Dangerous Game

4 - "Damn, Carter, you sure know how to throw a punch"

Aurora
After my fist collided with his jaw, I opened my mouth to speak, but my brain cells refused to cooperate. I just stared at him, not sure if he wanted to punch me back.

I wouldn't blame him. If someone punched me, I'd sure as hell punch them harder. But, to my surprise, his fist didn't collide with my face.

He did something I didn't expect.

He fucking laughed.

It wasn't just a small chuckle, either. It was
the loudest laugh I have ever heard. It was so damn beautiful.

Okay, can someone call up Dr. Phill?
I'm pretty sure I need some help.

"Damn, Carter, you sure know how to throw a punch," Adrian half-smirked. His icy blue eyes glistened with mischief. I raised an eyebrow at him. Why is he complimenting the punch I had thrown when that punch might have broken his jaw?

Tossing my mixture of brown and black hair behind my shoulder, I glowered at him with my dark brown eyes. "Why are you complimenting me?"

He looked at me in amusement. "Is giving
a girl a compliment a crime? Besides, I didn't think you had it in you. No one has ever been brave enough to punch me."

"Didn't think I had it in me?" In all honesty, I didn't know why I was so riled up over what he said. But, for some reason, those words struck a nerve within me. To most people, I'm known as the rich bitch, courtesy of Adrian himself. I had been called that stupid nickname so many times. Although Adrian has never called me that, his friends do.

Well, everyone expect Hunter, who has
started to call me Briar Rose.

Telling him my middle name was a mistake. Instead of calling me Aurora, like everyone else, he just had to be special, and give me
a nickname from the Disney movie that I had seen more times than I can count. To my excitement, he has started to call Emerson
a nickname, too. He calls her Emery.

I want them to be together so damn bad, but I'm guessing Emerson isn't over the rejection that Adrian had given her in freshman year.

"I didn't mean it like that-" he began, but I cut him off.

I gave him the deepest glare I could muster. "Then how did you mean it, Adrian?! Please enlighten me." Sarcasm was evident in my tone, and he seemed to notice it, too.

"I just never imagined you'd be the kind of girl who'd have the balls to punch the bad boy, that's all. Face it, Aurora, you're not known
for your strength."

"You're right," I replied, "I'm known as the rich bitch who can't do anything without her dad's money. You don't know anything about me, Adrian! Quite frankly, you don't even care enough to. You're just an asshole that
doesn't give a damn about anyone but himself."

For a fraction of a second, I thought I saw a hint of sadness in his eyes, but he covered it up as quickly as it came. Without another word, and walked away.

"Well, damn, Briar Rose, you punched him
and almost made him cry on the same day. You're on a fucking roll," I hear a voice say.

I don't even have to turn around to know
who it is.

I didn't make the bad boy cry. There's no way. He doesn't have a heart to break. If he had a heart, then he wouldn't break them without hesitation. Adrian was the devil himself, and
it wasn't humanely possible for him to shed
a tear. That would require him to have emotions.

I didn't respond to the words that Hunter said because I just couldn't believe it. Adrian has never poured his heart out to anyone. The only reason he could possibly have nothing to say is because he knew I was right. He doesn't care.
*************
When I pulled open my front door, excitement flooded through me. Waiting for me by the door was my dog, Anastasia. She was a chocolate lab with fur of milk chocolate.

She lapped at my face, causing me to laugh. Anastasia was given to me three years ago by my uncle, Sammuel. He tells me to call him Sam or Sammy because he refuses to be called by his given name. I call him Sam.
He calls me Rory.

I slide off my Vans, and walk into the living room in my socks because I know how much mom hates when I wear my shoes in the house. Anastasia follows closely behind,
her paws taping the dark hardwood floors.

All I could seem to think about was Adrian's face when those words rolled off my tongue. What if Hunter's right? What if I hurt Adrian?
The thought alone is a knife through my heart.
Even though I despise his very existence, the possibility that I hurt someone kills me.

Should I apologize to him? Would it even matter if I did?

I stopped dead in my tracks at the sight in front of me.

"What the fuck?" I yell, my voice cracking at every word. Their eyes widen when they see me standing in the doorway.

"Baby, it's not what it looks like, I swear," my mom tries to defend herself, standing up abruptly from the couch. She attempts to straighten her blouse.

"Really, mom? What am I supposed to think when he has his tongue down your throat."

She falls to her knees, and lets the salty tears fall down her face. My gaze shifts to the guy standing there with his hands in the pockets of his jeans. His light brown hair is a mess. Hickeys are decorating his neck. Lipstick stains cover the collar of his button-down.

"I cannot even believe you, mom. He's my uncle. Dad's fucking brother! What the hell is wrong with you?" I spat at her, all the respect
I still had for her flying out the window.

Sammuel steps closer to me, but I take a
step back. "Don't touch me!" I scream at him, the saltiness stinging my eyes. I can't look at
him right now. All I can think of is his hands roaming my mom's body. His name falling from her lips. Her long nails digging into his back. It digusts me. Every fiber in my being wants to puke.

"Rory-" he starts, but I cut him off with a glare.

"How long?!" I scream. "How fucking long?!"

A sigh escapes his lips, "we've been seeing each other for about a year now. You have to believe me when I say that I love her. I know that she's the wife of my brother, but she doesn't love him. Don't you want her to be happy, Rory?"

"My name is Aurora!" I snap at him, causing him to recoil in surprise, "and, honestly, I don't care if she's happy or not. She cheated on her husband with his own damn brother. How can you live with yourself when you've been seeing your brother's wife for over a year now? You've gave him a hug on Christmas. You've told him happy birthday in April. My mom might not love my dad, but that doesn't give her a right
to exchange saliva with his brother."

His eyes dropped to the floor, avoiding eye contact with me. It's perfectly fine with me, though. I don't want to look at him, anyway. All I want to do is cry until I can't cry, anymore. I want Aspen to be a good brother for once in his life, and tell me that everything is going
to be okay, even if it isn't. I want him to stop snorting cocaine with his buddies, and hug
me.

But, most of all, I don't want to see the look on my dad's face when he discovers that his wife and the mother of his children has been cheating on him with his brother.

Do you feel bad for Aurora? Do you think she should apologize to Adrian? Do you think he'll care? What do you think happened to him that he reacted that way at Aurora's words? Do you ship Hunter and Emerson? I want to hear your thoughts. Feel free to vote or comment if you liked this chapter. And if you didn't, well, feel free to tell me why.