Page 27 of Filthy Rich Brother's Best Friends

It’s always been a game to him, the same one they’ve been playing since they met. But tonight? It seemed like he was lashing out to hurt her, not just to provoke her.

I don’t know what changed. Maybe it’s Jude. Whatever it was, it wasn’t harmless sparring like it usually is. Lola said something cruel and very unlike her. Reid pushed harder and the whole thing detonated.

After Lola stormed off, Reid acted like nothing happened. He picked up his drink again and muttered something under his breath as he took over manning the grill.

I walk over to him now. “You didn’t have to do that.”

Reid glances over, brows raised. “Do what?”

“Push her.”

“She snapped. That’s on her.”

“No. You poked until she did. That’s on you.”

He tilts his head, studying me. I’ve surprised him. I don’t usually engage with him after he pulls a stunt like this.

But I watched her face crumble right before she walked away.

And that’s not something I can ignore.

I really don’t like watching someone I care about get humiliated in front of a bunch of people.

“You’ve been off since we got here,” I tell him. “And you took it out on her.”

He doesn’t answer right away. Then he exhales. “So what, you’re her defense now?” He grabs a plate and starts taking the burgers off the grill.

“No. I just think you crossed a line.”

His eyes narrow. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I know what I saw.”

He holds my stare for a second too long, then looks away and walks into the kitchen with the now-cooked burgers.

I let him go.

But the feeling in my chest doesn’t ease. Not even a little.

I can hear Reid moving around the kitchen, probably trying to find something to snack on. That man is constantly eating.

Jude’s door shut almost an hour ago. He came back over here shortly after he came back down from Lola's room. As hard as Gigi tried to salvage things, the night was pretty much over after that.

What surprises me is that Reid didn’t stay over there and hook up with Blaire or Gigi.

He spent half the night laying the groundwork and I expected him to follow through. But he didn’t. That’s not like him at all.

He left with Jude and me, mumbling the whole way home, pissed off without saying why.

I close my bedroom door and sit down at my desk.

I haven’t done this in a long time.

I tried to be good the last few years and get my updates on Lola from Wes. Instead of, you know, cyberstalking her.

But the thing is—Wes never told me much. And I couldn’t exactly push for more info without raising suspicion.

None of what he told me prepared me for what I found out tonight. She’s living next door to us. And she slept with Jude.