Page 181 of Make Me Mean It

“Stay out of it, Reid.”

The warning comes out low enough that Marcus grimaces.

“Trust me, I’m trying.” He drags a hand through his hair and blows out a breath. “But it’s kind of hard when my best friend’s screwing my brother.”

Something must happen to my face.

I don’t even know what.

A twitch. A look. Some tiny fucking betrayal I don’t catch quickly enough, because Marcus stops.

His eyes widen.

I stare back at him.

His mouth falls open.

“Oh God.”

Oh, for fuck’s sake.

Marcus drags both hands down his face. “He’s screwing you.”

“Marcus.”

“I don’t know if that’s better or worse.”

He actually fucking shudders, dropping his head into his hands like he’s just been forced to witness something traumatic, and despite everything, a laugh presses at the back of my throat.

I bite it down.

Barely.

“No one’s screwing anyone,” I grit out.

The words hit wrong the second they leave my mouth.

Because they’re true.

And I fucking hate that they’re true.

Marcus slowly lifts his head.

One eyebrow rises.

Then the bastard starts smiling.

I already regret speaking.

“But you want to be.”

“Fuck off.”

His grin gets wider.

I shake my head, looking away before he catches the way my own mouth is trying to twitch. “Stop fucking meddling.”

“I’m not meddling.”