“I’m not.” I stare him straight in the eye and blatantly lie. “You’ve been gone for years. You’ve no idea what we mean to one another.”
“Enlighten me,” he says, cracking his knuckles.
“He was my first kiss,” I truthfully admit, “and I’ve spent years wishing my father had chosen him for me instead of Trent.”
Another fact.
“And I’d always secretly hoped the reason Charlie never fucked around at Rydeville High or had a steady girlfriend was because he shared my feelings.”
Now, that part is most definitely a lie.
Well, the part about me hoping that was the reason. After Charlie’s declaration, there’s a part of me that now believes it might be true.
Whether it’s the truth doesn’t matter though. Because it’s a plausible statement, and Kai is buying it.
Planting his large palms on either side of me, he leans down, caging me in and fixing me with a menacing look. “Charlie is a dead man walking if he has laid a finger on you.”
“I guess now isn’t a good time to mention he kissed her. Repeatedly,” Rick supplies.
Kai jerks his head up, shooting an exasperated look at his brother. “And you were going to tell me this when?”
“It’s obvious she’s not into him, so I didn’t think it mattered.”
“I’m into him,” I blurt. “I’mreallyinto him. He’s the only one I want.”
Kai thumps the arm of the couch, and a vein pops in his neck. “You are mine, and we both know it.”
“I’mhisnow. And I’ve never been happier.”
Kai rolls his neck from side to side, pounds his fist into the couch, and grits his teeth in a way that looks painful as he contemplates my words. His dark eyes stab me in warning, and I’ve never seen him so enraged. “That motherfucking, double-crossing, two—”
“We don’t have time to waste on Charlie Barron,” Sawyer says, cutting across whatever Kai was about to say. He levels him with one of those intense looks I’ve seen all three of them share.
“What is that?” I ask. “What are you silently communicating?”
“Nothing.” Sawyer dismisses it with a wave of his hand, and my blood boils.
“God, you’re infuriating.”
Kai barks out a laugh, straightening up. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Suck dick.” I flip him the bird and get up, jabbing him in the ribs as I push past.
“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” He yanks me back by my shirt.
“To my room.”
“You meanmyroom?” His look is suggestive in the extreme. “I can get behind that plan.”
My lips tug up. “Actually, I’ve changed my mind. I’ll hang out in Jackson’s room.” I shrug. “Maybe watch some pornos or play strip poker.”
“Get your annoying ass in the car,” he snaps, grabbing my elbow.
“Eat shit and die.”
“That muzzle suggestion is sounding more and more appealing,” Kai says to Sawyer. “Can you order one online and have it delivered?”
“I’m on it.” Sawyer smirks, and I flip him off too.
