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

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THE TRUTH

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THE TRUTH

JOSH

The call came just as I was leaving practice.

“Mr. Saunders?”

“Yeah, this is him.” I balanced my duffel on my shoulder, pushing open the car door.

“This is Officer Ruiz with the Austin PD. We have a woman in custody, Vivien, who listed you as her emergency contact.”

I stopped mid–motion, gripping the door frame. “What?”

“She was picked up outside a coffee shop after causing a scene. Barista called it in–said she was aggressively confronting a blonde woman, screaming at her.” The officer

hesitated. “She’s requesting that you come down to the station.’

I clenched my jaw so tight I thought my teeth might crack.

“What does she want from me?”

“She’s insisting that you validate her story. That she’s not crazy.”

I scrubbed a hand down my face. “Jesus Christ.”

The drive to the station was a blur of anger and disbelief. I knew Vivien was struggling, but this? It was unhinged. I had a bad feeling in my gut, one that only grew worse when they led me down a hallway toward the holding cells.

THE TRUTH

11 ******

“She’s in here,” the officer said, stopping in front of the cell.

her arms folded tightly over her stomach. Her usually perfect raven hair was a mess, her makeup smudged like she had been

inside, she froze. Her red–rimmed eyes snapped to mine, her face

them. Tell them I’m not crazy. That we love each other! That we‘ re supposed to be a family!” Her voice cracked, her hands gripping the cold metal.

heat rising in my chest. “Vivien, what the hell is

tighter, her whole body shaking. “I worked so hard for us. Don’t you see that?” Her voice grew frantic. “You just have to tell them, Josh! Tell them it’s not made

silence stretched between

you worked hard?” My voice was low, sharp.

again, her breaths erratic.

beside me shifted uncomfortably, just

as I was.

Then Vivien stopped.

head, her dark

you recognize me?” she

chill slid down

“What?”

A breathy laugh escaped her lips.

for a

No.

wasn’t possible.

course, you didn’t see me, but I was always in the background. Listening to you talk to her while I knew she wasn’t really there. She wasn’t coming

lurched. “Vivien… what the fuck are you

the bars, a

sure… I gave her a little sedation at the beginning. Just to make sure she didn’t wake up. But that was only once to twice…I think.” She nodded frantically. “Only that one dose

turned ice

my sides, rage

THE TRUTH

11 288 Vouchers

I swallowed hard, my voice like gravel.

lips parted, her face slack with

thinking about moving to Texas. Sol did the research, found the right school, got the job-”

Perfect.

had stalked me. Manipulated her way into my life.

kept Laura in a

whole body tensed, every muscle coiling like a live wire. I forced myself to