Furious shouts roused him from his uncomfortable sleep. He’d never put on underwear, so his raging morning erection stood tall in his sweats, as he rolled over again, trying to locate the origin of the sound. It was coming from his room. Odd, shouldn’t he be in his room? His hand gently stroking himself, trying to figure out what was so wrong with the flurry of noise around him.

His head emptied suddenly. He was not in his room, because Lillian was, and it sounded like she was being yelled at.

No good.

He hopped up, still at half-mast. Choosing to ignore it and hurled himself over the couch.

“What are you yelling about?” He yawned trying to keep his cool.

“What is she doing in here?” James snapped in his face, or close to it, given how much shorter he was.

Brayden leaned back, curled his nose in disgust and leaned around James to glance into his own room.

“It looks like she was sleeping.” He shrugged.

He was trying to get James to focus his anger on him.

“Why?”

“Because, I assume, she was tired. What being locked out of the room she’s ‘supposed’ to be in all night.”

“She was ‘supposed’ to sleep on the couch.”

“No.” Brayden snapped. “Don’t punish her for what I choose to do James. She slept in my bed I slept on the couch. I mean the girl didn’t even have a pillow or a blanket or anything.”

James’s fury grew tenfold at that point.

Lillian’s tearful face looked between the two boys in horror. She shot up and between them in a hurry. Brayden glared down at James, almost nose to nose.

“That’s enough.” Snapping at them both. “I just slept, there is no need to be so pissy about it, either of you.”

Her glare was malicious, and it calmed Brayden’s fury, but clearly not James’s.

“Whatever, I’m taking you home.” He snapped back and grabbed her wrist, dragging her towards his own room to gather her things.

“Ow!”

Brayden heard her complain distantly from James’s room. Some mumbled apology came from James and Brayden almost burst. He made to head that way and saw Lillian’s head poking out of the door. Silently she shook her head and darted back inside, shutting the door behind her.

Brayden was furious. How dare he touch her in any way that hurt her? How could he even fathom it? His fists clenched and unclenched as he relaxed his breathing. His anger boiling just underneath. He heard quiet whispers:

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have grabbed you like that. He’s just pissing me off so much right now, and its hot. I won’t ever do that again.”

“No. You won’t.” Lillian snapped back.

At least she could speak up for herself.

“And if you ever do treat me like you did this weekend again, I’ll be gone before you can even try and rationalize it.” Her voice hard.

Good for her, Brayden thought, and visions swam before him of all the ways he could push James, so she’d leave him. He was despicable.

Realizing he should be out of sight when they were done, Brayden disappeared into his room.