Dirty Little Secrets (Book1) The Dirty Little Secrets Series

Chapter Eight-Lena

Hello, Lovelies, 

I hope you are having a great day!  Thank you to those who have read, voted on, commented and added any of my books to your libraries.  I am grateful.  There aren't really any warnings for this chapter.  Thank you for reading.  

-XXXX Amanda

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I woke up slowly, the events of the night before firmly in my mind. It wasn't hazy like I had expected it to be. Instead, I remembered almost everything. I also didn't have a blasting headache like I expected. I guess I was one of the lucky few who didn't have hangovers.

I rose from the bed, still pissed because Asher had taken me from the party. I couldn't understand why anything I did was his business. Maybe it was because he was friends with my brother. Regardless, I didn't want to see him so I grabbed my shoes, peeking out into his hallway and finding no one before checking for his presence and stepping into the living room. I sighed, thankful he wasn't there and made my way to the front door on tiptoes.

"Sneaking out?" Asher said, behind me. I tensed and turned around. He was standing in the entry to the kitchen, his arms crossed over his muscled chest, stretching his t-shirt tight over his pecs. His eyes were narrowed on me.

"No, I was going home and didn't want to wake you," I said, giving him my brightest smile.

"Uh-huh," he said, clearly not believing a word I said, "Do you remember what happened last night?"

I nodded, refusing to feel bad for being a typical college student, "Every bit of it."

His eyes narrowed further, "What the fuck were you thinking, Lena?"

I raised my brow as the smile fell off my face, "I was thinking...I wanted to have fun and I was," I said raising my chin.

"You were going to strip," he said through clenched teeth.

I shook my head as annoyance slid up my spine, "No, I wasn't," I met his eyes, "But even if I was, there were twenty other girls there who weren't wearing shirts."

"That's not the point," he said, his eyes flashing, "There are guys there who wouldn't care that you're a virgin."

"Good," I said, angry at him for pointing that out...Angry that he was trying to tell me what to do.

"What?" He seemed shocked but his voice lowered in a way that sounded dangerous but instead of frightening me it caused desire to unfurl snaking from my abdomen to my core.

I raised my chin, narrowing my eyes, "Good," I repeated, my voice raising with each word, "I don't want to be that girl anymore. I don't want to be that sweet, shy, virginal girl who doesn't live her life. I want to get out. I want have fun and you aren't my father or my brother. You can't stop me."

He stepped toward me, his movements threatening as his face moved an inch from mine, "You want to bet," he said, through his teeth, "I can make sure you aren't invited to any other parties on this campus."

He thought he had me. I could tell by the smirk sliding across his sexy face.

"I've already been invited," I sassed as all confidence that he could keep me trapped in my room fell from his face, "That sexy blonde invited me before you even got there. I think his name is Lance."

His face turned an alarming shade of red, "I swear if I see you there..."

I put my hand on his chest and pushed him back, "You'll what? Tell my brother? He'll be glad I'm getting out of the house."

"No, I won't tell him but there will be a repeat of what happened last night," he said, his nostrils flaring, "You won't get to do what you think. I'm not going to allow you to get hurt by one of the assholes that frequent those parties."

I pushed past him and opened the front door, "You think you'll keep me from going to those parties...Well, we'll see about that," I said, shaking my head, "I guess I'll see you tonight."

Then, I walked out sensing his angry gaze as I strolled across his lawn into mine.

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Jay was sitting at the table when I walked in. His eyes slid over me as his eyebrows moved up into his hairline. I groaned. I had just been lectured by Asher and I didn't want to hear another one from him.

"Late night?" He asked, tightly.

I took a deep breath. It was different facing my brother than it was facing Asher. Worry settled in his gaze instead of that stupid cockiness Asher had that made him think he could tell me what to do.

"I went to a party," I said, rolling my eyes realizing that he had probably witnessed my trek from Asher's house to our own and was trying to keep his temper in check until he heard me out, "Of course I didn't get to stay because Asher has taken it upon himself to guard my virtue."

Jay almost spit his coffee across the room, "Asher?" He choked, "The same Asher next door who sleeps with a different girl every week?"

"The one and the same," I said, narrowing my eyes, "Did you tell him to do that?"

Jay grinned all worry evaporating from his face, "No," He said, slowly, "But I can't say I'm not glad. Those parties are crazy, Lena. Did you get drunk? Is that why you stayed at his house?"

I winced, "Yes, that is why I stayed at his house in his guest room," I sighed, "Nothing happened."

That wasn't exactly true. For some unfathomable reason I had yet to work out in my mind, I did kiss him. I suppose I should be more grateful that he didn't take it further but for some reason I wasn't.

"You're lucky that he has some morals, Lena," he said, his eyes darkening, "Any of those other guys would have taken advantage of you. I don't know why he didn't...I mean...I figured he was one of those guys who would...But I'm glad he wasn't."

"Morals?" I rolled my eyes, "He carried me out of there over his shoulder like a caveman."

Jay snorted, obviously picturing that happening, "He didn't."

"Oh, he did," I said, crossing my arms over my chest, annoyed that my brother thought it was amusing, "And has threatened to do the same thing if I showed up at anymore parties."

Jay's lips twitched, "Are you going to anymore parties?"

"I'm going to every single one," I said, gritting my teeth, determined not to let either my brother or Asher change my mind.

Jay was struggling to keep a straight face, "The next time I want a picture."

My mouth dropped open. Jay could at least appear a little bit upset but instead he was entertained by the story. He tilted his head as he studied me.

"I don't have to have the discussion to warn you away from Asher, right?" He asked, narrowing his eyes, "You've witnessed the conga line of women he's had out his door. He's not a prince charming, Lena. You know that."

I sighed because my brother didn't know that I couldn't care less about a prince charming. All I wanted was to shed the old Lena and live a life instead of hiding in the shadows.

"I've witnessed them," I said, shaking my head, "Believe me, Asher is the last person I would expect forever with."

Jay nodded and thankfully, remained silent. I made my way to my room a smirk on my face as I decided to rest because tonight, I was going to that party and Asher wasn't going to stop me. As I lay on my bed, I turned to my side staring at a picture of Barret and I before I reached forward and turned it so I couldn't see his smiling face. He thought I would fade away into the shadows, but I was going to prove him wrong. I was going to prove them all wrong.