Letting My Brother's Best Friend Take My V-Card

LUKE

Josh leaned back against the counter, his jaw tight and his expression grim. "What are we going to do about Sarah?"

I didn't answer right away. The air between us felt heavy, every unsaid word adding to the weight pressing down on my chest. Finally, I spoke, my voice sharp. "First, what the hell did you do with the gun?" Josh's gaze didn't waver, but his tone came out clipped.

"Nothing. Left it right where I found it. But I unloaded it and took the bullets."

My fists clenched at my sides as I stared at him. "You didn't think that was worth telling me earlier? Jesus, Josh, we're sitting on a goddamn time bomb here!"

Before he could reply, a scream tore through the house, sharp and raw, cutting through the tension like a knife.

Both of us froze.

"Did you hear that?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.

Josh's face drained of color. "Yeah."

of the room, moving on instinct. The sound had come from my

through the front door.

the time. Josh peeled off towards the kitchen, and I headed upstairs, taking the

okay? Jess!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the empty

shoved open the bedroom doors, one after the other, but each room was empty. The house felt wrong-off. Eerily still, like it was

carried from below, tight with

back down the stairs, nearly slipping in

reply. My stomach

into the kitchen and skidded to a halt. Jess was there, standing next to Laura. Relief

counter behind her like it was the only thing keeping her upright. "Babe," I said,

didn't answer. She just shook her head, her gaze flickering behind

glanced between her and Laura, my confusion mounting. "What's going on?" I turned to Josh, who had come into the

"Why isn't anyone answering

of a gun cocking stopped

locked up as I spun