kiss and makeup then?”

  We ignored him conjointly, and lifting his eyes, Jax decided to take it amongst himself to reach for the bag of popcorn between us. I might have let him, choosing to ignore his entire existence when I could, but Kit sure didn’t. Before he could reach, she picked up the bag.

  Then threw it swiftly across the room.

  She’d made sure to roll up the front first so it didn’t spill, but she did. The bag cut clear across Jaxen’s gorgeous face, nearly hitting him had he not dodged, and shocked, my lips parted.

  Jaxen’s eyes blazed. Like literally transformed into green fire. “The fuck?”

  “Go fetch,” Kit said, not even bothering to look up at him. He basically loomed over her, a simmering force, but not only had she pretended not to notice, she turned the page in her textbook. “That’s what dogs do, don’t they?”

  I actually had to physically contain my laughter, my teeth biting down on my lip. If Jax’s gaze was heated before, a volcanic eruption encircled his irises now. I braced myself for retaliation, and he didn’t disappoint when he swiped Kit’s textbook from underneath her.

  “Hey—”

  He ripped it in half without another thought, like legit tore it in half like some kind of strong man. After, he tossed it with the popcorn. It hit the wall, landing on top of the popcorn bag.

  He smirked. “You first,” he said, then winked at me. “But I’ll take you second, stepsis.”

  Absolute chills as he crossed over me, tugging my hair before leaving the room. He left the dorm with a click of the door, and groaning, Kit tossed her head back.

  “He’s literally the worst,” she said, shaking her head, but I admired her so much. She’d been able to stand up to him. I wanted to as well, but he honestly wasn’t worth it. That and I was reminded of the fact that he continued to have me blocked in a corner when it came to our parents. It seemed every call I got from either of them surrounded him. They wanted to know how he was doing, if he was good and we were getting along okay together.

  “…if you know what’s good for you, you won’t make me wait long.”

  Another reason I wasn’t trying to test my stepbrother. He really hadn’t been messing with me. I think because he was waiting.

  Instead, I just endured, and this was made a lot easier by Kit. It was so nice to have her back, and I’d missed her like freaking crazy.

  At first, of course, she’d pestered me about talking to my parents about Jax. More than once, especially since now he was driving her crazy with his lack of housekeeping and harem of women who came calling for him. Eventually, though, she accepted where I stood.

  I didn’t want to create chaos in my life, for my family, and wouldn’t do anything I didn’t need to do. Anyway, Jax, at least to me, was basically furniture at this point. Besides that night in the shower, he hadn’t hassled me. He’d made good on his promise. He was waiting.

  He’d be waiting well into his grave.

  Anyway, things weren’t completely tense in my life. For starters, I’d heard from Lawson, and Kit could kick me for being in my feelings as long as I was about my stepbrother and not telling her more about my childhood crush. He hadn’t officially asked me out yet for coffee, but we had been texting back and forth. He was really busy with his pharmacy school program, and since I was focused on my last year too, I wasn’t trying to bug him too much for a date. We’d talked mostly about school, classes and how the term was going. Of course, Kit constantly saw me over my phone and nudged me more than once to make a move.

  “You can call him, you know,” she’d said one night. “Ask him out?”

  And then, no joke my phone buzzed.

  We’d both screeched seeing Lawson’s name, and after a few texts back and forth came the question.

  Lawson: How about that coffee Saturday night? Or dinner?

  The fact I’d gotten a dinner request more than meant something, but my stomach dropped at the fact I actually had plans.

  Me: I’m actually going out of town with my mom. A last-minute thing. Rain check?

  Mom had called earlier in the week to let me know she wanted to do a girls trip since I had a three-day weekend from school. There was a national holiday on Monday so she surprised me with an impromptu invite for a spa weekend. She’d invited Kit too, and since we’d both wanted out of this dorm and away from the stepbrother bastard, we’d jumped on it. I’d asked if Dad would be around, but she said he was busy with his own plans for the weekend.

  Lawson: This wouldn’t be you teaching me a lesson, would it? Since it took me so long to ask? *wink emoji*

  I laughed as my phone buzzed again.

  Lawson: Grad school has been hell, but I’m really regretting my prioritizing now if you say no. Really want to go out with you. *smile emoji*

  So, um, yeah totally the most perfect thing he could have said.

  Me: Oh, it’s so not a brush off. I really do have plans, but let’s do the weekend after. I’d get out of this, but my mom wants to do a girls weekend and I like never see her.

  Lawson: Totally get it, but couldn’t help giving you a hard time. Haha. You have fun. I’ll get at you when you get back.

  I told Kit about the response, and we both squealed. We came from the same town and though we’d gone to rival schools, even she’d heard of the golden boy who was captain of like all the sports back then.

  “Such a hot piece of ass,” she’d said, which was totally a Kit answer.

  The week breezed by pretty fast after that, and even being around Jax hadn’t bothered me knowing I’d see my mom soon. I missed her, and any chance I got to take my mind off this whole thing with the step sibling from hell was one I’d jump on.

  Mom sent a car for both Kit and me on Saturday morning, real early so we could make the most of our day at the spa.

  I’d locked up our dorm, and besides a few glares and some eye rolls a couple days before, I had managed not to see Jaxen. He’d been out most of the week, doing God only knew what he did. Probably getting laid or making someone else’s life hell.

  Since he wasn’t ruining mine at the present, I went on my merry little way, Kit clearly pumped by this whole extended weekend.

  She’d packed like four bags and wore nothing but a bikini top and shorts for the day. She had a really cute body and flaunted it whenever she could. I stayed more modest in my off-the-shoulder peasant top and high-waisted shorts. I paired it with a set of lace-up sandals, and where I was more vintage chic, my best friend was spring break at the Hamptons. She was yin to my yang, and I loved her for it.

  We’d fallen a sleep on each other in the black town car. It’d come really early so we got caught up on our Zs then. About an hour or two later, we woke up to find we’d arrived to
a fancy resort off the Florida coast. My parents and I had vacationed to this one before with its beautiful views of the beach and its seaside cabanas. I was well aware the place wasn’t cheap, but Mom spared no expense when she was in her treating mood. She’d even sprinkled a little more of her fairy dust when the door was opened and champagne flutes with raspberries were passed Kit’s and my way.

  Kit chugged hers, hugging me over to her. “Have I mentioned how much I adore your mom?”

  I merely laughed at her since she always brought stuff like that up, how my parents were quote unquote “loaded” and I should take advantage of it more. Again, that was their money, and when I made my own, I intended to treat myself. I was well aware that school teachers didn’t make much, but my parents also taught me about investments and I had several mutual funds that had been growing for years now from my own savings. My adoptive father had also put a trust in my name, but like the mutual funds, I’d been growing it since I’d gained access at eighteen. I wouldn’t squander the gifts life had given me and hadn’t been born with money. Before Rick Fairchild had come into our lives, Mom and I had been a middle income household. I was well aware what was given could be taken away, so no, I didn’t throw around money.

  I let Kit be her Kit self, though, sipping my champagne while we were led into the ritzy resort. This place was like Disney World for adults, and I looked forward to pedicures and hot stone massages. They even had yoga classes in the morning, so I could imagine the three of us would be doing that too. Mom and I always took advantage of that option when we stayed here.

  “Oh, darling. Woohoo!”

  And speak of the devil, in came my mother, already ready and raring to go the moment Kit and I crossed the threshold of the resort. She had her terry cloth robe on, basically dancing her way over to us in her flip-flops.

  “Hey, Mom,” I said, hugging her so tight. She smelled warm, like home. Her dark hair up, she had a relaxed flush to her cheeks, and I wondered if she’d already had a rubdown before we arrived.

  She smacked a kiss on my cheek. “Oh, honey. I’m so happy you’re here. Good trip? Not too bumpy on the road?”

  “Just fine.”

  “Mmm. Fabulous. And Kit!” She grabbed her, making my best friend giggle. “So happy you could come.”

  “Me too, Ms. Fairchild. Me too.” Kit pulled back. “And thank you so much for inviting me.”

  “Of course. It’s going to be fabulous, and you both look outstanding! School going well?”

  We gave her a little mini update as she looped arms between ours, but I made sure to leave out anything having to do with my stepbrother. Kit did too as she’d been warned. This weekend wasn’t the time or place, and what did my grumpy ole stepbrother have to do with anything anyway now that we were here? This place was simply paradise, and I was ready for a good time.

  “So I’m thinking mani and pedicures first,” Mom immediately came in with after our updates. “Then lunch on the beach? That sound good?”

  Kit shared a glance with me like she thought my mom was joking, and laughing, I let Mom know that was fine. All that sounded simply like heaven.

  And a whole weekend away from Jax?

  Even better.

  He couldn’t affect me here, not with the sun, the beach, my mom, and my bestie. No, here was safe, easy.

  Mom secured a room for Kit and me connected to hers, a massive suite with an actual living room and kitchen area. There, Kit and I quickly got changed, then we were off for the first leg of our relaxing weekend. Mom met us down at the nail salon, and we ate hors d’oeuves and sipped more champagne. We got the all-star treatment the whole time, and by the end, I literally hadn’t thought about anything stressful, hard to any other way. This place was literally paradise, and the nail salon actually opened out to the beach with extraordinary views. I got a hot stone massage while they did my pedicure so I was completely limber by the time our nail appointment finished. Mom mentioned a beachside restaurant for lunch, and we were just heading there when Mom suddenly let go of me, waving her hand.

  “Oh, you’re here!” she said, flailing her arms. She sprinted across the resort lobby in her sundress. We’d all gotten dressed before lunch.

  It took me a second to realize exactly where she was going and to whom she was going to. But when I saw my adoptive father, Rick, in a powder blue golf polo and trousers the smile immediately overtook my face. Mom mentioned he’d been busy, so I obviously hadn’t expected him.

  Kit hooked my arm. “Your dad? I thought he was busy.”

  I did too and started to go toward them.

  Until I saw him.

  My stepbrother followed up from behind my adoptive father, and he was flanked by like three, to put it bluntly, ridiculously hot dudes.

  Coming up on Jaxen’s sides appeared to be cover models who muscled their way off GQ’s latest issue, all of them wearing golf polos and pressed pants that hemmed perfectly above their golf shoes. The one with the dark hair had thighs that looked like as big as my waist while the blonds stalked massive in height. Especially the one with the man bun. He towered above the rest like a building. Meanwhile, in the center, my stepbrother Jaxen sauntered like a point to their hot guy flying V. He too had a golf polo on that flashed his golden chest and hugged smoothly over every hard curve he had. A golf club in his hands, he had his hair swept back today too. Like he tried to look good.

  I hated that he didn’t have to.

  I hated that my breath actually stalled for reasons only partially of fear. Meanwhile, on my side, was Kit who’d said nothing but “Damn” in my ear at the sight of the lot, but when I jerked her arm in the direction of my stepbrother, she froze too.

  “Shit. What’s he doing here?” she edged out, but maintained her smile when my parents brought the group over. It appeared Dad had found my mother because currently, he had his arm wrapped around her while she hugged his waist. Dad grinned. “Told you she’d be surprised, honey.”

  Oh God. More surprises.

  My smile no doubt looked fake as hell as my dad left my mother to hug me, but not because I didn’t want to see him. I was too busy trying to mask the complete and utter dread at seeing Jaxen, my tormentor and relentless nightmare, during the very weekend that was supposed to be free of him.

  He studied me from behind my dad’s shoulder, but normally, where he’d appear smug at getting one over me, the look was replaced with something far darker.

  Nothing but anger blazed from behind my dad, tried and true. In fact, it was so harsh I think even whoever he was with had noticed.

  The blond with the short hair placed a hand on his shoulder, but Jaxen didn’t twitch or even flinch.

  It was like he hadn’t noticed the touch at all.

  Jax just stared at me, me with my adoptive father and the expression only loosened a little when my mom came over to greet him. He put on a little smile for her as he took her hand, but nothing could remove the red that crept up from his golf shirt. The entire side of his neck raised in color, his temple pulsing and stiff despite his smile. Mom opened her hands up to the guys beside him, and Jaxen backed up.

  “My friends,” he said, “LJ, Knight.” He pointed to the guy with the man bun, then the guy with the massive legs. Like legit, that last guy looked like he lifted semis for a living. Jaxen worked his chin to the last guy. “And my buddy Royal.”

  The one who’d touched him, his smile wide, legitimately, when he lifted a hand to my mom.

  “This is my stepmother Maggie,” Jaxen said to his friends, a slight flare of his nostrils. He pointed the golf club he had at me. “And my stepsister Cleo and her friend Kit.”

  I and my lot got the golf club in our direction and barely even a smile. It was like he didn’t even want to try.

  Like he was over the whole thing.

  The madness inside clearly teetered a line, and he looked away as each one of his friends waved a hand at me. I was only able to ignore that, what happened when Dad dropped an arm over my shoulder.r />
  “My girl,” he said, then looped another around mom’s waist. “Both of them.”

  “Nice to meet you all,” Royal said, his attention shifted between us and his friend, who currently looked like he wanted to punch a hole in something. Jaxen had his fist clenched despite his smile, white knuckled on his golf club and I wasn’t the only one to notice.

  The big, tall guy, LJ, leaned over, whispering something to him. Whatever it was made Jax loosen up, but obviously something was going on here. Oblivious to it all, though, my dad merely grinned, so proud of his girls. Only after he noticed Kit too did he let go of us.

  “Mr. Fairchild, good to see you,” Kit said, shaking his hand when he gave it and backing me up, my friend returned to my side. She looped my arm. “Didn’t know you’d be here this weekend.”

  “Oh, I’m not. Not officially.” He air quoted, his smile nothing but wide. He really didn’t notice this, Jaxen between his friends, simmering, while his buddies radiated smiles in our direction. It was like his friends were trying to compensate for Jax’s lack thereof.

  I mean, the expression barely touched his eyes.

  My stepbrother’s charisma was truly faltering here, and honestly, it pissed me off that he was still doing this with his show. He clearly was upset that I was here, clearly hated me, but he continued with the bullshit.

  “Just wanted to see my girls before us guys started our weekend,” Dad said, then nudged me. “And don’t be mad at your mother. I told her not to tell you we’d be here. Even Jaxen didn’t know. He just found out like an hour ago.”

  I saw that now, hence his reaction. He really didn’t know I’d be here.

  Well, I guessed it all made sense now.