In Every Universe | Quinn Hughes

6 | Quinn

I WAS DRUNK AS ALL HELL AFTER I SWORE TO MYSELF that I wouldn't drink tonight. That went out the window the second Lily turned up at my house with her friends, her skirt showing off her perfect legs and top just see through enough that I could see the perfect buds of her nipples. Jesus fucking Christ.

My first instinct was to stomp right up to her, yank her to my bedroom and screw her senseless. I didn't, obviously, and instead chose to avoid her at all costs just in case my hormones got the better of me and I did something we could never come back from.

She was out the back with Jack and his friends right now, playing a drinking game around our porch table called Kings Cup, and I was watching like a desperate creep in the lounge room where I stood with a few guys from the hockey team.

At first, I'd been comforted by the fact that Lily didn't sit beside Alex or Trevor, but then that comfort went out the window the second she sat beside Jack, who helped her into her seat by holding her hand. I knew what Jack was doing, he was shit stirring, trying to rile me up, get a rise out of me.

It's working.

And so, I'm on my sixth beer and Lily is giggling flirtatiously with my brother. To be fair, I don't blame her, Jack is provoking her, trying to make her blush. He's whispering things in her ear and poking her cheeks and grabbing her hips and for fuck sake, he can't be serious? Just when I think it's going to stop, after Lily gets up to grab another one of her hard ciders from the ice box, it gets worse.

Jack tips his chin up to her, holds both hands out for her to fall into, and pulls her on his lap. She does so without protest, which tells me she's had one cider too many, or maybe she was just talking me very seriously when I said just friends. Which then technically gives her every right to go after another guy, my brother or not.

We'd kissed once, a year ago, she and Jack could date all they wanted—Never mind, the thought made me want to punch kittens.

The pair start sharing cards and playing the game together, and when Jack offers her a sip of his drink, and she takes it, I physically scoff.

I'd seen how short her skirt was, how it barely covered her gorgeous legs. The idea that Jack had those bare legs on his lap, made my blood boil.

But then Jack lost, having to drink the Kings Cup, which as this point was a massive flower vase of beer, hard cider, vodka soda and even some wine. A combination of everyone's drinks, and I knew he was out for the night. I shouldn't feel satisfied that Jack was definitely going to wake up with a splitting hangover, but I had to admit it was nice to know he'd have some sort of karma for openly trying to sneak Lily out from under me.

Little shit.

Everyone was screaming for Jack to chug, even Lily, and chug he did, resulting in a coughing fit, a few gags, and eventually, an intense vomit. That was Lily's queue to leave with her friends while Jack and his boys stayed outside laughing at Jack's dispense.

I lose her to the crowd, but relief still washes over me that she and Jack hadn't ended up in bed together, I'd have to keep an eye on this little fucker when Lily was around.

One of my mates, Tyler, asks if I want to hit the dance floor—a makeshift place in the middle of the main living room—with some of his friends in the arts department, a group of girls. I'm about to decline, but then I catch sight of a certain mousy brunette girl with her head tipped back and a blissful smile plastered on her lips, singing the lyrics to the song playing over the speakers, a drink in hand and her hips swaying to the beat.

I nod immediately, following him and the group of girls to the middle of the room. Tyler behind punching the air, like a typical frat boy, and a laugh bubbles from my stomach at how ridiculous he looks. Two of the girls were with join him, also laughing, and soon I find myself dancing along with them.