ACHING FOR MY STEPBROTHER

THANE

Rachel is stubborn as hell. She'd been following my lead just fine... right up until I said she wasn't going to school today.

Okay, maybe I said it the wrong way, but still. What more does she want after I already explained? I don't trust Joe. Not for one second. My gut says he's already clocked Rachel, and I'm not about to let him start trailing us down to her school like some unhinged creep. It's better she's left out of whatever games he intends to play.

And don't even get me started on the idiot beside me who thought it was smart to bet his car in a game against a cheating psycho like Joe.

"Hello?" Rachel snapped from the back seat. "I'm not talking to myself here, am I?"

Right. She was still raking about school. 

At least Noah was in the passenger seat and not her. Small mercies I'm grateful for.

I pressed the gas a little harder, not that the pedal was actually responsible for my headache. "English isn't complicated, sis. I don't need to repeat myself ten times."

"You're seriously testing my patience, Thane," she shot back. "You drag me here without my consent, then I find my best friend's boyfriend in the middle of whatever this is, and he definitely owes Tiara a massive explanation when we see later..."

"Wait, wait-what?" Noah turned fast. "I've done nothing wrong to offend the angry god, so why am I catching strays here?"

"Oh, now you want to talk?" I snapped. If I wasn't driving the damn car, I'd have smacked some sense into him. Maybe knocked his brain back into place. "We agreed to stay away from Joe, but you didn't. Now he's got his eyes on someone who refuses to listen, and she's breathing down my neck because I just saved your ass."

I kept my eyes on the road but threw him a sharp glance. "Take some responsibility, man."

"Responsibility?" Noah scoffed. "Don't start with me, Thane. That loose dog is on me because of you. And now my girlfriend might dump me because you can't even control your step-sister. You don't know how to handle anything."

Oh, so that's how we're doing this now?

I'd just pulled him out of trouble, and suddenly I'm the villain? Yeah, maybe I played a part in Joe coming after him, but I didn't tell him to bet his damn car or cause a scene like an idiot. He never owns up to his mistakes, and he never even stops making new ones.

Like dating a high school girl, Tiara. Someone who's supposed to be under his swimming class training.

At least I have principles. I don't mess with high school kids like him.

And I was about to fire back at him when Rachel exploded.

"Will you both shut the hell up!"

The volume alone nearly cracked the side windows. Apart from being a head strong, she's got a speaker down that small throat of hers.

She leaned forward, her eyes already blazing.

"What are you? children?" she scoffed. "I'm starting to wonder who the adult is here, because the two people who are supposed to be responsible are acting like kids fighting over candy."

I swallowed. "I didn't do anything," I muttered.

"Stop talking until I'm done, Thane."

Wait. Did she really just say that to me?

And the worst part? I didn't even bother interrupting her.

"That's right, Thane. Listen to your new big sis."

I frowned. "What? Big sis?"

"She's the one calling the shots now. You better listen."

Rachel groaned behind me, but I didn't care. I was already done with this guy beside me. If I wasn't in the middle of traffic, I would've thrown Noah out of the car right there. And I won't even bat an eye.

One thing I hate is being talked down to and Noah knows that. Now he's pushing me into petty arguments in front of my step-sister, of all people. That was beyond embarrassing.

"Listen, man." I turned to him. "Forget the car you bet on that stupid game because you're not getting it back, got it?. And while you're at it, you better find yourself a new lawyer. I'm done with you."

"So now you're bailing on me?" he snapped angrily. "Who was just preaching about responsibility? Is this how you show yours?"

I changed lanes hard and shot him a look that could kill. One more word and he was walking.

"You think that's what responsibility is?" I said coldly. "I have a real job. You can't even coach a high school class without getting under a student's skirt."

"We're both guilty, Thane," Noah fired back, and said that one-thing that totally pissed me off. "You slept with your step-sister, and you've been thinking about it ever since..."

"Shut it, Noah!"

Boom! That happened next.

The impact came out of nowhere before the car jerked violently and slammed into something solid. Smoke flooded the front of the windshield.

"Thane!" Rachel leaned forward from the back quickly. "Are you alright?"

Did she just care about me? Something about it felt different but I can't be feeling butterflies now.

I didn't answer right away. I unbuckled my seat belt and pushed the door open.

"I'm fine," I muttered on my way out of the car.

When I stepped out, my stomach dropped. The hood was crushed. One headlight was completely gone. I ran a hand through my hair in frustration.

"Wow," Rachel said behind me. "That's bad."

Then, she went full strong mode, "Are you two happy now? We're stranded in the middle of the road."

I let out a dry laugh. "Can we not do this right now, sis? Another argument won't fix anything and I don't even want to deal with one right now."

"So what's the plan?" she asked. "Should I call my mum?"

My head snapped toward her. "Don't even think about it."

If her mum knew, my dad would know. And if my dad knew, I was dead. This car barely lasted a week. And he's gonna kill me before I form a lie to save myself.

"Just sit in the car," I said flatly. "I'll handle it."

"Don't tell me what to do, Thane."

"Relax," Noah cut in. "While you two were arguing, I already called us a savior."

If help was coming from Noah, it was never the kind that actually helped. Still, I forced myself to hope just a little in him.

"You called a tow truck already?" 

I asked thinking that was the highest his brain could think of but he shook his head, that crooked smirk on his lips already spelling trouble.

"The car will survive. But we need to get out of here first."

"For once, you actually thought straight," I said flatly.

Then it suddenly hit me. I didn't ask what mattered.

"...Noah. Who did you call?"

His smirk deepened. "Relax. I called Wendy. She'll be here any minute."

My stomach dropped instantly. No, no. He can't be serious.

"What?" I snapped. "Are you insane?"

"Who's this Wendy girl we're talking about?" Rachel's voice cut in from behind me.

I shot her a look. I thought I told her to stay in the car?

"That," Noah said with a grin, "is Thane's wild pet."

He dodged my glare. "The only ex that refused to let him go."

Rachel slowly turned her eyes on me. And the second she did, I knew I was completely screwed.