DOMINIC (Slater Brothers, #1)

"You're startin' to let people in, you're actually havin' boy problems and not only with one lad but two! I thought this day would never come, I'm so happy!"

I was a little freaked because what she was saying was true, but what freaked me out the most was that Branna actually started to cry. I was instantly crawling to her side and wrapping my arms around her, hugging her tight.

"Why are you cryin'?" I asked her, panicked.

She shrugged. "I'm just happy."

I pulled back and glared at her. "You're happy that I'm havin' boy problems?"

"Yes!" she squealed and burst into tears again.

Oh, Christ.

"I need you to woman up, stop cryin', and help me figure all this out. I am in unknown territory here, what the hell do I do?"

Branna sat back and wiped her face but was still sniffling a little. I couldn't believe she cried because I was having boy troubles; there was something very weird and just plain wrong with that.

"Datin' Nico is out, right?" Branna asked me.

Was that a serious question?

"Eh, yeah! I barely like him Branna. Honestly, the qualities I like are things he showed like twice. The rest of the time he is a thorn in me side and I can't get rid of him."

Branna nodded her head in understanding. "Okay, Nico and you datin' is out, what about you and Gavin?"

I chewed on my lip. "He asked me out on a date today. At first it was just a front he put on to make Dominic take a step back from me, to make him think we're together or somethin', but because Dominic seemed to get mad over it he wanted a real date just incase he dies by Dominic's hand… or foot."

Branna laughed. "That explains why Nico is more pissed than usual, it's because you rejected him on Saturday mornin' and today, only two days later, you're apparently in a relationship with another lad. The very lad that fought him a few weeks ago tryin' to defend you… that has got to be a shot to the ego for him."

I groaned and rubbed my face with my hands. "I don't know how all this has happened, Branna. It's like the more I try to push Dominic away, the more he forces himself in. Why won't he take no for an answer and just leave me alone? I mean he may want to kiss me and stuff, but he doesn't like me for me, he actually hates me."

Branna sighed. "Maybe he just isn't used to hearin' a girl tell him no, maybe he feels you're a challenge, and we all know he loves a challenge."

I grunted. "He knows I'm not playin' hard to get, I told him I just wasn't interested in him-"

"Was that before or after the two times you made out with him?" she asked in an American accent.

I growled at Branna making her laugh.

I eventually shrugged, not being able to remember and said, "My body and my mind seem to run on two different circuit boards where Dominic is involved, much to my displeasure."

"That much is obvious."

I grunted.

Branna chuckled a little and pressed on. "It's an odd situation, but there does seem to be a solution to it."

I perked up. "Really? What is it? What is the solution?"

"Gavin Collins." Branna grinned devilishly.

Uh, oh.

"Gavin?" I repeated.

Branna nodded. "You said yourself that you could like him and the best way to get over a lad is to get under another," she paused when I snorted. "I don't mean it like that, you don't have to get under Gavin-"

"I get the metaphor Bran, I'm just teasin'."

Branna rolled her eyes. "Okay, good. Anyway, as I was sayin', if you get with Gavin it will help you move on, and it might just hit home with Nico that you really don't want him and that he should just move on too. Understand?"

I shook my head. "Do you mean really date Gavin or just pretend date him, because I don't think I can do either, I hardly know him."

Branna rolled her eyes. "You said you like him, the like starts the gettin' to know him, Bee. Besides, that's what dates are for, you to get to know one another. You have already secured one date so we can just see how it goes; you never know, you might just find yourself happy with Gavin."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't think anyone can know whether they would be happy with someone after one date."

Branna smiled. "I knew after my first date with Ryder."

I raised my brows. "Really?"

She nodded. "It was a gut feelin' that I knew I could really like him and that we could be good together. It might be different for everyone else, but I just knew."

I whistled then gaped at her. "You don't mean you know he is the one, do you?"

Branna just beamed, and I groaned.

Ryder was her one.

"Why did your one have to be closely related to my nemesis?"

Branna snorted. "Maybe God is findin' your and Nico's situation amusin'. I am for the most part."

I rolled my eyes skyward and spoke to my ceiling. "Can you cut me a break, Jesus? This bullshit isn't funny anymore-"

I yelped as Branna dove on me and knocked me back onto my bed.

"She didn't mean that, she takes it back," Branna shouted.

I laughed at her, which made her elbow me. "Don't curse when you're talkin' to Jesus. That is like askin' to be struck down."

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