A few hours later, I touch down in New York and find my way to the apartment I’ve rented for the next few weeks as I wait for the semester to begin.
I spend my day unpacking and doing some groceries, terrified of turning on my phone and finding the countless messages from him, wondering where the hell I am, if I’m ok or if he had done something wrong.
By nightfall, I go around the apartment and shut off all the lights. I flick my phone on for a brief moment and do my best to ignore the messages that instantly fill my inbox.
First up, I send off a text to mom, letting her know I’m safe and ok before I open a new message to him. A million things go through my mind of what I should say, but nothing seems enough. I know he’ll never forgive me for leaving him like that, with no goodbye or a chance to fight, but had he known, he would have tried to stop me and I undoubtedly would have listened.
So I type the one thing that also says the million other things that I can’t.
Cassie – I’m sorry. Forgive me.
I hit send and immediately turn my phone off.
I lay down in my big empty bed, in this strange apartment, feeling incredibly alone. Big, fat tears start filling my eyes as my heart begins to ache, wishing those arms that have held me every night for the past few years were there once again.
What have I done?
Chapter 1
Cassie
I find a spot and park my yellow VW Beetle in the senior girl’s dormitory parking lot and let out a shaky breath. I can’t believe I allowed my dimwit big brothers to talk me into this. I turn off the ignition and step out of my car, making sure to grab my handbag and room assignment papers.
A massive black, Dodge RAM pulls up beside me, filled to the brim with my belongings and all three of my moronic brother’s jump out to meet me on the sidewalk, each with their own version of an encouraging smile.
“Do I really have to do this?” I whine to Sean, Logan and Carter.
“Sure do, kid,” they say in unison, cementing for the millionth time, just how similar they are.
“Fine,” I huff, taking off down the pathway towards what will be my home for the next year. “We may as well get this shit over with.”
“That’s the spirit, little sis,” Logan grins, jogging up the pathway to catch up to me while throwing his heavy arm over my shoulder in the process.
“Ugh,” I groan, shrugging out from under him. “Get off me you fat lard.”
Logan pulls me in closer, tucks my head into the crook of his armpit and makes sure I get a nose full of manly BO while using his other hand to give me a noogie. I squeal for help while I reach around him and latch onto his man titties, making sure to give a devastating nipple cripple.
“Will you two quit it,” Sean scolds, wheeling my suitcase behind him, not bothering to look up at our display. “You’re acting like a bunch of delinquent kids.”
Logan lets out a huff. “She started it,” he grumbles under his breath and reluctantly lets me go so he can rub his man titties back to health.
I give a triumphant grin knowing I’ve won this round fair and square, but don’t get the chance to brag before my body is jolted to the side when Carter pushes his way between us. “I can’t wait to get a look in here,” he grins, rubbing his palms together like a major creeper.
“Ugh,” I groan. “I told you, you’re not screwing any of the girls I meet here.”
“Sorry, kid, but if a ten comes my way you can guarantee I’ll be getting up in there,” he says reaching for the door and ushering us all in.
I push in front of the boys making them come to a halt as I stare down Carter. “Promise me you’ll keep your dick in your pants,” I warn.
He begins to shrug off my warning when I pull out the puppy dog eyes and I know he will cave in three… two… one. “Fine,” he groans, making my second triumph in as many minutes.
“Can we get this show on the road?” Sean asks. “I promised Sara I’d be there to meet the wedding planner.”
“Ok, ok, no need to get your panties in a twist,” I grin as I turn on my heel and stare down the place I’m dreading to call my new home. I take a breath and make my way down the hallway with my brothers on my heels. I scan the doors and give polite smiles to the passing girls until I come across lucky door number twelve.
I push open the door and immediately regret it. “Oh shit,” I screech coming face to face with my new roommate who’s currently stark naked, bent over at the hips and being screwed within an inch of her life. I desperately try to back my way out of the room but only manage to run into the solid wall of muscle known as my brothers, who are all wanting to check out my new room.
“Shit, shit, shit,” I shriek as I turn my back on my roommate, only to see the massive grins come across Logan and Carter’s handsome faces.
“Fuck, yeah,” Carter approves.
I try my hardest to start shuffling my brothers out of the room, but they all seem way too intrigued with the show. “Would you guys get moving?” I hiss.
“Oh, no need, honey. Stay, we’re almost done,” A breathy southern drawl comes from behind me. “I’m Bronny. You must be my new roomie, Cassandra? Or do you prefer Cass? Or Cassie?” I turn purely out of the politeness my parents drilled into me, only to find her hand outstretched waiting for a handshake.
Is this chick for real? I can’t help but gape at her as she smiles up at me, tits swaying from left to right and the sound of her man’s balls slapping against her ass while he groans and picks up the pace.
I hear Logan and Carter’s snickers behind me and all I can think about is how to make the quickest exit possible.
Carter steps around me and reaches out for her hand with his manwhore smile. “Hi Bronny, I’m Carter. It’s really great meeting you,” he says as she beams up at him. “This is my little sister, Cassie,” he says turning toward me, loving every moment of how incredibly awkward this is for me.
“Um, hi,” I say, pressing my lips into a tight smile and lifting my hand in an extremely awkward wave. “Lovely to meet y-” I start to say when Bronny’s outstretched hand disappears between her legs and begins rubbing herself. “Ok, Nope. I’m out.” I declare before trying to push past my brothers.
Logan catches me around the waist and turns me to face the show again, wrapping his steal arm around me and effectively caging me in. “Stay, be polite, watch the show,” he says with clear enjoyment in his voice.
“So, you’re an exhibitionist?” Carter asks as if he is about to strike up a lengthy conversation with the woman.
“Oh yeah,” she replies on a pant, pushing back against her partner, who grunts and groans as his fingers tighten on her hips, making it startling obvious that the show is about to reach its climax.
Crap. I really need to get out of here. I give Logan one last shove and this time he knows I’m serious and we all start backing out of the room. “Ok, well, have fun and come hard,” Carter encourages with a fist pump before closing the door behind us and bursting out laughing on the other side.
“Can you believe that shit?” I shriek as Sean takes off. “Hey,” I call after him, “Where are you going?”
“Administrative office,” he calls over his shoulder. “There’s no way you are staying in that room. There’s probably DNA from one corner to the next.” He disappears through the doors leaving me with the two idiots who are still laughing about the scene on the other side of the door.
“C’mon,” I say as I head for the external doors. “There must be a notice board or something with roommate adverts around here, somewhere. After seeing that, I think I’d prefer to rent a place.”
We walk around campus for ten minutes before we finally find a notice board and just as I had hoped, there are a few ads pinned to the board. I pull off the ads, hand a few to my brothers and we all get started making some calls. Sean catches up to us with a grim face, “Sorry, kid, there are no other dorm rooms available,” he says, “But apparently there’s an online forum where students
can post about this kind of stuff.”
I pull out my phone and get searching while I hand the rest of the ads to Sean.
Five minutes later, Carter pipes up, “There’s a place just down the road. Two bedrooms and cheap rent but it’s really small. Apparently, the girl’s brother demands that she has a female roommate.”
“Whoa. The girls’ brother?” Logan asks, suddenly on edge.
Carter snorts. “My thoughts exactly. He’s an athlete and lives with his team, so hopefully shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Ahhh.” Logan grins, “Those were the good old days,” he says, clearly remembering the time he had on this very campus, living with his hockey teammates.
“Alright, let’s check it out,” Sean says.
“Wait,” I call. “How much is cheap rent?”
“Don’t worry about the rent,” Carter says. “We’ll cover it just like we did in New York.”
“I know, but I want to pay.”
“Sorry, kid,” Sean cuts in. “You know Dad’s rules. Just because he isn’t around to enforce them, doesn’t mean we’re not.”
“But-“
“No, buts,” Logan cuts in. “That’s just the way it is.”
“Fine,” I sulk. “I know a losing battle when I see one.”
We head back to the cars and before long, we’re pulling up to a small house. We park and head up to the front door, “Well, this is going to be different to New York,” Carter murmurs.
“You got that right,” I respond.
Sean reaches out and knocks on the door.
A moment later, the door is pulled open by a guy just as big as my brothers. The boys stare him down while the guy does exactly the same. “Thought a chick lived here?” Logan grunts.
“What’s it to you who lives here?” the guy responds.
Logan narrows his eyes on the guy and it’s clear this conversation is going nowhere. “Hi,” I say ignoring the pissing contest that seems to be going on and gaining the big guy’s attention. “I’m Cassie and these are my big brothers. We were told there was a room for rent here?”
“Yeah,” he says, “for you?”
“Yes,” I reply hesitantly, “I thought a girl lived here?”
“I do, I do, I do,” comes a feminine voice from the hallway. “Move out of the way, you big moron. You’re going to scare her away.”
A small brunette girl pushes herself between the door and the big guy. She jams her elbow into his ribs, forcing him to take a step back. “Hi,” the girl smiles, reaching out her hand towards me, “I’m Brianna and this is my twin brother, Bobby. And yes, I’m looking for a roommate, and no, this big boofhead won’t be here,” she says, indicating to the now scowling boofhead behind her.
“Hi, I’m Cassie,” I smile, already knowing I’m going to like this girl. “These are my brothers, Sean – basically married, Logan – thinks he’s a comedian, and Carter – designated manwhore,” I say, pointing each of them out, though, I know she will most likely forget who is who. After all, the boys are triplets and look exactly the same.
Carter reaches around me and offers Brianna his hand while also giving her his dazzling smile and wink, the one he saves for special occasions. Bobby the boofhead groans as his sister instantly blushes and takes his hand. “Don’t,” I cry out, slapping Carter’s hand out of Brianna’s reach. “He shook hands with Bronny the showgirl, mid-performance and I’m yet to see him wash his hands.”
“Ugh,” Brianna cringes and steps slightly further away from Carter.
“What?” he shrugs, “I’m saving the smell for later.”
Both Brianna and I cringe once again but she manages to look past my brother’s foul tendencies and steps out of the doorway. “Come in,” she says, “I’ll give you a tour and then you can decide if it’s a right fit for you.”
I follow her inside and we head off down the hallway while the boys linger in the living room, sussing out Bobby. “So…,” I hear Logan start, “You’re an athlete?”
I drown out their conversation as I follow Brianna into the kitchen. She shows me around and I instantly fall in love with the place. “So, you’re a senior then, I’m assuming?” she asks as she heads into what would be my bedroom.
“Yeah, a senior. Just moved from back from New York. You?” I ask as we step into the room to find a small bedroom, fully furnished with a double bed.
“Yeah, same,” she replies. “Do you like it, so far?”
“I do,” I grin.
“Good,” she smiles back at me. “I don’t see the point in having a car here, so, the garage would be all yours.”
“I’ll take it,” I smile.
“Really? Thank god,” she says with relief. “Do you have any idea how hard it’s been to find a roommate? Bobby has run off everyone that has come. You’re the only one he has let through the door.”
“Seriously?” I ask as we make our way back to the guys.
“Yeah, he’s a bit protective. I’m sure by the way your brothers all showed up, you know a little something about that.”
“Damn straight, I do,” I laugh as all four sets of male eyes land on us.
“Do you think it will ever stop?” she whispers as the boys’ eye us curiously.
“Not a chance in hell.” I grin.
“I’m assuming since you’re not running out the door, that you like it here?” Sean asks, hopeful.
“Well, I’m guessing that Brianna here, isn’t a crazy person or isn’t going to kill me in my sleep. So, taking that into account then yes, you can start unloading the truck,” I tell them, with a smile.
“Thank, fuck,” Carter breathes as he turns on his heel and heads out to the truck with an agreeable Logan, Sean, and Bobby on his heels.
Between the four boys, the Dodge RAM is unloaded in no time and my new room is completely set up.
“You all good?” Logan asks as he places the last of my things down on the dining table.
I take a quick look around and realize everything is done, apart from putting my clothes away and making the bed, though, I know for a fact these idiots aren’t going to help with that. “Yeah, I’m all good,” I tell him as he pulls me into a big bear hug.
“Be safe, Cassie Bear,” he tells me. “I have to head back to the city tomorrow but the boys will be around if you need anything.”
“I know,” I grumble as he lets me go and makes room for Sean and Carter to say their goodbyes.
Brianna disappears into the fridge and brings out a celebratory bottle of wine while I watch in amusement as Bobby and the boys start exchanging numbers.
“This is going to be interesting,” Brianna says as she comes to stand beside me to watch the comical performance.
She hands me a glass of wine and we clink our glasses together. “It sure is,” I agree as I take a sip.
“We’ll come watch a few games when we can,” Sean tells Bobby as he claps him on his large, beefy shoulder and steps out the door, throwing a wave over his shoulder. A sinking feeling begins to settle in the pit of my stomach as I know there’s only one game on planet earth that my brothers would go out of their way to watch.
“Games?” I whisper to Brianna, who I notice is far too occupied blushing at Carter as he winks at her again, before also stepping out the door.
Just freaking great.
“C’ya,” I call after them as the door closes behind them, leaving me with Bobby and Brianna in my new home.
Bobby is staring down at his phone when his head suddenly snaps up to me “Wait… your brother... Logan,” he clarifies, “he’s not Logan Waters, as in NHL, Pro Hockey Logan Waters?” he asks, his eyes widening in excitement.
“Ah, yeah,” I confirm as that sinking feeling gets worse. “You know Hockey?”
“Yeah, you could say that,” he scoffs, raising his eyebrow at me as if I should know who he is.
Brianna rolls her eyes at her brother. “Bobby is on the Hockey team here, The Denver Dragon’s,” she explains. “He considers himself to
be top shit, though, personally, I think his ego is slightly getting in the way,” she laughs.
“Pft, whatever,” he scoffs walking forward and knocking his sister in the arm. “Me and Jax are campus legends this year. Especially when we bring home that Championship.”
My whole world crumbles in on itself at the mention of his name. How the hell did I get into this situation? “You know Jaxon?” I ask as my heart rate picks up and my hands begin to sweat.
“Yeah,” he responds, looking me over with narrowed, curious eyes. “Best friend and team Captain. Why? You one of his many conquests?” he asks with a knowing wink and cheesy grin.
Oh, no, no, no. The one person I need to avoid this year and I’ve just moved in with his best friends’ twin sister. Great move, Cass.
“Ahhh, something like that,” I respond. “He’s someone from my past and I’d love it if he could stay there,” I tell them.
“No worries, babe,” Bobby laughs. “Jax doesn’t make a habit of repeat performances. I think you’re good,” he says, not realizing how his casual comments about Jax’s sex life tears my heart to absolute shreds. He pokes around in the fridge and pulls out a Gatorade before grabbing a bag from the bench. “Anyway, I’m out of here, got to hit the gym. Nice meeting you, Cass. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Uh, thanks,” I smile as he makes his way to the door. “Oh, hey,” I call after him, “Can you not mention any of this to Jax?” I beg.
“Sure,” he laughs then make a cross over his chest like a fifth grader. “Your secret is safe with me.”
He disappears through the door and lets it slam closed behind him. “Right,” Brianna starts as she grabs my nearly empty glass of wine and heads into the kitchen to refill it. “I know I just met you, but I saw the pain behind your eyes when Bobby was talking about Jax,” she says as she hands me back my glass. “I know there’s a heartbroken story there and I have a feeling you’re in the need for a good vent.”
“I swear, you must be my soul sister,” I laugh.
“Good,” she smiles, “Plonk your ass down on that couch. I’ll order Chinese and once you’re finished spilling the beans on Jaxon, you can tell me all about Carter and I can steal his number from your phone.”
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