Bully Me This (Bully Me #1): A Best Friend's Brother Bully Romance

by Lacey Heart

  “Taki’s.” I say on a pleading pout, hoping she’ll agree with me.

  “Jeez, Will. Don’t you ever feel like trying something different? You know just for a change? Mix it up a bit?” Hadley shakes her head, her big blonde curls bouncing around her petite face.

  “Why would I go and set myself up for disappointment? Taki’s is the best takeout this side of the coast and you know it.”

  “Babe, Taki’s will always be the best to you because you’re too chickenshit to try anything else.” She quips, but there’s still a sparkle in her eye and a faint smile on her lips so I know she’s not too pissed at me. Plus, she’s the one who asked me what I wanted when she already knew what the answer would be.

  Hadley sighs dramatically before turning around and retreating back down the hall, shaking her head as she goes.

  Now that she’s out of view, I’m quick to step out of the room that I’m now calling home and slam the door on my past—even if it’s only for a couple of hours.

  “That’s settled then?” I shout after my best friend while trying my damned hardest to keep my voice light and steady, when in reality I feel anything but.

  “Taki’s for the win.” She calls back and I can feel every ounce of sarcasm in Hadley’s voice bouncing from the walls, and I can’t help but smile as a strong wave of sweet victory swims through my veins.

  “I hope you don’t mind staying in Colby’s room?”

  My body stiffens at the sound of his name but I’m quick to pull myself together before Hadley notices something is off. Fortunately, when my eyes fall on her I can see she’s far too occupied with her phone to bother paying any attention to me and my internal struggle.

  I sure hope she’s checking the menu for Taki’s and not sexting her latest squeeze. That’s the only problem with Hadley, you can never be one-hundred percent certain of what she’s up to. I guess that’s one similarity she shares with her brother.

  “Everything was kind of rushed and his room was ready to go. It was the quickest option and it’s not like he’ll be needing it back anytime soon.”

  I know she’s right but that doesn’t make me feel any easier about this messed-up situation, and it’s not like I can just open up and discuss my issues with her either.

  That’s the hardest part. Holding something back from her—something I’ve never done before, but this time I wasn’t left with any other choice.

  Everything was totally out of my control and even though it hurts, tears me up on the inside, it also makes me realize how much of a bitch I really am. I just need to keep reminding myself that this is for the best—it has to be this way.

  When I realize she isn’t in any hurry to look up from her phone, I finally build up enough courage to put one foot in front of the other and throw myself down onto the sofa.

  “You won’t find any issues here.” I bite back on the lie and I can taste the poison on my tongue, and I know one of these days it will be the death of me. “I’m grateful you let me stay.” My breathing is labored and I’m so relieved she isn’t looking at me because she’d know something wasn’t right in a heartbeat.

  Colby Carter isn’t someone I like to think about, let alone talk about, but he’s my best friends brother and no matter how uneasy I feel about it—about him—he comes up in conversation from time to time and I’m left with no choice other to grin and bear it.

  “This feels good, right? Being back together again.”

  “Uh-huh. It’ll be just like old times.” I admit while pulling at the hem of my sleeves—a nervous trait I acquired when I was younger—something else Colby is accountable for. “It kind of feels like I’m back home, you know?”

  With one exception—the welcome absence of my tormentor.

  Yes, I’m anxious as hell about moving into Colby’s room, but Hadley and I have always been inseparable, so this makes sense—it feels right.

  We come as a package and everyone knows it too. We’ve always been together. We might have been blindsided by a few guys along the way, but now the dream team are back together, and nothing and no one will get in our way. I guess that’s one of the beautiful things about true friendship. Life happens and people grow and change all the time, but with besties no one and no amount of time can ever come between the bond you share. That’s how it’s always been for the two if us. We cheer each other on and pick each other back up when we fall.

  No sooner had I called Hadley in the early hours of this morning and asked for her help, she was there in a heartbeat ready and waiting to welcome me back home with open arms.

  No hesitation or questions asked.

  When she finally looks up from her phone, she tosses it to the side and shouts, “that’s because this is your home, baby. Always has been and always will be, so don’t you go forgetting it.”

  It doesn’t take long for our food to arrive and each mouth-watering piece tastes just as good as I remember. Taki’s is without a doubt one thing I will never tire of. Even if I had to eat it all day, every day. This is comfort food at it’s best and I don’t give a damn what Hadley has to say about it.

  “This is really good.” I mouth around a forkful of satay chicken and it sets my taste buds alight. “It’s just what I needed too. Food for the soul.”

  “It’s good,” Hadley confesses, “but you really need to start broadening your horizons, Will.”

  “Oh, shush. Don’t you dare start with that bullshit again.” I warn her playfully, but she’s quick to cut me off with a wave of her chopstick.

  “Speaking of broadening your horizons, I meant to ask earlier. What’s happening with Seb?”

  I almost choke on my noodles and my raging appetite almost vanishes at the sound of his name. “Seb?” I question, trying my best to play dumb, pretending I don’t have a clue where this conversation is headed, but we both know that’s a lie.

  “Uh-huh… Seb… the guy you’ve been dating for the past three years.” She says, emphasizing on his name. “How’s he holding up?” Hadley waggles her eyebrows at me while she waits for me to enlighten her and divulge all the details. Looks like she’ll be waiting for a hell of a long time because I am so not ready to go there. It’s all still too raw and I haven’t even managed to get my own head around the mess.

  I decide to stay quiet and I push my food around my plate as I avoid meeting her heated glare. But when it burns hotter and hotter, I’m forced to look up and answer her.

  “Honestly, Hads, I don’t know.” I tell her truthfully and my body’s coiled tighter than a rusty spring. I wish she’d let this drop, but this is Hadley we’re talking about and now that she’s brought him up that isn’t going to happen. She’ll keep pressing and pressing until it gets too much and I’m forced to tell her everything.

  I know I need to talk to her; to let her in. A problem shared is a problem halved and all that, but I’m just not ready. When I confess all, I know I’ll need to tell her the whole truth and nothing but the truth because if I don’t it will only come back around to bite me in the ass when she figures out what happened. “I don’t really care how he’s holding up either.” My voice is flat and totally void of any emotion, but it’s nothing but the truth. I couldn’t give a damn how he is. Now, or ever, and I have zero intentions of going out of my way to find out. Seb made his bed and now it’s time he learned to lay in it—without me.

  “You know what the first rule of friend code is, right?” Hadley enquires as she leans in closer to me. I knew she wouldn’t let this drop. She’s fucking relentless.

  “How about you go ahead and enlighten me.” I decide it’s best to play along because that’s the only thing I can do right now. Hadley’s in my face and she’s going to tell me anyway, whether I want to hear it or not. I discard my food, sigh heavily and lean back into the sofa while preparing my poor ears for a bashing.

  Hadley smiles and points a manicured finger in my face and squeaks, “the first rule is you’re supposed to tell me everything as soon as the shit hits the fan.”
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  Damn. Well I hate to disappoint, but it looks like I majorly failed the friend code 101 many years ago. In fact, I failed it so epically that I’m making sure I never go back there again.

  I’ve survived this long without Hadley ever finding out what lies hidden deep in the depths of my dark and tarnished soul, and I’m more than happy for it to stay that way too.

  Why drag up the past when it’s all done and buried? Nothing good will ever come from it.

  Actually, even though I’ll never bring myself to admit it out loud to my best friend, nothing good can, or ever will come from her darling brother Colby Carter—period.

  CHAPTER THREE

  WILLOW

  I think I slept for a grand total of forty minutes last night.

  I spent most of it tossing and turning, desperately trying to shut down all aspects of my past, only to fail on an epic scale.

  It didn’t matter if I opened or closed my eyes, Colby’s cold gray ones were staring back at me, haunting my every move, like he’s done many times before. Only this time it felt more real—vivid as fuck.

  I could smell him…

  I could taste him as the air from his room filled my lungs.

  I could feel him—his sheets sliding over my bare flesh as though it was his hands caressing me.

  It all got a little too much and I couldn’t stay in his room for a second longer.

  I needed space, and lots of it.

  I needed air to stop his presence from suffocating me, and most important of all, I needed him out of my head. Colby’s taken up way too much space already. He’s not welcome anymore and it’s high time he disappeared once and for all.

  “Whoa… what the hell happened to you?”

  I lift my tired eyes from my coffee as Hadley stalks into the kitchen looking nothing less than perfect in her small shorts and tee combo. Her hair hasn’t even been brushed yet it still flows elegantly around her face, and I know I must look the total opposite when she steps closer to me to take a better look.

  “There’s coffee in the pot.” Hopefully I can distract her with the promise of caffeine. “It should still be hot.” I try again but it does nothing to deter her, not even for a second. Suddenly she’s all up in my face and her eyes grow wide with worry.

  “Oh, my, god. Are you sick?” she squeals, her hand flies to her mouth to protect herself from anything contagious. “I sure hope that it isn’t contagious because, damn, you look a hot mess right now.”

  “Gee, thanks.” I shake my head while trying not to take offence to her words. She’s blunt and brutal. Hadley’s never been one to beat around the bush. She’s always felt the need to speak her mind whether people like it or not. I’ve always loved and admired that about her, just not so much when she’s directing it at me. “Sorry to break it to you, but I’m not sick.”

  “Are you sure?” Her wide-eyed stare tells me she doesn’t believe a word I’m saying.

  “I’m fine, I swear. See…” I grab her hand and place it on my forehead so she can feel my non-existent fever.

  “Hmm, maybe you’re about to come down with something?”

  “Seriously?” For fuck sake. She still doesn’t believe me at all.

  “I’m not buying it, Will. Something’s off and I don’t want to be laid up in bed with the lurgies. I’ve got a hot date coming up and I need to be on top form.”

  “Hads, honestly, I’m good. I just didn’t get much sleep last night, that’s all.” I tell her truthfully while nursing the remainder of my coffee, willing it to fuel my tired and weary soul.

  I didn’t get much sleep last night because thoughts of her wild and unruly brother were spinning frantically in my mind, getting stronger and stronger until I felt like my head was about to explode. Everything just got too much to handle so I decided to get out of bed and come to the kitchen for a little peace and quiet—peace and quiet which didn’t last as long as I’d hoped.

  “Is it Seb?” Hadley’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts and once again I’m forced to look at her. “You know you can talk to me about anything, right?”

  Fucking great. Here we go again.

  I really wish she’d just drop it. I didn’t want to discuss Seb last night and I sure as hell don’t want to discuss him right now. I know I can talk to Hadley, and that’s great and all but I just don’t want to. I don’t feel ready. It’s nothing personal. I just haven’t gotten my own head around this mess yet. I know I’ll have to discuss all things Seb eventually. Sooner than I’d like because I know Hadley, and I know how determined she is to get all the juicy details, but I don’t want that to happen—not at my expense. But she’ll keep chipping away at me until I crumble—laid bare and vulnerable as I reveal every embarrassing detail.

  “No.” I say a little more firmer than I intended and my voice is coiled so tight I feel like I could snap at any given second and I don’t want Hadley to feel the brunt of it.

  I’m forced to watch as Hadley raises her eyebrows at me, concern dancing in her big brown eyes and I know she doesn’t believe a word I’m saying, but it’s nothing but the truth. Seb is the last person I’d lose any sleep over. I’ve done way too much of that already over the past three years and I’m so over it. From the moment I moved into Hadley’s place, Seb and I are done.

  I watch as Hadley backtracks toward the counter and pulls a mug from the rack before turning back to me. “Look, Will. I know this can’t have been easy on either of you, but you need to open up and talk about it. Trust me, leaving it all inside and allowing it to fester will do nothing but drive you crazy.”

  She’s telling me.

  I could actually laugh right now. I know better than anyone how damaging thoughts and secrets can be, but she has this so, so wrong and I’m the one who’s being the crappy friend because I can’t even bring myself to tell her.

  What the hell does that say about me? Hadley’s my best friend—the family I chose—the family who chose me and I can’t even break down my barriers—to confide in the one person who I trust the most in the whole wide world.

  As much as I want to, no matter how desperate I am to finally get it off my chest, I can’t do it. The truth hurts and if I start to unravel and reveal my issues then everything she’ll learn will shatter her into a thousand pieces and I can’t do that to her. I love her far too much to lose her.

  “I know, Hads.” I remain as calm as possible even though it’s a struggle to keep my emotions bottled up. “but there isn’t really anything to say. I promise you though, I’m totally fine over this whole Seb situation. Actually, I’m better than fine.” I’m finally free. I smile and this time the worry in her eyes fades a little. I know she cares, and I also know I’m super lucky to have someone as loyal as Hadley in my life. I also know I don’t deserve her kindness or friendship.

  “Okay, well so long as you know I’m always here. Do you want some more coffee?”

  I shake my head, relief floods through me now she’s finally dropped Seb from the conversation, and I glance at the clock above the window. “Shit.” I scramble to my feet as the panic begins to set in. “Have you seen the time? I can’t believe I’m going to be late.”

  “Late for what?”

  “I’m down for a double shift.”

  I wasn’t originally down to work the day shift and I’d planned on staying on the sofa all day binging on boxsets, but then Miley the fucking liability decided now would be a great time to have a mental breakdown. Guess who was the soft ass who agreed to cover? That would be yours truly. I swear one of these fine days I might just grow some balls big enough to tell them all to do one.

  “Can’t you stay?”

  Guilt floods through me, but I’ll be sure to see her later and tell her all about my upcoming dramatic day, because there’s always something going down at Sinner’s. “I’m really sorry, Hads, but I need to shoot. I’ll catch you later?”

  Even though work is the last place I want to be right now, at least it will give me a few extra hours repriev
e from Hadley’s Seb fueled inquisition, and the relief burns through my tired and battered soul.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  WILLOW

  The sound of raised voices infiltrates my ears before I’ve even walked through the closed doors of Sinner’s—a bar by day and an exclusive strip joint by night.

  Something is always going off here, but this sounds a little bit more than your average bust up. Whatever it is, it sure doesn’t sound good and I need to shut it down before Bryson makes an appearance. Jeez, when I foolishly agreed to cover for Miley, I didn’t realize I’d be signing myself up for added bullshit too. If I did then the deal would have been a hard and fast no.

  I step inside, inspecting where the commotion is coming from and I shouldn’t be too surprised to find Ryder and Jett at loggerheads. I have no idea what they’re arguing about this time but it sure doesn’t look pretty from where I’m standing. I seriously don’t need this right now. I’ve got enough going on in my head to last me a lifetime. Either the two of them need to get a room and fuck their issues out of each other or stay the hell away from each other.

  “Hey, what’s going on with you two?” I shout out hoping to be heard over their raised voices, but it’s to no avail. They’re tearing chunks out of each other and the closer I get the more I see.

  Jett steps closer to Ryder—a panther ready to strike. Beautiful, full of grace and fierce as hell. Ryder isn’t holding back either. The vein in the side of his neck is pulsating and trust me, from experience I know that’s never a good sign.

  Ryder is like a bull on speed, and Jett must be feeling super brave to get all up in his face.

  “I’m warning you. Get the fuck out of my face.” He hisses but Jett, as stubborn as she is doesn’t back down. She doesn’t even flinch.