Wrong Kind of Love (8 page)

The silence between Jaden and I during our drive down to Mom and Dad’s was with thick with tension. I only rode with him because I got this insane bout of jealousy thinking about them alone together in this car. It’s stupid and doesn’t fit the guy I know I can be. I have never been this hung up on a girl and you think after a freaking month of not even talking to her, I would be over it, but I’m not. I’m in so over my head it’s not even funny.

I didn’t think anything would ever come between the love I have for my brother.
It’s funny that a female did. We don’t even have the same type and here we are fighting over the same girl. At first I didn’t think she was worth it but I got to thinking about her as a person. And I started to realize she is actually pretty amazing.

She is the most beautiful girl to me. Her long blonde hair that hangs down to her ass. Those beautiful cobalt eyes and perky nose. Her full lips which taste like heaven. Her body isn’t as toned as
you’d think a cheerleader would be, but you can tell she’s working towards it. I can get over the pink clothes and high heels though. I like the skirts but that’s because I like easy access.

The physical isn’t all that
I’m into though. Her spirit is what drew me to her in the first place. It’s full of fire and strength. Not many girls would automatically turn me down, but she did. She wasn’t afraid to tell me to fuck off even though I didn’t take the hint. Plus the fact she is so responsive to me during sex, which I haven’t had in another girl.

Then we have the girl everyone else sees. I swear sometimes she is two different people. I don’t know if it
’s me that brings out the fiery side or if she’s trying to hide it and I force it out. Because the girl everyone else sees is sweet, kind, naïve and bubbly. There’s nothing wrong with that, but she makes me want to find out why she does that.

I’m forced
out of my thoughts when we pull up outside my parent’s house. I take a deep breath because I know that I am going to need it. This is going to be the hardest thing I ever had to do. I honestly hoped Teagan wouldn’t invite her, because I damn sure know Jaden wouldn’t. He wouldn’t bring any of his girls around our parents. I don’t know why because we have some of the most laid back parents around. Mom is the best and I’m proud to say she is my mom. Dad not so much.

“My baby boys are home!” My mom exclaims the second we walk into the house. I smile down at
her and throw my arms around her neck. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in years Caden sweetie.”

I chuckle
into her flowery scented hair. “We were here over the weekend Mom. And we will be here for a week, so don’t get all emotional on me now.” I pat her back before pulling my arms away so she can hug Jaden.

Dad stands just behind M
om and I give him a nod before walking up the stairs to my room. Yeah it was cold and wrong but I have deep seeded issues with Dad. What he did to Mom was messed up and I will never forgive him. I doubt we ever have a true relationship. He’s more worried about the kids that will do something in life. He thinks art is stupid, not that he would come out and say that. He has more class.

I don’t even pretend to care what he thinks. It is what it is. Don’t get me wrong, I love the guy
, he is my father but I don’t have to like him. I have watched him throw his love out for his five other kids, but I never seem to get it like they do. Yeah it hurts but I learned to live with it.

There’s
a knock on my door and Dad walks in. I sigh on the inside. I’m about to get another lecture, and it’s probably about Grace. He can’t seem to stay in his own damn business. “Hey son.” He says in his deep southern accent.

“Dad.” I nod curtly.

“Can we have a conversation?” he starts to rub his jaw. This is Dad’s sign of nervousness. His black hair is styled back with gel and the grey around his temples stands out. I favor Mom but I still got some of his looks. Jaden on the other hand looks exactly like him.

I sigh out loud this time before answering. “Sure.” This is the way it has always been between us. You think after nineteen years he would know how to talk to me. But he doesn’t because he never took the time to really get
to know me.

“Jaden says you’ve been paying a little to
o much attention to his girlfriend. This worries me since she will be here this weekend. I don’t want things to get awkward for the poor girl.” He eyes me down with his dark blue eyes and I feel myself glare in return.

“Is that what he said? Because I remember it differently.” I pause to gage his reaction but he doesn’t even flinch. “He didn’t tell me he even liked her until after I had sex with her. Then we said we would both stay away from her. But as you can tell
, Jaden didn’t keep his word. It’s not my fault she really wants me.” I cross my arms over my chest defensively.

Dad looks pensive for a few moments before he speaks. “No he didn’t tell me all that. I think it the first time since you were little that Jaden was in the wrong.” He shakes his head before coming to sit down on the bed with me. I tense up at how close he is. I can count on my hand how many times we have been this close. “I honestly don’t know what to say about this. I just know that she has
chosen him. I think it would be best for you to stay away for her.”

“The only reason she ch
ose him is because I told her to. I didn’t want to hurt him because I knew he really liked her. I just didn’t know how much I liked her until after I told her I couldn’t see her.” I look down at the floor while speaking but I look up and meet dad’s eyes and see the surprise there.

“That was
mighty selfless of you. I always admired that about you. The way you would do anything to not hurt others. You definitely got that from your mother.” He smiles softly and I kind of want to hit him.

“Uh thanks dad.” I really don’t know what to say to that so I shut my mouth before I say something I will regret.

He looks like he wants to say more but doesn’t. He pats me awkwardly on my back before leaving the room. That was strange because it’s usually mom who talks to me about these things. I guess since it involves a girl, she thought dad would be a better idea.

I have so many thoughts running around my head that I quickly get up and walk down to my studio. Before long
I’m doing the only thing that calms me down. Painting gives me such a high that sometimes I wish I could do it all day and night. No sleep, no food, no bathroom breaks. Just me, my brushes and canvas.

My painting starts out innocently enough
, but before long its shapes itself into a familiar face. Her little teeth are biting down on her bottom lip. Her blue eyes look up at me seductively. Her breasts hanging deliciously and her little pink nipples are puckered up. Her arms are tied above her head, just the way I like them.

The best part of the entire painting is how I painted my body thrusting
into hers. It’s a clear detail of the picture and I know that I will be the only one who ever sees this. Which sucks because it’s one of my best. The colors are so amazing and alive. The detail is perfect and you can see everything. Right down to Grace’s little clit and the veins on my dick. It’s almost like a photo.

Mom makes me keep my supplies locked up incase one of the grandkids gets in here. The best thing about this is I am the only one with a key. I quickly unlock it and set the painting down gently. I give it one last
appraising look before shutting the door and locking it back up.

I’m on a high from the work I finished in my studio, so I almost don’t notice Grace leaving the room right next to mine. This makes my heart stop cold because I didn’t realize she would be so fucking close. I will be able to hear her moving around in there. I could hear Jessica ta
lking on the phone all night from that room. Karma is out to get me.

Grace’s eyes go wide when she spots me
stopping at my door and staring at her. Her mouth hangs open a little and I fight a chuckle. She starts to walk towards me, words on the tip of her tongue, but I quickly enter my room and slam the door. I’m not even going to go into that, thank you very much.

It’s a little while later when someone knocks on my door. I have a feeling its Teagan because I haven’t run
into her yet. She’s usually right up my ass because I’m the only one with anything in common with her. “Come in.” I call out not getting off my bed.

Teagan pokes her ebony head in my door and looks around. I have no idea what she is looking for and I don’t ask. “Hey can we talk?”
Where have I heard that before?

I roll my eyes and
beckon her in. She practically runs into the room and hops on my bed. “What are you doing?” she asks me.

I look down and scowl at her. “I’m thinking. What are you doing?” I look at her pointedly.

“Right. Jaden wanted me to talk to you. I don’t know what’s going on with you but you need to leave Grace alone. You blew her off and she moved on. I know it might suck but you have to let her make her own decisions. You can’t force her to leave Jaden to be with you.” She rambles like a mother hen. Which she is certainly not. If I have my way Teagan will stay a virgin until the day she dies.

“Teagan just stay out of it. You don’t know the first thing about our situation. If you did then you would be pretty pissed at Jaden and not me.” I look away from her knowing that I said
too much.

“What does that mean?” she question
s, one raven eyebrow raised.

“Nothing. And besides
it’s none of your business.” I play punch her in the shoulder to relieve the tension. If I joke about it she won’t think it’s as serious as it is.

“Fine be secretive. I’ll just ask Grace.” She sticks her tongue out at me and quickly exits the room.

If Grace didn’t tell her about fucking me, then she’s not going to tell her the truth.

My first day was a blur
, but boring. Well unless you count the time I ran into Caden when I was leaving my room. I thought we could actually be civil to each other but he acted like I had the plague or something. I don’t know what his problem is. He didn’t want me. He gave me to Jaden.

Speaking of Jaden, we decided to spend our night away from everyone else. He invited me to his room so we could watch some romantic comedy. I’m not into this type of movie at all but Grace is. Who would have
thought it?

I picked out
The Ugly Truth with Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler. I have to say it doesn’t suck like I thought it would. The part with the vibrating underwear had me laughing my ass off.

“Your parents seem really nice.” I tell him during a boring part. We are on his bed with me curled around his chest and his arm around my shoulders. We get into this
position every time we hang out and watch movies, which is a lot. Jaden doesn’t like to go out and be seen like I thought he would. He’s quiet and almost shy. I find it refreshing because Caden and Justin are neither of those things.

“Yeah they are great. Mom seems to really like you.” He squeezes my shoulders and I look up at him and smile. His dark blue eyes meet mine and I feel tingles in my stomach. His full lips have a small smile and I find myself wanting to nibble them.

“She is just like you described. Teagan though seems to resent her for some reason. I can’t figure that one out. Sarah goes out of her way to do things for Teagan.” I rub my hand over his chest getting a feel for the taunt muscles he has hiding under his shirt.

“Teagan has the
warped idea that mom doesn’t like her because she isn’t her daughter, which isn’t the case. Mom thinks of Teagan as another daughter and always has. Teagan just won’t open her eyes to see it.” He shrugs and rubs his hand up and down my arm in a soothing way.

I chuckle because that is exactly what Teagan is doing. “Your sister is a little full of herself, I think. I love her to death
, but she can’t seem to get out of her own bubble.”

Jaden’s smile grows and he turns on his side to face me. “I think this entire fami
ly is to blame for that. She has been protected most of her life and I think we over did it.”

“I would say so. It must be nice to have that though. I wish someone would hav
e been there to protect me from…things.” Fuck I almost said Daniel. Jaden wouldn’t have any idea what I was talking about but still. That would have been hard to explain.

“I know baby
, but you have me now and I’ll protect you.” He nuzzles my cheek with his nose and tightens his arms around me. I feel safe and wanted. Something I have been missing in my life. I feel bad because I keep thinking about his brother but I can’t help how I feel. Jaden though is starting to make me feel like I could get over Caden. God I hope so.

Jaden would be the perfect guy for me to end up with.
He’s smart, charming, and going places. All the things I need in my life. I need a protector and I know he would protect me with his last dying breath. Not that Caden isn’t a catch but I’m starting to think he’s not the right catch for me. Jaden is driven where Caden is going with the flow. Caden’s art is amazing but what if he can’t sell enough to pay the bills? Whether or not Jaden makes it into the NFL, he’s going for a degree in coaching and you can do that anywhere.

I do realize
I’m only seventeen years old but these are things I have to look for. Daniel and Mom will always be looking for Aiden and I. I know for a fact that Daniel sees us as property and he won’t stop until he has us back. I need to bury myself so far inside Grace that I won’t ever be found. I need to secure a future that the things in my past won’t rip me away from.

What I’m trying to say is Jaden is the sticking around type and Caden isn’t.
It’s sad to say that, but I can’t be left alone now. I have to have someone that will be there for me and won’t run from every problem.

Jaden brings me out of my thoughts when his soft lips meet mine. The kiss is gentle at first
, but before long he uses his tongue to open my lips. Then he is devouring me. Though it seems off somehow. Like he doesn’t really feel anything for me but lust. I guess I shouldn’t really care since I harbor fantasies about his twin brother.

My hand snakes under his t-shirt and gets a nice feel of his abs. He groans against my lips and I smile. They may be completely different but these Harper twins are all sex. The way they move, the way the
y touch, hell even the way they talk.

Before long my shirt is off and thrown on the floor and
then my bra. Jaden and I haven’t had sex yet and we definitely haven’t made it this far either. I’m frustrated because of all the making out we do and I just want him to take me. Yes that makes me a slut but hell I’m horny.

“We have to stop.” He pants pulling away from me.

Fuck that. I push him over onto his back and climb on top of him. His erection strains against his jeans trying to get to me. “Why?” I ask leaning over him to kiss his lips.

He gently pushes at my shoulders forcing me away. “Because we are at my
parents’ house. I have yet to have sex here and I’m not starting now.”

I thought he wanted to have sex but he must not want it bad enough. The sting of rejection makes me climb off of him and lower myself down to the floor. I quickly put on my clothes and stand to leave. I turn around when I think I have my face composed enough and smile. “Okay. I’ll see you in the morning then.”

I feel tears start to burn my eyes but I refuse to let them out in front of him. “Grace I’m sorry.” He says getting up off his bed to stand in front of me. The movie plays softly in the background and all I want to do is punch the freaking TV. “It’s not that I don’t want to have sex with you, I just have things I won’t do. I respect my parents too much to have sex in their house.” He grabs my shoulders and places a chaste kiss on my forehead.

I smile up at him and return the kiss
to his cheek. “I understand. No worries.” I turn to leave when something catches my attention. There is picture of a girl about my age sitting on his dresser. It’s not in a frame but just lying there. The girl is beautiful though and when I take her in I get a sick feeling in my stomach. She is blonde haired and blue eyed. And she is in a cheerleading outfit. We look so much alike it’s scary.

Without even thinking I walk over to his dresser and pick up the picture. Grace wouldn’t do something like this. She would pretend she didn’t see it and go on about her life. Me, not so much. “Who is this?” I question with a little bit of
venom in my voice.

Jaden looks taken back that I picked up the picture and even more surprised I questioned it. “No one.” He says quietly. All the color has drained out of his face and I start to feel bad.

I step closer to him placing the picture back where I found it. “You don’t look like she is no one. You can tell me Jaden. I promise I won’t get mad.” With all the shit I’m hiding I can’t possibly get pissed about anything.

He rubs a hand down his face and sits back down on the bed. H
is elbows come down on his knees and his lays his head down on his upraised hands. “Her name is Ava. She went to high school with us. I’m a pretty private person so I didn’t tell anyone we were dating. Her parents weren’t too happy about her having a boyfriend, so we pretty much kept it from everyone.” He pauses and the most heart wrenching noise comes from his mouth. A sob. “She was the one, and I hate that I have to say this to you. I just don’t want to lie about it anymore. I want to get it out.”

I sit down next to him and throw my arm over his shoulder. I pull his head down to my chest and comfort him the way I think a mom would. “You can tell me anything Jaden. I won
’t judge you.” I run my fingers through his hair and blink several times trying to get the tears to clear out of my eyes.

“I was with her for two years. My love for her was my life. She was my life. I hated keeping it a secret but she didn’t want to upset her parents and I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her.” His sobs get
harder and I brace for what comes next. I just know my heart is going to be ripped out of my chest for him. “She was hit one night by a drunk driver. I was on the phone with her and I could hear her fucking screaming. And I didn’t know what to do. I called her parents and told them what happened. I knew where she was because she said something about a landmark. I ran out of the house and drove until I found her, but the ambulance made it before me. They were cutting her out of the car and she looked horrible. I fucking thought she was dead.”

I breathe a little at hearing that.
She’s not dead. “She’s not dead?” I ask quietly and I’m not sure he heard me.

His head shakes a little and my shirt feels damp where his tears have been landing. “She didn’t die. She had a skull fracture and swelling of the brain. They weren’t sure she was going to make it. She
stayed in a coma for three weeks and every single one of those days was horrible.

“I had explained to her parents what she was to me. They knew my family and me so they weren’t upset. Her dad even told me he thought I was good enough for his daughter. That was a bright spot in all of this. I thought when she woke up we could be together in the open but those thoughts came crashing down.” He sits up and starts rubbing at his eyes. I grab his wrist and force him to stop.

“Well…” I trail off because honestly I’m on the edge of my seat. I can’t even think of a reason they aren’t together.

“She has
severe memory loss. Amnesia. She took one look at me and didn’t even fucking know me. The doctors say she won’t get any of it back.” His sobs get worse and I’m at a loss as to what to do for him. I can’t even imagine. “I tried to be there for her but she wanted nothing to do with me. She won’t even communicate with me now.”

Then it all becomes clear. “So you go after
someone who looks like her. I don’t know whether I’m flattered or disgusted.”

“I wouldn’t have even
approached you but the guys on the team started saying shit about me being gay. I had to do something.”

I get what he is saying. If everyone thinks
he’s gay, then he would lose his chances of being in the NFL.

The next morning I literally want to rip my
brother’s balls off with my bare hands. He and Grace come out of his room at the crack of dawn holding hands. They are both in the clothes they wore last night. I kind of feel like my chest has been ripped open and Grace’s small hands reached in and tore out my heart.  I do realize I shouldn’t think this way. I let her go to Jaden but I didn’t think anything would happen. I thought she would leave both of us alone. Not act like a total slut.