Craving My Best Friend’s Brother のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 121 - チャプター 130

***~~~RIVER~~~***I wasn't excited about this trip, if I'm honest. But by the end of it, it was worth it.I hate to admit it, but she really made me feel something I wasn't expecting to feel. And I'm really glad I got to have her first before Ricky ever did.Tomorrow is Monday, which means practice picks back up. Still got that game against Marcus's team looming in two weeks. Word is they crushed the last team they played. This time, though, I'm actually glad he'll be playing fair.After my call with Chan ends, I hear Cortney's car pull into the driveway. I linger in the corridor, watching through the window as she climbs out. She takes her bags from the truck. And it hits me — maybe it wouldn't be so bad to just tell her. About Chan and me.I know it's selfish, wanting to say it now, on my own terms. But Cortney should be happy about this. Chan's her best friend, and I've been good to her. Really good, not just for show. That's all Cortney's ever wanted for Chan, isn't it? Happines

My heart feels like it's burning. It's insane. I haven't felt this kind of pain in years. It drags me straight back to the night she left, four years ago. The night everything in me changed. The night I became someone darker, someone further from who I actually was. The emotionally unavailable player everyone thinks they know. My hands won't stop shaking as I push through the school doors and cut across the lot toward my car. I was getting better. I liked who I was starting to become around Chan. And now all of it's rushing back at once, and I hate myself for ever walking up to that bar stool four years ago. I hate myself for setting my eyes on her that night. I yank the car door open, and my phone buzzes in my pocket. Chan's name lights up the screen. She's asking if I'm okay. I can't even look at it long enough to type something back. I'm too disgusted with myself to form a real answer, too far from calm to fake one. I shove the phone into the cupholder, ignore it, and drop into t

***~~~CHANCÉ~~~***I keep wondering what's wrong with him. Why he acted that way earlier. There's no way to find out. I can't ask Cort, obviously, and Ricky's not exactly a safe option either. So I've been trying the most direct route: asking River himself. Except he's not picking up my calls, not replying to a single text.Now his phone won't even ring through anymore.Tonight was supposed to be the night. Telling Cort about us. I try to talk myself into something ordinary — maybe he's just wiped from practice, maybe something happened with his parents again.By seven, I'm standing at the Dawson mansion's front door. I text him I'm here. Nothing. So I ring the bell instead, and Melody answers a moment later. "Hello, Miss Chancé. We weren't expecting you."I smile, smoothing my hair. "I'm here for Cort. Bit of a spontaneous visit. Is she upstairs?""Yes, Miss Chancé. Please, come in."I step inside, and as Melody turns to head off, I stop her with a hand. "Er — Melody." She glances

His words ring in my head on repeat, and my eyes go wide, really startled by what he just suggested. BDSM? I've heard of it—the brutal kind of lust, the beating and tying up. Always associated with something rough.I look at him, try to push up off him, but I freeze halfway, elbows still braced against his chest, his hand resting low on my back. "BDSM? You're serious? River, you know what that actually involves, right? You have to tie me up. Beat me.” "It's not a big deal." He shrugs. "Just something different. Spice things up a little." A pause. "But if you're not up to it, that's fine too."I watch him slip out from under me, swinging his legs off the bed, and I'm left sitting there, blinking, trying to catch up. He crosses to my table, grabs his trousers, pulls them on without looking back at me.At the window, he pauses, glancing over his shoulder. "Goodnight, Chan." A small easy smile spread across his lips. "Goodnight," I manage.But even though he says it’s okay, his expressi

I missed practice that morning. Stayed over at Sophia's the whole night.I wake up to find her already dressed, moving around the room. Last night was incredible. I prop myself up on one elbow, watching her. She turns and catches me staring, a slow smile spreading across her face. "You're up?"I nod."You sure you don't want to go to school?"I shake my head. "I think I just need to sleep this off. Already missed practice anyway — if Coach wants to yell at me, he can start tomorrow.""Okay." She buckles her watch, crosses the room, leans down, and presses a kiss to my mouth. "Might see you later, once I'm back."I nod again, watching her straighten up.She heads back to her vanity, grabs her bag off the chair, and pauses at the door, glancing back at me. "If you get hungry, there's leftovers in the freezer. Just warm them up.""Thanks." I watch her disappear through the doorway.Once she's gone, I let out a heavy breath and drop my face into my arms. Then I reach for my phone on the n