Chapter 30
The next evening, I take full advantage of the fact that the guys are wiped out from their game—the home gym is all mine. The loss last night ended their season, so they have no desire to jump back into working out. Not right now, anyway.
The gymnastics team has its first practice on Monday. I figure I’ll get a heavy workout in today and take a rest tomorrow in preparation to be at my best for Coach Hall.
I quickly get down to business, music blasting in my ears, just the way I like it. I’ve got a good mix of going on. A little Machine Gun Kelly, a few songs by The Kid LAROI, and a whole lotta Tate McRae. I’d never heard of Tate until this week when Beau had her set for his alarm. I like her stuff. It’s a little angsty but it suits my mood.
I warm up, then do some basic tumbling—there’s not enough room for the more complex stuff that I’m itching to get back to—before I hit a few of the weight machines. After that, I move on to do a few different styles of pull-ups, some leg lifts, and after making sure the bar is secure enough, I work a few simple glide kips. I start with a bit of a swing, extend my body fully, then pike up to the bar, bringing my toes in like I’m pulling the bar up my legs. Then, as I swing backward, I finish up on top of the bar in a front support position. Then I reverse the whole thing and go again.
My stomach muscles are screaming at me by the time I stop, and without my grips on, my hands are sore, too.
Some loud noises coming from the hallway outside the gym get my attention. Oh shit. It’s past nine. And it sounds like a party is getting started out there. I have no idea if it was planned or not, but I’ll have to walk right through the party in my leotard and bootie shorts. Awesome.
There’s not much I can do about it now, so I get back to work, still needing to do a cooldown.
I’m sitting on a mat in a straddle with my back to the rest of the gym when I hear a distinct click. Out of the corner of my eye, I see someone approaching on my left. My hands grasp my wireless earbuds, and I whip them out of my ears as I pull my legs together and scramble to my feet.
Marshall raises one brow at me, a lascivious smirk gracing his lips. I notice two things simultaneously. First, he’s already inebriated. Second, he locked the door behind him when he came in. That’s what the click was. And I don’t know if I can maneuver around him and out of here. “Lyla, Lyla. Funny running into you here.”
I roll my eyes. “Not sure how odd it is since I’m living here right now, but whatever.”
“What are you doing working out in the middle of a party?”
“I didn’t know what time it was.” I prop my hands on my hips, standing tall. “Not that it’s any of your fucking business.” I don’t think he’s going to be intimidated by my height, but he sure as hell should be scared of my strength and agility. Dickhead. What the fuck does he think he’s doing?
“Come on, now, don’t be nasty. I just wanted to talk to you for a few minutes.”
“Oh yeah? And why’s that? I’m pretty sure I’ve said everything I needed to say to you.”
He shakes his head, smirking at me again, then lets his gaze travel down my body.
I’m no stranger to walking around in a leotard and formfitting shorts and I didn’t think twice of it when I’d thrown them on to work out. But fuck, the way he’s looking at me makes me regret not grabbing one of Beau’s T-shirts.
His gaze stops on my breasts, lingers, then takes a trip down my legs and all the way back up. “You’re totally hot.”
This guy.“Yeah, whatever Marshall.”
He sniggers. “So, living in this house with the Danbrooks… Tell me how that’s going.” He steps closer, eyeing my boobs again.
Oh boy.I need to keep him talking so I can figure out how to get around him and out of here. “It’s fine. I have a nice room and they let me use the gym. It’s more than I could have asked for.”
He slides his thumb over his lower lip as he takes a step closer—it’s one of those gestures that, on the right guy, is dead sexy. And on the wrong one—on a guy like Marshall—it sends cold fingers of disgust down every vertebrae of my spine. I shudder.
He smiles. “Are you already fucking one of them? Or maybe both Beau and Griffin? A Danbrook sandwich. That must be something, fucking two brothers.”
My cheeks flush—not with embarrassment but with mounting anger. “Marshall, you need to cut the shit and get the hell out of here right now. You know, before one of them finds you down here.”
He ignores me, making a face like he’s putting some drunken thought into his next question. He holds his hands palms up as if he’s weighing his options—or should I say, mine. “So, is one better than the other? Have more experience?” He laughs when my lips part and I give him a cold stare. “I’m pretty sure Beau’s been around the block more, but Griffin may have had a few more partners. Beau did that whole harem thing for a while. That seriously set his numbers back, though I guess he was getting his dick wet on the regular.”
My eyes flicker up to his. He knows he’s pissing me off—and I could swear from the look in his eyes that it’s what he’s after. He wants the fight.
Stalking closer to me now, he shrugs. “No, seriously. I want to know. Call it curiosity. Whose cock is bigger? Big brother or little brother? I think I’m glad I have sisters. How do you think it feels to get the short end of the stick, genetics-wise? Pun intended.”
Angry heat rushes through me at his audacity. I take a measured step backward. I know I’m close to the back wall, and I do not want to get penned in here. And given the way he’s eyeing me, my response to the things he does is turning him on. One flick of my gaze down confirms it. His cock is swelling rapidly behind the zipper of his jeans.
He continues to taunt me. “Do you take them one at a time or is it more like a threesome situation? All of you in one big bed together?” He throws his head back laughing. “Oh, hell, you know what I forgot? You’ve got Micah here, too! Don’t you think that Daphne girl will be pissed if she finds out you’re banging her boyfriend?” He holds up his pointer finger, shaking it. “And, yet, that brings up yet another question. Have you fucked more than one of them at the same time? I’m really interested in that, actually. How do they decide who gets the front door and who claims the back? Does the third get your mouth?” He gets right in my face, his breath hot and heavy and making me sick.
“Shut your filthy fucking mouth.” I lift my hand and slap his face as hard as I can.