Page 9 of Silks

“Just some selfies,” I said. “Maybe some tit pics to send to Chet later.”

“Don’t bother,” he said, stepping closer to me so I had to crane my neck to look up at my big asshole brother. “You won’t be fucking Chet.”

“I’ll fuck who I want,” I said, but I felt uneasy prickles break out all over my skin to meet my brother’s eyes.

He had always been an overbearing brother. No one was ever good enough for me, according to him. Sometimes I was pleased that his protectiveness had chased away creeps and weirdos who had wanted to date me, since nobody wanted to mess with my brother. But he also chased off perfectly nice nerds and engineers and rock-climbers, too.

Just because I was home for the weekend did not mean I was going to fall into old patterns.

I did not take pleasure in my brother chasing off Chet.

I would fuck whoever I wanted, and Teddy had to realize that.

If I had to fuck Chet to teach my brother a lesson, I would.

Teddy had shown who he really was a long time ago and I no longer gave a shit what he did as long as he left me alone.

Mom came over to us before I had a chance to say anything else. “Thank God this party is almost over. I’ve never seen so many ill-dressed people in my life.”

Since Teddy was dressed in a sharp navy-blue suit that looked like it had been molded to his powerful body, I knew she must be talking about me. But I couldn’t get into a bitch fight with my mom this time.

“I assume I’ll be in my old room,” I said, but Mom shook her head.

“Grandma’s in there. We’re all full up, honey. You should have told us you were coming! What about the couch downstairs in the rec room? Or you could share a bed with Grandma?”

Oh god, not only was Granny mean as a skunk when she was awake, but she always snuck surreptitious smokes from her noxious old cigarettes inside, and I’d probably wake up with the room on fire.

“She can sleep in my room,” Teddy said.

“Why don’t you sleep at your own condo?” I asked irritably.

“We always stayed at home during Derby Weekend,” he said, his mouth twisting up. “It’s tradition.”

“There’s only one bed in there,” I hissed in exasperation.

Teddy shrugged. “There’s a trundle bed underneath and I can sleep on that one.”

Mom looked like she couldn’t believe the Director of the company would agree to sleep on the trundle bed, but I only sighed bitchily.

“Whatever. It’s fine. Just don’t talk to me.”