Fall Guy (A Youngblood Book) by Reinhardt, Liz (knowledgeable books to read TXT) 📕

real date so far." My voice drops. "My bikini is in my bag. It's so small, and you haven't seen it yet. Please, Winch? Please."

Wordlessly, Winchester turns onto the long, straight shot of highway that will hurl us through the sandy brush through to the ocean and a night of perfect freedom. I want everything else to fade away. I want to be with him and forget all the reasons why being with him is such a colossally bad idea.

Winch 10

The day that was supposed to make up for the drama of last night wound up being extra drama.

I feel like I can't get a break when it comes to Evan. Every time I attempt to make things work or do something just for the two of us, my brother or the rest of my crazy family get in the way. I'm beyond fucking sick of it.

Never, not a day in my entire teenage life, did I attempt to get out of anything when it came to taking care of my brother. I stayed sober so he could get drunk. I drove underage so he could pass out in the backseat. I kept goons off his back after he provoked them, I screened potential girlfriends and booty-calls, I kept things from Mama and Pop, I did everything I could to shield them from his fuck-ups.

Eventually I realized it didn't matter if they knew what he did. As long as they also knew that I'd do whatever I needed to do to take care of him after, they just ignored all his idiotic behavior. My one slip-up happened when he met Delphine, the girl he fell in love with, impregnated, then drove away with his irresponsible insanity.

The only reason I didn't get my ass reamed for that was Alayah. The minute that sweet kid was born, every single person forgot to be a shithead for a while, and we made peace. Which lasted for a good six months, until the plans for Remy and Delphine's big wedding started to crumble.

I guess I thought I'd get a swing at letting go when Remy got older, got his shit together. But I left my teenage years behind a long time ago, and I'm still mopping up his messes.

I'm speeding a little, my foot heavy on the gas, partially in anticipation, partially from a big ass case of nerves. Other than some mild bitching about my obligations to my brother, Evan hasn't brought up any of the crazy shit my family put her through, and I don't know what she's thinking about it or what she needs from me.

Which I fucking hate. I'm used to assessing a situation in a few minutes, deciding what needs to be done, and doing it. The problem is, all that deciding is what I do when my parents are busy running the family and all our companies. When I actually have to be around my parents, the power reverts back to them, and it's all old-regime bullshit that I really have no idea how to wrestle.

"I'm sorry Benelli was a little bit of a pain in the ass--" I start.

"Benelli didn't have to lend me the dress or help with my hair. She was fine." Evan is turned towards the window, her voice half lost in the whipping wind, her arms folded and partially balanced on the doorframe, her head leaned out so her hair flies back like this dark banner.

"Remy shouldn't have been such a dick after the--"

"He was fine. He was actually really nice." She stretches one arm out, lets her hand go flat, and watches her own fingers as the wind rides up and over, making them all move and jump slightly.

"My mom really shouldn't have--"

"Offered me dinner with no notice whatsoever? I'm nothing but grateful to your mother." She pulls her head back in and leans on the headrest, her hair wild and wind-blown, her cheeks tinged pink from the salty air that has just the slightest rough bite to it.

"Evan, I don't know what my father said to you, and I can't believe what Ithaca said in front of everyone. It's just--"

"Stop it!" she snaps, and when I turn my head to look at her, she's breathing hard, fast, and furious. "Just stop! Okay?"

"Stop what?" I keep my eyes on the road, completely confused because her fury makes no goddamn sense. It's not that I'm shocked she furious. I expected her to be. But at my family. And this anger seems, for reasons I can't grasp, directed at me.

She brushes her hair off her face with her fingers and rubs her hands down along her cheeks. "Apologizing."

"They were rude to you. They embarrassed me." I glance over and her face is stony. "What? You think that was all normal? The way they acted? You looked pretty upset when we were at their house. Now, nothing?"

"Not nothing." Her voice is low and shaky. "But you love them. You choose them over and over. I'm not making a judgment call on any one of them. They're your family. That's who they are, and I have to accept it."

"No--" I start to argue, but I have no words for what comes next.

"Yes! I do. Because if I don't, I'll lose you." Her voice doesn't get all sentimental on me; she sinks the fangs of her logic right into the jugular. "I already only have this night, and who knows if there will actually be a homicide? I'm not judging...but this is Remy you're relying on to not murder anyone. That may be setting the bar a little bit too high."

Her soft, sweet lips crack into a smile that pile-drives a million pounds of solid emotion straight at my heart. She laughs, and that sound loosens something in my chest, something buried in me that doesn't ever get to come out.

It's coming out. Tonight. With her.

"What's not even funny is that you might be right." I laugh with her, and we make an unspoken vow to