Screw My Childhood Sweetheart His Alpha Brother Marked Me First novel Chapter 39

My heart gave a little stutter–step at simply seeing his name on my screen.

Me: Don’t really have plans. I need to go to the grocery store and do some homework.

The guys and I had settled into a routine of sorts. School, over to Anson’s for snacks and homework, then someone would drop me off. The house was always dark when I returned. Sometimes there was takeout in the fridge, sometimes there was nothing. Every time I checked on Mom, she’d snap at me, so I’d given up. We were just two ships passing in the night.

Walking through the door of this house, I immediately felt lonely. As if all the comfort of having friends with me all day long disappeared in a flash. I had a feeling weekends would be the worst. I had hours upon hours to kill all by myself.

I felt that tugging sensation along my sternum, almost as if the bones were twisting and trying to come out of my chest. I rubbed the spot, trying to alleviate the feeling.

Anson: Want a ride to the grocery store?

Caspian had asked me once if I had a driver’s license. I’d said yes, but I didn’t like to drive. They’d left it at that, but I knew they were curious as to the why of it all.

Me: That’d be good. What time?

Anson: Pick you up in twenty?

Me: I’ll be ready. Thanks, A.

I threw my covers back and started for my bathroom. I took the world’s fastest shower and then brushed my teeth. Tugging on a T–shirt, I paused, my fingers tracing over the skin on my arm. Two days ago, it had been a deep purple. Today, there wasn’t a single sign of a bruise.

I stretched out the limb, then bent it. There was no tenderness with the movement at all. I stared at my arm as if it might give me the answer. Something weird was happening with my body. The tugging sensations in my chest, the times I felt like my skin was too tight for the rest of me, this bizarre, speedy healing.

My phone buzzed on my bed, and I hurried to grab it.

Anson: Here.

I shoved aside the thoughts of all the freakish things happening to me and grabbed my purse. I hurried down the stairs and out to Anson’s SUV.

As I hopped in, I noticed the dark circles under his eyes. “Are you’okay?”

Anson took my hand in his, linking our fingers. His whole body seemed to sigh at the contact. “Better now.”

My skin hummed at the contact, my palm heating as it lay against his. Anson wasn’t shy about touching me but holding my hand felt different somehow, more intimate. He gave my hand a squeeze and then released it, I missed the buzz of energy, the

17:01

Screw My Childhood Sweetheart–His Alpha Brother Marked Me First!

33.9%

Chapter 39

warmth, as soon as it was gone.

“Let’s get you some groceries.”

“Yeah. Thanks for driving me.”

He glanced over at me as he pulled away from the curb. “Be honest. Would you have texted one of us to ask for a ride?”

I bit my bottom lip. “The store isn’t a bad walk.”

“Ro,” he groaned. “We all have cars. We want to help if you need it.”

“I don’t need help. I could’ve gotten groceries on my own.”

“I know you could, but you shouldn’t have to. We want to make life easier for you.”

“Why?” It was the question I’d been dying to ask since the guys had befriended me. I could see now just how many people, girls and guys alike, wanted to be let into their circle. Why was I the one they’d welcomed?

Anson met my eyes through the rearview mirror. “Isn’t that what friends do? Good ones, anyway?”

“I guess.” It felt like more though. As if there were some piece of the puzzle I was missing that the rest of them could see as clear as day.

“Sounds like you haven’t had very good friends in your life before.”

Anson might’ve had a point with that one. I hadn’t gotten a single phone call or email from my friends back home since I’d moved to Washington.

“What about you? Have you had good friends?”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify