Right Man, Worst Brother

I Saw You Spiral Over Her

Ryder

~_<

Maya takes the bait quicker than I expected. I grin, tilting her face towards me as I pull her chair closer. She tenses but keeps a straight face.

I smile to myself. Such a smart girl.

“You know, Koala.” I murmur, letting my breath fan against her ear. “You will lose and I'm going to enjoy every passing moment of you as mine.”

Her lips part like she's about to argue, but before she can her eyes flickers past me.

I don't need to turn around to know who has her attention.

Bree.

She'd been outside talking to a random guy; smiliinh flirtatiously at him. For someone who claims to be head over heels in love with Liam, she sure has another pass time—entertaining other men.

I noticed when she walked in at first, it'd given me the idea to pull Maya closer and my little Koala had been too into our conversation to notice my brother's bimbo girlfriend pull out her phone and take a picture of us.

All the blood drained out of Maya’s face, she looks like she wants to disappear into thin air. Her fingers curl against my chest like she's about to push me away. I don't let her, instead I strum my thumbs against her little fingers.

Bree finally got closer to us a sardonic smile spread across her face.

“I didn't expect to see you two unashamedly cozy in public.” Her eyes flick to Maya, the corner of her lip tilting upwardss. “Most especially after what happened last night.”

“Getting cozy?” she answers. “Did Liam f**k into oblivion or something, Bree?”

A smile spread across Maya’s face but anyone can tell it is forced.

“I’m not sure but anyone who sees this picture will assume the same thing, wouldn't they?” Bree shows the picture of Maya and I together and damn I must commend her photography skills, it looks more like we are kissing than talking.

The look on Maya’s face is priceless, I cant help the snicker that comes out of my mouth.

“Delete that picture Bree, Ryder and I were just talking.” My koala stands up to pull the phone away from Bree but she's faster.

“Why doesn't Liam be the judge of that?”

This turned out more progressive than I expected. Withing seconds Maya’s rings. Liam’s name flashes across the screen.

Bingo.

I grab the phone quickly from Maya, answering it instead.

“Hello, little brother.”

“What do you think you are doing?”

“Having coffee with my little brother’s friend. Oh and your girlfriend too.” I answer cooly winking at Bree.

Maya’s face is filled with horror and for a millisecond I feel guilty. But if I want to get what I deserve she will have to deal with these little feats.

“Give me my phone, now!” She grits out, visibly pissed but I can't help but want to pinch her cheek.

I pass the phone back to Maya as she walks towards another seat at the cafe talking to my brother.

Bree on the other hand doesn't leave, instead she sits down smiling.

“What do you want?”

“I’m just curious. What do you Coles see in Maya?”

“Everything you're not.”

“Yet, Liam is with me.” she says slimly.

“For how long? You know his reputation, Bree. And maybe he doesn't want to be with Maya for fear of not being good enough for her. Ever thought of that?”

I didn't give her a chance to answer.

~_~_~_<_<_<

The coffee isn’t the reason why my mouth is bitter, it isn’t why my stomach turns. It is the realization that Liam actually loves Maya, in his sick, pathetic way. And what’s worse? A part of of me almost respects him. Almost.

His idea of not hurting her by keeping away but still close is respectable but stupid. Stupid because he still hurts her a lot.

She deserves someone who's not scared of himself of what he's capable of doing not a man—boy who doesn't know what he wants.

She looks at me like she doesn’t know whether to run or get closer. That hesitation—f**k, I thrive on it. But there’s something else, something that makes my chest tighten when she flinches at my voice yet she stays quiet, listening attentively.

She’s a fighter, and I want to be the only one she fights for and fights with. The only one she leans on. I shouldn’t care this much. I should be thinking about the bet. About making Liam suffer. But all I can think about is her. And how I want her.

Maya is anything but sweet and collected, she has a fire in her that only seems to manifest when I'm next to her and it is too bad Liam can’t she how unbreakable she is.

I can't wait to unleash that fiery heat of hers.

Fuck the bet. It was never about that, was it? It should’ve been, but all I care about is staking my claim before Liam figures out what he’s losing. Before Maya can realize what is happening with her.

The club is packed tonight, music blaring through the air as I lean back in my seat. Collin sits across from me, one arm draped over the couch, a whiskey glass dangling between his fingers.

“How did Berlin go?” I raise my brow in surprise, Collin didn't give a s**t about the business despite being a partner.

“That’s new, you really want to know or you're just starting small talk?”

“Bro, I really want to know.”

“The deal pulled through, I bought the club and renovations will start next month.”

“That’s cool, means more dough right?” Ah, there it is.

Collin is the party guy, money waster and our marketer. He pulls the strings without knowing he does and I make the necessary investments.

Sure enough, after a while, he leans forward, tapping his fingers against the table. “You haven’t mentioned Kayla in a while.”

I don’t react. Just take a slow sip of my drink.

Collin smirks. “Which means either you’ve moved on or you’re pretending you have.” His eyes flick to mine. “And since you mentioned that girl, Maya I’m hoping the latter?”

“Kayla is old news. She never really mattered anyway.”

“That’s not what you were saying when she broke things off.”

Broke things off? I huff out.

“She didn’t break things off, Collin. I did.” He looks at me like he didn’t believe what I just said.

“Bro, there’s no reason for you to pretend with me. I saw you spiral over her.”

I nod my head dismissing the conversation, I didn’t like to talk about the situation with Kayla and why I intact lost it. But on the bright side losing her gave me the idea to further my business.

Kayla is the past, one that didn't matter at all in my present.

Maya? She's more than a game, more than a revenge plan.

Collin starts rambling about something, probably a girl or a party but I’m barely listening. My mind is elsewhere.

Then I see her.

Maya walks in, her hair falling in loose waves around her shoulders, lips painted a deep red lipstick as her dress.

I raised my brow in surprise, sh shouldn’t be here not in my club. But here she is, walking inside with her twin brother Ray, Liam, Bree, and some guy I haven’t seen around.

My grip tightens around the glass.

Ray looks unimpressed as always, scanning the club like he already hates it. I know he does, he hates everything that has to do with me. Liam walks beside Maya, too damn close for my liking, his arm nearly brushing hers. And Bree? She looks silly clinging to Liam.

But it’s the other guy that catches my attention. He’s standing next to Maya, his arms wrapped around her waist.

I lean forward, elbows resting on my knees, watching them.

"Who’s that?" I ask, my voice coming out sharper than I intend.

Collin follows my gaze, arching a brow. "No clue, man. But whoever he is, you look like you wanna kill him."

I don’t answer. Of course I want to kill him.

Maya walks ahead, pushing through the crowd with a confidence she didn’t have weeks ago. A smile on her face, not sparing my little brother a glance.

But that dress? That red f*****g dress? She’s not wearing that for herself. It is too seductive to just be casual, she’s trying to get someone’s attention and it is working.

And it’s working.

Maya finally looks up. Our eyes meet across the club, and for a split second, she stills.

There it is. That little hesitation, that unspoken pull between us. She raises her fingers towards me, waving at me.

Good girl.

I tip my glass toward her as well, watching closely as she swallows hard. Then she squares her shoulders and turns her attention back to the guy beside her.

Testing me.

Collin chuckles under his breath. "Oh yeah. You’re f****d, man."

I smirk. "Not yet."

But soon.

Very f*****g soon.