Even In Pieces [bxb]

Chapter 21

Zachary

What the hell was I thinking? I can't believe I let him drag me to his home to celebrate his brother's birthday. I have had a lot of guys and who I dated but none of them have taken me to their home. And the fucking irony is that I am not Everett's boyfriend.

“I can't believe you are taking your fuck buddy to your home,” I grumble, avoiding eye contact with Everett by the excuse of staring out of the car window. But I still see him roll his eyes in my peripheral vision.

“Zachary, if you thought for a moment that I am bringing you to my home because I fuck you or feel bad for you then you are fucking stupid.”

“We do fuck,” I mutter.

“But that's not all you are to me.”

My heart does a double take. “What's that supposed to mean?”

He stops the car then but instead of looking at his house that should probably be in front of us now, I stare at him. He unbelts and leans in close, undoing my own seatbelt for me before looking at me, like the way he looks at me before we start an argument.

“It means,” he grabs my shirt and pulls, “I am calling dibs.”

Fuck. He is serious. My heart thunders in my veins. But my fingers go cold, my throat dries, and before I could even form a good reply, he is out of the car, walking towards the front door of the house. I follow him, assessing the moderate looking house. A small lawn, cream and red paint and warm. Everything about the house is warm.

The door opens, revealing a man— dirty blond hair, strong build, brown eyes, a few years older than me or Everett. He breaks into a huge smile when he sees Everett and pulls him into a crushing hug that he returns. Older brother then.

“Jesus fuck. You got bigger,” the man says.

“And you got older,” Everett replies.

“I can't believe you are mixing up your brother's because I am not the one who is getting older.”

Everett pulls back from the hug with a smirk. “I know whose birthday it is, but you definitely got some white hairs.”

“I am five years older than you, dumbfuck. I can't have white hair yet and admit it I would make a sexy silver fox.”

Everett shakes his head at his brother, still smiling, then his brother looks at me and grins. “The boyfriend?”

I blink at him because all of a sudden my brain stops functioning. Motherfucker.

Everett scowls. “He is not my boyfriend.”

“Bullshit. You never tell us when you bring a friend, but you told us you were bringing him.”

Everett just rolls his eyes in defiance. “Are you just gonna make us stand here or remember your manners and invite us in so that I can introduce you to Zachary?”

“Oh, sorry. Come on in,” The man turns to me with a smile, “I am Jonah by the way.”

I smile back. “Zachary.”

He smiles, motioning us to the kitchen and just as we enter, four heads turn to us, bursting into smiles.

“Hey guys,” Everett grins.

“Hey guys? That's what you have to say?” A woman with purple stripes in her hair with a black tattoo covering her whole right arm says. I stare at her as I realize that that's Everett's mother.

“I told you I am sorry for not calling,” Everett gives her an apologetic shrug which wasn't all that apologetic.

“Bullshit.” Another woman, his sister I am guessing, smirks.