He gets up to lock the door before returning to my bed.
“Maybe we should have done that before we got naked,” I tease.
“I think they’ve learned by now.”
"Stay the night?" I ask.
"Try to get rid of me."
I'm almost asleep when I hear it.
A high-pitched giggle from somewhere in the house. Feminine. Familiar.
My eyes snap open.
"Did you hear that?" I whisper.
"Hear what?" Declan's voice is drowsy.
Another giggle, closer this time. Right outside my door.
"That," I say, sitting up. "That annoying sound."
Declan listens. I see the moment he recognizes it. His jaw clenches.
"Bree."
"Of course it's Bree." I pick up my shirt from the floor and pull it on. "Why is she always here? Doesn't she have her own house? Her own life?"
"She's dating Holden."
"Dating is generous. She's using Holden to hang around you." I yank on my underwear with so much force I nearly hurt myself. "I cannot stand that girl."
"Sutton, she’s not here for me."
"I'm serious, Declan. She's toxic. She tried to break us up during our freshman year, and now she's here doing it again. Always touching you, always finding excuses to be around." I turn to face him. "And the guys just let her waltz in here whenever she wants."
"What am I supposed to do? Tell Holden he can't date her?"
"Yes!"
He laughs. "I can't do that."
"Why not?"
"Because it's his life. His choice." He reaches for me, pulling me back to the bed. "Come here. Don't worry about Bree."
"How can I not worry? She's a snake."
"A snake with no venom." He kisses my temple. "She's just hanging on to any guy she can find. It's pathetic, really."
I pull back to look at him. "Any guy she can find? That's supposed to make me feel better?"
"That came out wrong."
"You think?" I cross my arms. "So she's just desperately clinging to whoever will have her? That's your defense?"
"Bree wants attention. Any attention. She dates guys on the team because it makes her relevant. But none of them actually want her. Not really. She's just... there."
