Page 156 of Defend Me
When she struggled against my hold, I released her and stepped back. As if this was business as usual, she smoothed down her skirt.
“You can leave now.”
“Fine by me,” I replied with a shrug before I headed toward the door.
“After your disrespect today, don’t expect any… special treatment, Mr. Elrod.”
My shoulders tensed, but I kept going, refusing to show any weakness.
Fuck Holly. I didn’t need her endorsement and I sure as hell wouldn’t let her drag me down to the depths I’d been stuck in for so long.
I was Brooks fucking Elrod. My parents built an empire and they raised me to be worthy of it.
If anyone was going to bow, it’d be at my feet while I wore these twenty-dollar slides Tilian dared me to buy and wear for three days.
I didn’t even hate them.
*****
My first breath of free air in my apartment
Once I walked in the door, I realized that I should have dealt with part two before I got here. In my head, I was going to do it in my room and maybe, if I felt like it, I’d think of a new tattoo. I was imagining a narwhal on the inside of my thigh. Any time I was sprawled out in front of Tilian, he’d be greeted by the little dude and it’d be adorable.
Since Tilian and Dean were unexpectedly on the couch with a giant tub of popcorn, that plan went out the window.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“Movie night,” Dean replied around a mouthful of popcorn.
“I sent you a text,” Tilian said.
“Oh. I haven’t checked my phone. Is that from the movie theater?”
He grinned. “Yup. You don’t have to see a movie to buy from the concession stand.”
“Weird.”
“Come on. We got Red Ax. It just came out.”
“I’m shocked Tilian likes horror movies,” Dean noted.
Tilian scoffed. “Why the fuck would you be shocked?”
Dean eyed him up and down. “I figured you’d be scared.”
“That’s the point. And no, a horror movie has never actually freaked me out. Are you stereotyping here?”
“How would I be doing that?”
“I don’t know. You tell me.”
Dean tried to hide his smile. “Aren’t you like… a twink or something?”
Tilian’s mouth fell open. “Fuck you. No, I’m not a twink. Why do you think that?”
He looked awkward now and when he glanced at me, I just crossed my arms over my chest, waiting while I fought with everything I had not to laugh. He’d gotten himself into this and even though we were civil now, I wasn’t going to come to his aid unless he was on the verge of death. Maybe.
“Um, you’re a…” he trailed off.
