“Back the train up.” I glance to Grant, who’s gone pale, his eyes wide as the sky. “Tell me he’s messing with me. Lucky was not a virgin.”
We were together once—against a fucking wall. That is not in any way, shape, or sexual form that I would hope Lucky lost her virginity. Although her losing it with some other idiot makes my blood boil, there’s no way she would let me rip it away from her like that.
Grant gives a silent nod before closing his eyes.
“Shit.” I smack my hand over my forehead, and my head rings out like a gong. “Fuck.” I slap my hand against the table so hard the sound crashes around the bar like a gunshot. “Why the hell would she let me do that?” All of the conversations we had, those heavilyinnuendo-laced conversations that rotated around how many people we were with. Lucky touted her prowess around as much as I did. She told me several times in no uncertain terms that she wasn’t as pure as the driven snow. “Do you think Ava is making that up?” That singular question is my only desperate attempt to save face. I couldn’t stand to look at myself in the mirror if it were true.
Grant blinks back, affronted. “Ava doesn’t lie.”
I swallow hard because it can only mean one thing. “And Lucky does.”
Rush shakes his head. “Maybe you’re both wrong. Maybe Lucky told Ava she was a virgin until she was with you. She’s not up for yapping about any of the guys she’s been with. Girls don’t exactly wave that banner loud and proud.”
Grant shakes his head. “Lucky and Ava are tight. They’re not lying about anything to one another. It’s girl code. She probably just told you that she was with other guys so you wouldn’t freak out. Ava says she wanted it with you. She didn’t want you to feel like you had to coddle her.”
“So”—a dull huff rumbles through me—“she lied aboutthat?”
Rush offers a pitiful look. “You think she lied about other things?”
All of the conversations we had shake out before me like an old junk drawer rife with a million receipts, each one with the ink already evaporated.
“I don’t know. It’s not like she confided in me any deep dark secrets.” Like a slap in the face that night we climbed up the old oak comes to mind. Lucky said she had a sister who died. No way. Nobody makes that up. She was tearful. That was real.
A heavy hand lands over my shoulder, and I glance up to find that ball of steel that sent my head splitting in two last night.
“Shit.” I glance across the table, and both Rush and Grant look guilty as hell. Rex probably talked them into it. “All right, what is it?” I push my plate farther away because the next thing I do will be walk right back to the bed I crawled out of.
“You mind talking for a minute?” Jet’s tone is quiet, docile in fact. It’s all an act, though. And I’m hoping with all my heart there’s not a thing that was an act with Lucky.
I follow Jet past the bar, into a dark corner that makes this entire scenario feel dreamlike—nightmarish to be exact. I spot Rex and Owen taking a seat at the table with Rush and Grant. Why does this suddenly feel like some friendship intervention? Jet and I were never buddies. Technically, he was my employer, and I was the fool who took a dollar from him.
“Look, man”—Jet squeezes his eyes shut a moment, a grieved look carves into his features—“I never meant to do that. It’s just—when I saw you with your junk hanging out and your face in her—I lost my mind. I wasn’t myself, dude. I’m sorry.”
“Are you kidding?” I lean in, running the risk of getting my head bashed in once again. “You were completely yourself. You don’t want anyone to so much as blink at your sister.” I should apologize for disrespecting him that way, but at the moment I’m too hopped up on anger.
“Dude,” he barks so loud Owen and Rex Stand up. “I get that Lucky is beautiful. Yes, I know that guys are sniffing around. I get it.” His tone is back to hostile, his chest puffed up like a tank. “But you were getting ready to take her in my fucking shop.” He jabs his finger into my chest, hard. “My sister. My shop. You don’t get to fuck people in my shop, dude.” His eyes look backlit with some demonic force that’s about to take over. “You most certainly don’t get to fuck my sisterperiod.”
“Okay.” I fold my arms across my chest and shrug. “If you’re waiting for some rambling apology, you’re not getting it.”
A dull laugh pumps through him, and just like that, he softens again. “Not necessary.” He exhales hard while scratching the back of his neck. “Lawson, I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do with you, but I do know that my sister has feelings for you.”
“So, you’re giving me your blessing?” Both my throbbing head and I are amused by this one-eighty.
“Yes.” He looks incredulous, and most likely because he was forced to say it out loud.
“Well, it’s too late.”
“She’ll come around.” He gives my shoulder a hard tap with that bionic mitt of his, and my head explodes in a vibrating fit of pain.
A thought comes to me. “I hope so. I’d hate to lose what we had. I know she has a hard time with loss. You know—with what happened to your sister.”
Jet narrows his gaze. “You mean Ava’s sister? Aubree?”
“No, your sister. Lucky’s twin that died at birth. I think she said her name was Jade?”
Jet inches back like I just threatened to knife his balls off with my keys, and my stomach sinks. It’s not true. Lucky has lied about something big, and I’m starting to believe she lied about her virginity, too. Shit. Nothing kills me more than the thought of having done that to her—stripped her of something precious in that barbaric environment. Why the hell would she let me? Didn’t she want that one moment in time to be special? Not that what we had wasn’t special, but it was a romp in nothing short of a landfill. It smelled of old sweat socks and moldy boxers.
“Dude, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you hit your head.” He gives a little wink before that sober expression makes its way back. “Let’s get you back to your room. You need some serious rest.”
