Chapter 3

Four years later, the present...

Emma's POV:

"When will he stop brooding?" my brother, Landon, asks me. His gaze is firmly set on JT. "It's been two years since she left," he points out, insensitive as always. "You'd think he'd move on by now." 

I shake my head at him with a grimace. "Don't be stupid, Lan," I clout him over the head for being mean.

"Ouch, Ems!" He lets out a strained noise in response. "Yeah, and they say I'm the dangerous one in the family," he replies, sarcastic.

I ignore his dumb remark and get back to the point. "He loved that girl with everything he had," I remind my brother. "He's not going to just get over her, you moron."

"Well, he should."

Landon tends to be very opinionated at times.

"Landon," I growl, glaring daggers at him, "you'd have to experience love to understand JT's dilemma," I tell him, standing up for Jay. "In other words, Lan, you'll never get it." 

Landon throws an accusing finger in my face, stifling a grin. "You're mean," he tells me and adds, "that was uncalled for, Sis."

Xavier, out of nowhere, throws a carefree arm around my shoulders. "I can't believe I'm agreeing with 'Ruthless Racer' -- you are mean."

Landon glares at him and removes his arm from my shoulders. I don't think the two of them will ever get along. Granted, they do get along a lot better than they used to. Landon can at least tolerate Xavier from time to time.

"No one even calls me that anymore," Landon points out, annoyed.

"That's because you threatened everyone and said you'd pummel us all if any of us ever called you that again," Xavier reminds my brother, a mischievous grin on his face. He lives to irritate my brother; he also knows that I won't let my brother hurt him. Xavier has become my weakness and he seems to know it.

"Well, maybe I should start living up to that threat," Landon snarls as he makes a move to hit Xavier. 

Before I can react, Grey's already stepping in to stop a fight from breaking out. "You two never quit, do you?" he mutters, his firm gaze straying from Landon to Xavier. 

I shoot Grey a grateful smile for getting involved.

Xavier, wanting to push my brother's buttons further, makes a cocky remark in response. "All I know is that Em won't ever quit on me."

I roll my eyes at him, used to him constantly hitting on me.

"He's a dumbass," Landon says to Grey, gesturing to Xavier, barely holding it together.

"That's old news," Grey agrees, unfazed.

Xavier, fueled by their irritation, wolf whistles loudly at me as he beckons me over. "You and me girl...wild fantasies."  

"And I'm supposed to put up with that?" Landon asks Grey, unbelieving of Xave's audacity. "He tests my patience. If it weren't for my sister, he'd be dead."

No doubt about that.

Xavier continues to spur my brother on; he shoots me a flirty wink. "Want to come back to my place tonight?" He grins suggestively before adding, "We could have so much fun..." he pauses as if contemplating his next words, "just like last time."

I close my eyes at hearing him say that. I throw my head back, pinching the bridge of my nose in aggravation as I let out a string of curse words. It's like he has a death wish. Landon is definitely not going to let this one go.

"What?!" Landon sputters out as if uncertain as to whether he heard correctly or not. He turns to me for confirmation. "That better not be true!" He hisses at me, the overprotective side of him coming to play.

"Oh, but it is," Xavier smirks before his gaze flashes over to me. "Sweet Ems isn't as innocent as you'd like to think she is."

I groan at his statement, aware that Lan is going to be even more enraged when he hears the rest of it.

"Tell me you didn't, Emma," Landon's voice is strangely quiet as waits for me to answer. It's a sign that he's about to erupt.

I wince, biting my bottom lip as I think back to that night. "I was drunk..." I start sheepishly. "It only happened once."

Grey, repulsed, gags. "Gross."

Landon releases a strained breath as he runs his fingers through his chestnut brown hair. "Screw that, Emma!" he breathes out as he paces anxiously. "What were you thinking?!" He raises his tone so that he's now full-on shouting at me. 

I wasn't thinking.

I flinch back at his aggressive tone. "It won't happen again," I reassure him, adamant.

Xavier snorts in amusement. "Lie," he says in between fake coughs.

Landon scowls at Xavier, his knuckles turning white. "You're the underbelly of society, scumbag."

Xavier agrees, a grin still fully intact on his lips. "I am, indeed."

"Between you two..." Grey points at both Xavier and me, "and your little thing going on, and you..." he gestures to Landon, "with your flaming temper, and him..." he then motions to Jay in the distance, "with his two-year brooding course over Lawson, I'm done," he confirms with conviction, refusing to get involved this time 'round. "I'm out."

He walks away after that, having lost his patience.

"He needs to get a girl already," Xavier suggests, breaking the silence.

"And you need to stop getting a girl..." Landon narrows his eyes at him, too angry to even think straight, "with my sister!"

Xavier chuckles before raising an eyebrow at Landon. "What are you trying to say, Ruthless? Are you speaking stupid again? I've told you before, I don't understand."

Landon merely shoots Xavier the middle finger before storming off, obviously too angry to form coherent sentences right now.

"Why did you dig your own grave?" I ask, turning to face the culprit who caused all this bickering.

Xavier shrugs as if clueless. He cocks his head to the side innocently. "It's fun?" He tries to reason with me.

My gaze darts from his shiny, blonde hair back to his kilowatt smirk. He thinks he can do whatever he wants just because he's attractive. "Look..." I clear my throat, "that night was a mistake," I clarify. "We were both drunk at the time. It didn't mean anything."

"Sure, Ems, " Xavier remarks with a slick smirk on his lips, "whatever makes you sleep at night." He grins as if not offended in the slightest. "Oh, wait..." he pauses dramatically, "that's me."

He's enjoying this way too much.

"One time," I glower up at him while trying to ignore his dark eyes roaming over me shamelessly.

I should've known beforehand that he'd never let me live this down. I'm never drinking again. One night stands are unavoidable when wasted.

Xavier merely grins as he takes a step forward. "Admit it, Emma, you want me," he whispers in a seductive tone.

I shove him away, refusing to give into him. I don't make the same mistake twice. 

"Go flirt with someone else," I shoo him away, hoping he'll leave. 

It's his fault that my brother is peeved with me. I hate fighting with Landon. We argue a lot but it's not often that one of us walks away from the other. It means Landon is beyond angry. Now, I have to suck up to him for the next month and attend to his every will until he forgives me.

Xavier's eyes darken at my words and his expression morphs into a frown. "I've told you before, Emma, I just want you."

With that, he walks away.