The Wrong Perfect Match (Fullilove in the House Book 1)

by Sidney Bristol

  Brandi edged closer to him and whispered, “Jayden?”

  “Don’t,” he said in a low voice.

  She let her hand drop to her side and watched him.

  Of course Asher was in prison. Jayden hadn’t wanted to start with the cops because he had feared the truth.

  His brother had finally fucked up so bad there was no saving him. Sure, he was getting out, but for how long? And when would he do it again? Could Asher just stop and consider how his actions impacted other people?

  The icing on the cake was Brandi.

  He turned his head and stared into her hazel eyes. “Do you think he’s guilty?”

  She drew herself up a little taller. “It’s not as simple as innocent or guilty. You should hear the story from him. Let him tell you what happened.”

  Jayden shook his head.

  He’d thought he knew her. That he understood the kind of person she was.

  There was no room for a criminal in his life. Or a criminal sympathizer.

  “Jayden.” She sighed, irritation lacing her words.

  He gestured at the wall, in the general direction where he thought the detention center was. “You want to be irritated with me after you go sit with my brother in prison and listen to whatever bullshit he’s feeding you?”

  “It’s not like that.”

  “That’s what he wants you to believe. Don’t you get that?”

  “Dude. Man. Ease up.” Kingston stepped between Jayden and Brandi. “Let’s not yell at the ladies, okay?”

  Brandi stared right back at Jayden over Kingston’s shoulder. “It’s okay.”

  Kingston reached out toward Jayden. “Asher had a reason. I have to believe that.”

  He pushed Kingston’s hand away. “Whatever it is, it’s selfish. Asher doesn’t do anything for anyone else, and the rest of you want to act like he’s some saint. Well, your saint is a fuck up.”

  Brandi frowned. “Jayden.”

  He glared at her and felt as though a deep wound were slashed across his chest. Every beat of his heart hurt worse than the last.

  She believed Asher.

  One meeting, and he’d won her over. Just like everyone else who couldn’t see through Asher’s bullshit.

  She wasn’t the person Jayden thought she was.

  Jayden leaned toward Brandi. Kingston planted his hands on Jayden’s shoulders, as if he needed to hold Jayden back.

  “You like Asher so much, go be with him,” Jayden said.

  Brandi’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

  “Dude,” Kingston snapped. He shoved at Jayden’s chest, forcing him back a step. “No, dude. No.”

  “What did I do?” Brandi demanded.

  “Apparently you’re with the wrong brother.”

  “Bro, you need to stop this shit right now,” Kingston said in a low voice.

  “Why?” Jayden snarled. “Asher can fuck up time and time and time again, but everyone lines up to tell him it’s okay to do absolutely nothing with his life. He takes and he takes and he takes and you’re all letting him do this.”

  Brandi threw her hands up in the air. Kind of like Mom. Which only irritated Jayden. “Not everyone has their shit together from the moment they’re born.”

  “He could fucking try.”

  “Kingston, excuse me?” Brandi nudged the other man out of the way and marched the short distance to Jayden. “I get that you don’t like this news, but you really should talk to Asher. Hear what happened—”

  “You can’t trust a fucking thing, Asher says. How many times can I say that? Do none of you get that? Or are you so far up his ass you can’t see?”

  Brandi glared fire. “I’m not up anyone’s ass, but apparently you can’t find your way out of your own.”

  He fought the urge to clutch at a nonexistent wound. “I thought you were different.”

  Her gaze narrowed and the fire blazed hotter. “I thought you were reasonable enough to talk about this like an adult instead of throwing a fucking temper tantrum. You know what? Grow the hell up before you speak to me again, because what’s happening right now isn’t okay. I get you have issues with your brother. Families aren’t perfect. But this? Right now? This is all you, and it is ugly.”

  Brandi turned on her heel and stalked away. She yanked the door open so hard it banged on the wall.

  Nicole’s head whipped one way then the other as she looked from him to Brandi and back.

  “I, um, okay,” Nicole muttered.

  She snatched Brandi’s purse up from where she’d placed it on the side table by the sofa and rushed after her roommate.

  “That was fucked up, bro,” Diego said.

  Kingston shook his head.

  Jayden planted his hands on his hips.

  All these years and he’d watched Asher get away with everything except murder. Jayden had kept his thoughts to himself, letting his brothers follow after Asher, getting into trouble and then weathering punishments together. And none of them saw what a trap it was? How Asher was always the root problem?

  He screwed things up even when he wasn’t here.

  Kingston strolled toward the front door. “Yeah, I think we’re done here for tonight.”

  Diego and Luca were quick to follow after Kingston.

  Maddox and Sawyer still stood at the kitchen bar like statues.

  “Did that really just happen?” Maddox asked.

  “Yup,” Sawyer muttered.

  “I, uh, I’m going to check on them,” Maddox muttered and was gone.

  The front door thunked shut with a feeling of finality.

  “Are they really this blind?” Jayden turned and speared Sawyer with a stare. Out of all of them, Sawyer was the most reasonable. He had to see it.

  “Who are you really mad at?” Sawyer wiped his hands on a napkin.

  “Asher. This is his fault. How can one person screw up so much when they aren’t even around?”

  Sawyer neatly folded the used napkin into quarters. “Do you remember after you graduated, how Maddox and I had a year there where we didn’t talk much?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I remember you came to my room one night and we talked about it. You told me to just get over it, be the bigger person. But the thing was, I was driving the Titanic and you were only seeing the tip of the iceberg. I think this is a lot like that.” Sawyer lifted his chin and stared back at Jayden with sad, soulful eyes. “I also don’t think you’re ready to stop being mad at him.”

  “Why should I? At this point, I should just cut him out of my life.”

  “You know the rest of the family won’t do that. So does that mean you’re willing to cut everyone out?”

  Jayden considered the question.

  Right now, yes was an easy answer. But he was angry, disappointed, sad and so many other things. Would he say yes tomorrow?

  Everyone else was willing to sweep this under the rug. They didn’t want to hold Asher accountable. At the end of the day, was that what he wanted in his life? Was that what he wanted to grow a family around?

  “The fact that you can’t answer me is the answer,” Sawyer said softly.

  “WHAT THE FUCK? WHAT the actual fuck was that?” Brandi gripped the steering wheel with both hands. The old truck felt as though it might vibrate apart.

  Nicole braced her feet on the floorboard, gripped the door with one hand and her headrest with the other. “That’s a stop sign.”

  “I can fucking see,” Brandi snarled as she slammed on the brakes. “I am not mad at you.”

  “I know. I know you aren’t. That sign just came up awfully fast.”

  The truck stopped with a bit too much force. The seatbelt locked and the momentum slung her forward.

  Brandi needed the anger. It insulated her from everything else. If she could just stay angry until she got home, then she’d let go of it and drag herself off to her corner to lick her wounds. And apologize to Nicole. She didn’t deserve to be snapped at like this.

  They both blew o
ut a deep breath at the same time.

  “Sorry,” Brandi muttered.

  “You get to be angry.” Nicole turned wide eyes on her. “I know you aren’t mad at me.”

  Something about her understanding released the tension in Brandi. She slumped in her seat and eased her foot off the brake. “I can’t talk about this until we get home.”

  Nicole nodded. “Got it.”

  Brandi stared straight ahead at the empty road and allowed herself to think about nothing more than the tactile sensations of driving the beat up old truck. By the time they reached the duplex, she almost felt calm.

  Nicole was quick to unlock the door and turn on the lights.

  “Hungry?” she asked.

  Brandi’s stomach clenched. “I can’t eat.”

  “Okay...”

  She turned and looked at Nicole. “Did that son of a bitch really just break up with me?”

  Nicole winced. “He didn’t come out and say that.”

  “The nerve of that mother fucker.” Brandi planted her hands on her hips. “The fucking nerve. He shoves his way into my life, sucks up all my time, demands a place—and then just breaks up with me?”

  Anger was so much more satisfying than tears.

  She could feel her eyes prickling. No part of her wanted to cry.

  Nicole sank down onto the sofa, watching her with wide eyes.

  Brandi clenched her fists so tight her knuckles ached.

  What was worse, Jayden had taken one of her calming activities away from her. She couldn’t work in the garage without thinking of him.

  The bastard.

  Had Asher committed a crime?

  Yes.

  Brandi would admit that freely. And she still supported Asher.

  She’d always been that picked on kid. The one no one looked out for. If her grandparents hadn’t been as protective, who knew what might have happened to her? Where she’d be?

  And Jayden wouldn’t even hear what had happened. The only thing that mattered was this rift with his brother.

  She didn’t even matter. Not to him. And at the end of the day, that hurt. She’d erroneously thought she was helping, when really she was sticking her nose where it didn’t belong.

  Jayden hadn’t listened. No part of him wanted the truth. So he’d humiliated her in front of his family, the very people she’d been avoiding out of fear things would end.

  Well, this showed her.

  “Brandi? Talk to me?” Nicole patted the sofa.

  Brandi swiped at her eyes. “Shit. What time is it?”

  Nicole gasped. “Your dad! He’s supposed to call soon.”

  “Shit.” Brandi grabbed a paper towel and tried to blot her face. “I’ll just message him and say something came up.”

  Her laptop sitting open on a TV tray table began to ring.

  She groaned and plodded to the sofa. Her relationship with her father was so new. She wasn’t sure she wanted to discuss a fresh breakup with him. Especially when she didn’t fully understand her father, his lifestyle, or his beliefs. It was all so new and there were a million points to learn. Not that he expected her to learn any of it. Whenever she asked a question about something she’d read he was enthusiastic.

  Brandi plopped down on the sofa, closed her eyes and blew out a breath.

  Her father was on his way to work. It would be a short call. Everything would be fine.

  Feeling a tiny bit in control, she clicked the answer button.

  The video feed popped up and she mustered a smile.

  “Hey, Dad.” The word still felt strange on her tongue, but she didn’t hate it.

  “Sat Shri Akaal.” Vinaypaul smiled back at her.

  It was impossible to speak to him and not smile at some point. It was contagious and instantly made her feel a tiny bit better.

  He pulled his camera closer and frowned. “What is wrong?”

  Nicole leaned on Brandi’s shoulder and wiggled her fingers. “Hi, Mr. Mann.”

  “Hello.” The smile was still in his eyes, but his face had grown serious. “Nicole, what is bothering my daughter?”

  Nicole glanced at Brandi, then back at the camera.

  “My boyfriend just screamed at me, then broke up with me in front of six of his brothers.” She even managed to say the whole thing in a calm voice with no new tears.

  Vinaypaul frowned. Jayden had made a brief appearance on a few of her chats, so it wasn’t like mentioning him was new information.

  “Did I understand you correctly? He yelled at you?” There was something about Vinaypaul’s tone that made her cringe, but not for herself. She almost pitied Jayden for drawing her father’s ire.

  “It happened. It’s apparently over.” Her voice cracked and a tear slid down her cheek.

  Stupid men.

  Stupid her.

  She’d been such an idiot. A big fool. And look where it got her?

  “Heartbreak is never easy,” he said in a tender voice that only made her cry harder.

  Brandi curled her legs under her and let Nicole drape the fuzzy blanket over her lap.

  Brandi knew better than to fall in love. Nothing good had ever come of it. Maybe she was unlovable? Could that be it?

  Day 21: Sunday

  Jayden once more found himself restlessly pacing the apartment.

  He’d washed all of his linens and towels. The dry cleaning was hanging up. The kitchen was spotless. He’d stocked up on groceries for the week. All his bills were paid and errands ran. And lastly, the cork tiles were gone. All of their lists and information were shredded. There was no evidence he’d ever headed up a search for his brother.

  He hadn’t heard from any of his family since Wednesday.

  Maddox had even given his desk a wide berth at the bank.

  Jayden couldn’t say that he minded the space. In fact, given how angry he’d been up until yesterday, it was probably for the best.

  Everyone thought Asher hung the moon, when really all he did was show up late, leave early and take the last slice of pie.

  Why was everyone ready to just sweep this whole thing under the rug? Hadn’t Mom raised them all better than this?

  Against his will, he turned his head and glanced at the wet bar. More accurately, he looked at the bit of floor in front of the bar where...

  A yawning chasm of darkness inside of him opened.

  He squeezed his eyes shut, shoving all thoughts of Brandi out of his mind.

  That was a betrayal he couldn’t think about. If he just kept himself busy, these feelings would pass.

  It was silly of him to think he was in love after only two weeks. Where was his head? Why had he allowed his plan to be derailed?

  Brandi wasn’t the type of woman he’d imagined for himself. He’d do well to remember that.

  He blocked out the dozens of memories that now included her.

  She was gone. Cut out of his life by her own choices. She hadn’t even tried to reach out to him, which said all he needed to know.

  A heavy hand pounded on the front door.

  Jayden scowled, but part of him hoped for a new task to fill his mind. Something that would maybe keep him from Sunday dinner. He stalked across the condo and yanked the door open.

  Asher stood on the other side, his forearm braced on the doorframe.

  For a moment Jayden could only stare.

  The shoulder length braids were gone. He’d shaved his head. When? And why?

  The clothes were the same. Jeans. A dark T-shirt under a puffy green jacket with faux fur around the hood. And his usual Timberland boots. Of course he had a toothpick jammed between his lips. There was always one on him somewhere.

  “What’s up, bro?” Asher drawled.

  Jayden mentally shoved aside the shock at seeing his twin. “What do you want?”

  Asher pushed off the doorframe and took a step forward.

  Jayden didn’t move.

  “You want to have this talk here in the hall? Where all your neighbors might see?”
r />   Jayden crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t care who sees.”

  “Alright.”

  “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at Mom and Dad’s?”

  “I’m going back by there, but first we need to talk.”

  “About what? I fail to see what we need to talk about.”

  “Apparently you have a problem with me.”

  “I don’t have a problem with you. I’m disappointed in you. But that’s your problem.”

  “No, I don’t think it is.” Asher reached up and took the toothpick from between his lips and perched it behind his ear. “You know, I thought Mom taught us to treat women with respect, and here I hear you’re yelling at that nice girlfriend of yours.”

  “She’s not my girlfriend,” Jayden snarled.

  Not after she got hooked on Asher, like everyone else.

  He shook his head. “That’s too bad. She seemed to really have a thing for you.”

  “Are you done?” Jayden asked.

  “Nope.” Asher moved suddenly, shoving the door open the rest of the way and neatly side-stepping Jayden into the condo.

  “Get the fuck out.”

  Asher shrugged out of his coat and hung it on a stool. “No.”

  “Should I call the cops?”

  “They won’t do shit. We’re brothers. There’s no fighting. No blood. They’ll just be in the way.”

  “Aren’t you on parole? Or bail?”

  “No.”

  Jayden paused. That didn’t make sense.

  Asher crossed his arms over his chest now. “Wheels turning? Asking yourself, how? Why?”

  Curiosity got the better of Jayden. Besides, Asher was a pain in the ass when he dug his heels in. Jayden pushed the front door shut.

  He blew out a breath. There was nothing to do except let Asher run this show. “Fine. What are you here to say to me?”

  “That you’re being an idiot.”

  Anger surged white hot in his veins. Jayden gripped the kitchen counter, grateful to have something between them. Had he ever been this angry with Asher before?

  “Let me make sure I’ve got it all straight on your side of this. You don’t hear from me for a few weeks, so you start up some sort of search and rescue party. But your girl has the smarts to track me down, get around me not wanting to talk to any of you, and gets the scoop of what really happened. Then, instead of listening to her you yell, kick her out and drive the rest of our family out of your home. Now, for the last few days, no one can talk to you. You don’t call. You don’t text. You don’t smoke signal. Is that about right?”