Not ever.
So, how in the hell would I be able to make sure Tammy-or any girl-didn’t bother Kenzlee? And, hell, I knew so little about Kenzlee, I didn’t even know if she could swing them or not. Since she was raised wealthy and to ever be the proper young lady, odds were that she’s never been in a fight in all her life. I was going to have to trust that she’d be okay because she always had one of us with her. If I wasn’t with her, Alex was, and if Alex wasn’t with her, Edie, Lars, or Hunter were with her. That was going to have to be enough.
It had to be, or else God help anyone who goes after her.
∞∞∞
Kenzlee~
Here was I was, worried about my future and what I was going to do to support myself now that college wasn’t an option anymore, only to realize that I didn’t need to worry about that anymore.
My future was going to be filled with a block room that housed one toilet and, hopefully, a roommate who wasn’t crazy, because I was going to end up in prison.
I was going to end up in prison for murdering Talon Draven.
I was fairly certain Alex would visit me, but I could kiss my friendship with Edie Draven goodbye, because I couldn’t see her forgiving me for killing her brother.
No matter how much he deserved it.
The entire week has been nothing but side-eyes, whispers, curious glances, and just…being on display.
If Talon or Alex weren’t with me, then Edie, Lars, and/or Hunter were stalking me. I couldn’t escape Talon’s band of stalkers no matter what I tried.
When I had told Jason that Talon was my boyfriend it really was to keep him from becoming unrecognizable. I already knew Talon was at his limit with Jason, and if the rumors about his underground fighting were true, there was no way Jason would be able to get away unscathed.
I had to make the sacrifice for Jason’s sake.
At least, that’s what I kept telling myself.
The truth of the matter is that I was still drawn to Talon every bit as much as I had been the day I ran into him. He irritated the hell out of me, and his territorial ways pissed me off, but I was still very much attracted to him as I have been.
Had I humiliated him in front of Jason and the kids lingering in the hallway that day, I would have lost that connection. And, while I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it, I knew I hadn’t been ready to sever it just yet. And that bullshit led to the realization that I wanted to sleep with Talon.
The pull between us was more than just physical, but I couldn’t ignore the physical need he brought out in me. Every time he held my hand or kissed the side of my head, I wanted to lean into him. I wanted to feel that…intensity he eluded. The only example I had of sex was with a boy who worked a condom like a math problem and never asked me if it was good for me. Cameron always assumed I had been satisfied, but I hadn’t been.
I really, really hadn’t been.
I had…participated.
Now, it was finally Friday, and Alex and I were making our way to sixth period. “Two more classes,” I mumbled. “Two more classes and I canbreathe.”
Alex’s stepped faltered, and her face looked pained when I glanced her way. “Uh, maybe not,” she replied, chewing her lower lip all to hell.
“What do you mean?”
She stopped walking and turned towards me. “Okay, don’t hate me…”
“Oh, God,” I groaned. Alex slapped on a smile that was too wide for her face and showed all her teeth. “What, Alexandria?”
“It’s Friday, Kenzlee,” she replied.
“Yeah? And?”
“It’s fight night, Kenzlee,” she rushed out. “I know…I know you probably don’t want to go, but...it’sfight night, Kenzlee.” She said it like it was the Oscars or something. “Everyone will be there and Talon’s fighting.”
My stomach dropped at that little tidbit. Alex already told me that Talon fought, but now that I knew him…now that I had this…connection to him, I didn’t like the idea. That, in itself, made me realize I needed to make up my mind about him and soon.
“Alex, I don’t want to see Talon fighting some guy,” I told her. “What if he gets hurt?” That last part was telling, but Alex didn’t call me on it.
