“That should have been our first kiss,” he whispers over my lips when we break apart sometime later.
I nod, fighting a yawn as the emotional trauma of the night finally creeps up on me.
“Sleep, beautiful.” He holds me tight, and I rest my face on his chest as I close my eyes. “Tomorrow is a new day.”
ChapterForty-Nine
Ashley
“It’s so weird being around the house and not snarking at one another,” I tell Bree as we leave the cafeteria on Monday after sharing lunch together. “He keeps grabbing me and kissing me like he’s afraid I’m going to disappear on him or something.”
“Are you sure you didn’t have sex with him again?”
I arch a brow. “I think I’d remember.”
“You should just climb back on that horse and fuck him stupid. That’s what I’d do.”
“Lucky I’m not you then.” I sling my bag over my shoulder. “I want to take it slow. I still don’t know what this thing is between us, and I’m not ready for a new relationship. I doubt that’s even something Ares would want. He doesn’t strike me as the relationship kind of guy. Shit is already confusing, and I’m still grieving the guys I lost. I also can’t forget the part he played, and there’s more I don’t know yet. Until then, I don’t want to rush into something new and end up making things worse. So, for now I’m happy with the PG kissing.”
“Is he a good kisser?” she asks, tossing her empty water bottle in a trash can we pass en route to the library.
I smirk at her. “Do you really need to ask?”
“Damn. You’re so screwed.”
“Not yet I’m not,” I quip.
We separate when we enter the library ’cause we’ll get no work done if we are together.
Bree leaves a couple hours later because she has a family dinner to attend, but I stay for another hour before packing up my shit and heading home. I usually stay longer, but tonight I want to get home before Ares and cook him dinner. Not really sure why, but I’m not going to overanalyze it either.
I have only taken three steps away from the entrance when I’m accosted by the next-to-last person I would want to see.
Anita Hoare purposely stands in front of me, blocking my route to the parking lot.
“Move,” I demand, planting my disinterested face on.
“It must really kill you to know Julia now has everything that once belonged to you.” She grins, like this is the best news ever.
“For starters, I didn’t own either guy. That’s such a sexist, archaic sentiment, not that I’m surprised it’s part of your vocab. Secondly, Julia has shit all. Jase is forced to be with her, and Chad used her to try to make me jealous. She will never have what I had with them because she’s an insipid, spineless, selfish, conceited, spoiled bitch, and they could never love someone like her.”
I lean down into her face. “Exactly like you. It’s why they were so quick to shut you down when you hit on them.” Her cheeks turn red. “And finally, it doesn’t kill me. I’m getting over them, and I’m moving on.” I push her back. “I seriously advise you to do the same because we’re not in high school anymore, and the way you lick the ground Julia walks on is pathetic.”
“Yeah, we’ll see.” She waggles her fingers in my face and grins.
I don’t know what I said that was so amusing. Weird bitch. Shaking all thoughts of Anita and Julia from my mind, I walk toward the parking lot, eager to get home. Tripping over a loose stone on the sidewalk, I almost face-plant the ground. Glancing down, I see one of my laces is undone. I bend down to tie it when a whistling sound blows over my head, quickly followed by a loud scream.
“Oh my god,” a woman shrieks. “She’s been shot. Help! My friend has been shot!”
Alarm bells ring in my ears at her words, and I whip my cell out as I crouch down and crawl toward the direction of my car. Panic sluices through my veins as I press Bree’s number, willing her to pick up.
A second shot rings out, and I lunge forward on the sidewalk as it whizzes over my head. A car explodes behind me, and I dump my bag and get up, running toward the safety of my car as Bree’s line rings out. I am almost to my armored SUV when she picks up, just as pain rips through my skull and I scream, dropping the phone and instantly blacking out.
* * *
“We need to move her now,” Mom says in a hushed tone as I slowly come to.
“I agree,” Jase says, “It’s too dangerous in a public hospital. We need to get her to Luminary HQ.”
