Fake Dating My Ex's Hockey Star Brother (Maya Scott) novel Chapter 150

ALLISON’S POV

The door flies open and I shove Justin hard enough that he stumbles backward and lands on the bed with a startled curse. My heart is in my throat as I whip around, ready to die on the spot, and then-

It’s just Zach.

Relief hits me so fast my knees almost give out.

“Fucking hell,” Justin groans.

Zach’s gaze flickers between the two of us: Justin sprawled on the bed, me standing there flushed and breathing too fast and then his lips curve into a smile that makes my cheeks burn instantly. I don’t even wait to see if he’s going to say something.

I bolt.

I push past Zach and practically sprint down the hall, my pulse going insane, and my thoughts tripping over each other. By the time I reach the stairs, my legs already feel weak, and I take them too quickly, nearly missing a step in my rush to get away from that room and everything that just happened inside it.

I barely make it to the bottom before I slam straight into someone, stumbling back with a gasp.

“Alls.” Sean grabs my arms, pulling me close as he looks me over. “Hey, are you okay? Why were you running like that?”

His eyes dart over my shoulder and my stomach drops, panic hitting me at the thought that Justin might be right there behind me, that Sean might see him and start asking questions I’m not ready to answer. Without thinking, I grab the front of his shirt.

“It was-“I stop, then just go for it. “I think it was a rat, I swear. It freaked me out.”

He laughs a little and tips my chin up so I have to look at him. “A rat’s not gonna do anything to you, babe.”

“I know,” I say quickly, shaking my head anyway. “But still, they’re gross. What if it crawled on me or something?”

“Okay, okay,” he says, smiling now. “Let’s get you a drink before you pass out.”

He takes my hand and pulls me through the crowd of dancing bodies. The kitchen’s quieter, and I hop onto a stool the second we get there, leaning forward and resting my head on the counter while he looks for something for me to drink.

I try to calm down, tell myself to breathe, that Justin is upstairs and I’m right here, but my body doesn’t listen. If anything, the trembling gets worse like Justin might suddenly appear out of nowhere and steal my lips from my face.

Gosh, he kissed me. Justin Evans-the broody, annoying guy who’s been like a brother for two years until literally a few days ago, actually kissed me. We’ve finally crossed a line and there’s no coming back from it no matter how hard we pretend. There’s no undoing things like this.

He has completely shattered the illusion that we’re normal, that whatever this is between us hasn’t been building for a while now. All those glances I kept questioning, that moment in the elevator… I wasn’t imagining it. I wasn’t going crazy.

Fuck, now I’m actually going crazy. I’m so screwed.

I feel a tap on my shoulder. “Alls, drink this.”

I lift my head and take the cup Sean’s handing me, staring at the pink liquid inside. The fuck is this? He can’t even do something as simple as get me water?

“I couldn’t find water anywhere,” he says quickly, like he can read my mind, “but it tastes nice.”

With a nod, I drink it because I feel guilty already. While he’s worried I might be traumatized from a rat, I was actually kissing the guy I told him hours ago was like a brother to me. I feel like those evil TV characters I used to hate. What the hell do I even do now?

“Feeling better?” He leans closer. “Can’t believe a rat got you this worked up.”

He kisses me without warning…something that’s normal for us until tonight and my whole body goes stiff. When he pulls back, he smiles. “I’ll be back. Sit tight.”

I nod absentmindedly, watching him walk away. What the hell have I done?

I didn’t just mess up, I feel like I ruined everything with Sean. Why did his kiss feel so cold and hollow, like a fish sucking on my lips? And why the hell am I comparing him to Justin, who somehow makes every single nerve in my body go off like fireworks?

A groan slips out of me as I drop my head onto the counter, thumping it softly again and again. Even if I can deal with the guilt with Sean, how the hell am I supposed to face Justin? How do I act like this didn’t happen? He’s like a rock and nothing gets through but him kissing me? That means something. He’s not the type to act without thinking, so what am I supposed to do now? Quit showing up at the museum? He still brings stuff for Katy in our

dorm room. Drop out? I’ll probably run into him somewhere in Boston. Die? What if I get stuck with ghostly Cadston duties and have to see him?

Ughhh.

“What are you doing?” I flinch, lifting my head to meet Josh’s unimpressed stare. As if the night wasn’t horrible enough…

“Go away, Josh.” I snap.

He leans against the counter, doing exactly the opposite of what I want. “You’re sulking at a party. That’s…unlike you.”

fantasized about lots of times thinks I hate her.”

My eyes widen, then my face twists into a frown. “Crush?”

He nods. “Sean never told you?”

No. Sean never told me because if he had, I’d have lost my shit on the spot. Is this some kind of joke? Haven’t I had enough tonight already? If whoever’s running the universe is messing with me, they’re really pushing it.

“Are you that shocked you can’t even talk?” he asks.

“No, I’m actually disgusted,” I say, standing up so we’re eye to eye because he’s short, and I refuse to be talked down to. “You act like you care about Sean so much, like you’re his dad or something. You’re always on my case, always antagonizing me under the excuse that you’re looking out for him. And then you drop this? This bullshit?”

He shoves his hands in his pockets, his stupid grin fading. “You’re overreacting. Everyone has a crazy crush and I’m sure Kristy sometimes thinks Sean’s cute too.”

“That’s because both of you are completely messed up!” I snap, my voice rising and probably drawing too many stares. “You don’t see anything wrong with just…telling me?”

“It’s not-”

“And you’re acting all casual because your little bitch might also be into Sean?” I scoff, raking my hand through my hair. “So…what? You’re trying to switch? Do some weird-ass orgy? Is that the goal here?”

He sighs and shakes his head. “You can be a bitch…a lot of times.”

Something snaps inside me and before he can turn away, I grab the front of his shirt. I can feel eyes on us but I don’t care.

“A bitch?” I twist the fabric tighter. “Do I look like Kristy to you?”

His hand closes around my wrist and he forces my grip loose. “Don’t make me forget you’re a girl.”

laugh. “Why don’t you do your worst?” I shoot back as he starts to retreat. “You’ve already said worse. What…now you’re running?”

“Dumb bitch,” he mutters, turning away.

I take a step after him, then stop myself and slam my palm down on the counter instead, the impact stinging as rage burns through me.