“I’ll give you the money back!” Con said, desperate.
I lifted an eyebrow. “So you admit to conning this man and taking his money?”
“No!” Con faltered. “Yes… Fuck!”
I glanced behind me at all the brothers. They all wore grim and annoyed looks. I made eye contact with them all. Each of them nodded slow.
I turned back. “Conner, you know as a brother of this house, your actions reflect on us all. You’ve disgraced the fraternity.”
“I didn’t do it,” he growled.
“That’s not what you just said,” the guy behind me said.
“You did this.” His eyes lit up and malice dripped from their depths.
I drew back. “What?”
“You somehow set me up, all to get revenge.”
I plastered an innocent, shocked expression on my face. “Revenge for what?”
Our eyes connected. We had a silent conversation no one else heard.
You did this as payback. Conner’s eyes accused.
Karma’s a bitch. My eyes laughed at him.
“For what I—” He stopped abruptly.
I smothered a smile as satisfaction filled me. He almost ratted himself out.
What a loser.
I sighed sadly. “Conner, I really don’t know why you think I would do something like this to my own brother. I take my role as president very seriously, and I would never do anything that would reflect poorly on this frat. I can promise you I had nothing to do with this.” My words rang out with truth because the truth was what I told.
Although I did wish I was responsible.
Conner’s chest was heaving. I pushed the listing into it. “Pay the man back and try to convince him you being a dick shouldn’t punish us all.”
I started back in the house.
“Wait!” Con yelled out in fear.
I glanced over my shoulder and pinned him with a knowing stare. “Surely you don’t need my protection. It’s only one man. It isn’t as if you’re being ambushed.”
His eyes widened.
I stepped in the house and shut the door behind me, leaving Con to clean up his own damn mess.
“First, he tries to overthrow you as president, and now, he blames you for something as childish as this?” one of the house members said in wonderment. “What the hell is that guy’s problem?”
“I don’t know, guys. I really don’t.” I spoke like I felt regret about Con’s and my relationship.
“You did the right thing,” Jack said, slapping a hand on my shoulder.
“Thanks.” I looked up to address everyone. “All right, assholes. I’ve got a charity game to get ready for. I’ll see all of you at the field in just a few hours.”
I hid my smile all the way up the stairs, but when Conner’s shriek carried through the door and to my ears, I just couldn’t suppress my emotions.
I grinned.
The door was unlocked when I put my hand on the doorknob to my room. I pushed it open and went in. Drew was going to love hearing what kind of trouble Con had gotten himself into.
But he was gone.
In his place on the bed was a note.
Sneaking out while everyone is occupied. See you at home.
PS: Couldn’t find my pants so I took yours.
PSS: I miss you like a fry misses ketchup
—F
I read his scrawled words three times just because he wrote them. After I tucked the note into my nightstand, I quickly got ready.
Drew
Could you hear that sound?
It was me laughing.
I might not have used my fists, but I could still hit.
Man, I would have loved to see Con’s face when the biker showed up asking for him. I also would have loved to see him take a couple punches, because there was no way in hell he wasn’t going to get at least a couple.
Asshole.
After the commotion started downstairs, I snuck down an old service stairway (thank God this was an old house) and crept to the back door. No one saw because they were all too busy being secretly amused Con was such a douche.
I stood there and listened as long as I dared. I mean, it was funny as shit. That kid was probably having diarrhea in his PJs. I knew he’d probably try and blame T, but it wouldn’t go that far because he’d have to rat himself out in order to explain.
He was too interested in self-preservation for that.
Besides, Trent had no idea I was the one who totally set up Con. He had nothing to do with it, so when he said so, everyone would believe him. The family was very adamant at the family meeting I not burst in the house and throw some punches.
No one said I couldn’t put my computer skills to good use.