Free Learning To Love (The Griffin Brothers Book 4) by Crystal Perkins Page B

just using me. I don’t know
for what, but she must’ve wanted something from my family. That’s
why she wouldn’t sleep with me. It wasn’t because she was a
virgin. It was because she hadn’t gotten what she wanted yet. If I
have something to say about it, she never will. As for me, I plan to
grab the first available puck bunny on Sunday night and fuck her
senseless. I’ve been a fool for not doing it sooner.
    Tonight, I’ve got to
go to our family’s Friday night barbeque. I wanted to try and get
out of it, but no one misses it unless you’re out of town or sick.
I could’ve tried to play the sick card, but my mom can spot a lie
from us, even over the phone. So here I am, pulling in to my parents’
driveway. I’m not sure what’s going to happen when I see Owen and
Candi, but I’m bracing myself for the worst.
    I walk into the
backyard and my mom comes over to hug me. Everyone else greets me as
well. Actually, not everyone. Owen and Candi are looking pissed as
they glare at me.
    “Nice to see you
looking so well, little brother.”
    “I am well, thanks.”
    “It wasn’t a
compliment, asshole.”
    “What’s going on
boys?”
    “It’s nothing Mom.
Owen and I are just disagreeing about something right now.”
    “Really? You’re
gonna lie to our mother now? It’s bad enough you’ve kept how you
felt from us all these years.”
    “Drop it, Owe. I’m
not doing this.”
    He jumps out of his
chair and gets in my face. “Like hell you’re not. They deserve to
know what’s going on with you, and how they’ve all hurt you.”
    “How we’ve hurt
him? We’ve somehow hurt him, but you haven’t, Owe?” my brother,
Scott, asks.
    “I got a clear
message of what I’ve done, accompanied by a hard slap across the
face, a few days ago.”
    “You slapped Owen?
Really? Couldn’t you have at least thrown a punch?” Ryan thinks
he’s being funny, but he’s not.
    “Olivia’s the one
who slapped me.”
    “Olivia? Rose’s
sister?” My niece Alex looks confused. Actually they all do.
    “Yeah. That Olivia.
She may look sweet, but she packs a mean slap. She also called me out
on some shit I hadn’t even realized I was doing. That we’ve all
been doing.”
    “Everyone grab some
food, and then we’re going to sit down while Luke explains this all
to us.” I start to protest, but my dad stops me. “This isn’t a
request, son. You’re going to tell us what’s going on.”
    “Whatever. I know you
all well enough to know you won’t let it go, so we might as well
get it over with.”
    We all grab our food
and then sit down to eat. When we’re done, we clean up and head to
the family room. That’s where all our big family discussions take
place. My parents may be billionaires, but they’re two of the most
humble and down to earth people I know. They make sure their home is
comfortable and inviting. Everyone sits there for a few minutes just
looking at me. I refuse to make eye contact or speak, so Owen decides
to go ahead and tell them what he knows. I cross my arms over my
chest and wait for the inevitable fallout.
    “I guess I’ll start
since Luke doesn’t seem to want to tell you guys what’s going on.
I came home from Atlanta the other day to find Olivia staring off
into space in Candi’s studio. When I asked her what had her
thinking so hard, she said it was me and then proceeded to slap me.”
    “I still can’t
believe Olivia slapped you. I mean, she’s always so sweet and quiet
when she’s here with her parents.” Alex looks baffled. I could
tell them how loud she can be, and how dirty her mouth is for me, but
despite how mad I am at her, I won’t disrespect her.
    “She actually said
she wanted to punch me, but she was afraid to hurt her hand so she
slapped me instead. Anyway, she told me she did it for Luke. Because
I dated some cheerleader in high school after he did, and also for
some things I said recently that she heard.”
    “You dated someone
after Luke had already dated