Read Online Not Your Fault by Cheyanne Young - Free Book Online Page A

look at her.
    My jaw drops. The woman in front of us, with her hands on her hips as she and Kris say less than nice things to each other, is not a super model. She’s short and a little chunky around the midsection. She wears white cut off jean shorts that leave absolutely nothing to the imagination and a faded grey tank top. A tattoo of a dragon starts at her foot and snakes up her entire leg, disappearing behind the pockets of her shorts. A few dozen wavy-lined and faded tattoos litter her other leg.
    On the positive side, she has massive boobs.
    “Uh, boss?” I say, poking my head into their conversation. “I’m gonna head back to the group.” As fascinating as it is seeing him get a verbal lashing from a girl who looks like she’s been around the block a few times, I am so over being around Kris Payne. Plus I have to pee. And maybe cry a little.
    “Your employee, huh?” the woman says, shoving him in the arm. “Do all your employees dress like a slut? You own a strip club or something?”
    “Whoa,” I say when Kris doesn’t say anything to stick up for me. “I’m not a part of this little drama fest you have going on, so I’ll thank you not to insult me as if you aren’t a piece of white trash yourself.”
    In the shocked silence that follows, I grab my shoes from him and begin to walk away. The woman’s annoying voice lashes out again and this time I can’t ignore it.
    “Where’s her brother, Kris?”
    My chest goes cold as I turn to face her, my knees going wobbly even without wearing my heels. What does this woman know about my brother? She eyes me and I hate that my face just showed emotion. She continues, motioning with her hands to the vast room around us. “Well where is he? Did you steal her brother too?”
    I glance at Kris, hoping for some kind of explanation but a pained expression is all he flashes at me before holding up his hand to her. “Shut the hell up, Lucy.”
    “Don’t tell me what to do, Kristofer Payne! You don’t get to tell me that anymore.”
    “Don’t act like I was the monster here,” he says as he leans closer to her, his voice seething and raw. Now I can’t walk away. Now I have to know what they’re talking about.
    “How do you know about my brother?” The last word threatens to make me crack, but I stay strong. She gives me this open-mouthed stare of ignorance, lifting her eyebrows at what she obviously considers a stupid question.
    I look to my right. “Kris?”
    Our eyes meet and he looks just as sad as I feel. “She doesn’t know about your brother, Delaney.”
    Confusion grips me as I stand on weary legs, my heart hurting more than it’s hurt all year.
    Kris’s annoying ex-girlfriend gives me a dismissive glance. “I don’t know shit about your brother unless he tried to steal him like he stole mine.” She points her finger at our ex-boyfriend. “You stay away from my brother. No more hanging out. No more taking him to get ice cream. You fucking stay away!”
    Kris starts in on how he’s just trying to be a positive influence in the boy’s life and how that has nothing to do with her. But I’ve heard enough. The mention of my brother was a false alarm and this isn’t my business anymore.
    This time I really do walk away, leaving them to their hateful argument. My head hurts and it’s not from the alcohol. I don’t know what’s going on; I just know that I want to be away from here.
     

Chapter 11
     
     
     
     
    My front door swings open the moment I step on the porch. Cat greets me from inside my house, a frown so pitiful on her face, it almost makes me want to comfort her . I had called her the moment I left Fun Max House, running barefoot across the parking lot to my car. I couldn’t leave that place fast enough. Now, Cat reaches out and takes my kicked-off heels from my hand, opening the door wider to let me in.
    “It’s going to be okay,” she says, even though she has no idea what’s wrong. From what I remember of our brief