Calix took another side road and drove until we came to the main street, and then he turned into Galaxy Grub, a run-down bar where some kids from Redwood hung out.It was known that the owners gave out free drinks to underage kids.
In the parking lot, I spotted not only Rush’s car, but Cairo’s, Arch’s, and … Frasier’s.
While I liked all the guys, my stomach was twisting.I had been ignoring Frasier’s messages all morning and afternoon.If he saw me walk in with Calix, I didn’t know what would happen.Besides … he had really been using me to get with that girl.
He couldn’t be mad, right?
No, he didn’t deserve for me to be faithful to him.He had known I was using him.
Yet, still, guilt churned in my belly.
“They’re all here,” I muttered, more to myself than to Calix.
Calix parked in an empty spot near the back, beside Frasier, as the silence began stretching between us.I knew I had to go inside, face the questions from Frasier about why I was with Calix … but this was what we had both wanted, right?
After another moment, Calix exited the car.I hesitantly followed after him, heart racing.When we approached the entrance, he grabbed my hand like I was his.And while we had spent last night together, we never really put a label on it.
The inside of Galaxy Grub was exactly as I’d thought it’d look—the warm glow of the lights, the faint smell of greasy food, and the low hum of conversation toward the pool tables in the back.Arch was hunched over in a booth by the window, complaining about something to Cairo, who sat there so innocently with a textbook.Rush was at the bar, grabbing a beer from the bartender, one eye completely swollen closed.
Calix tugged me along toward the back, not even saying a word to anyone.His hand was wrapped tightly around mine, keeping it warm.But then my gaze locked on to Frasier’s intense, jealous one.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-SEVEN
FRASIER
I spottedAstrid as soon as she walked into Galaxy with Calix, hand in fucking hand.
What the fuck is she holding his hand for?
My fists tightened by my sides, and I gritted my teeth, glaring at them from across the bar.I had spent the whole night wondering where she’d gone, texting her, looking around for her,worryingabout her.And here she was, with Calix.
Was she with him the entire night?Ishethe reason that she ignored my texts?
When her gaze met mine, she stiffened and dropped Calix’s hand.I drew my tongue across my teeth and flared my nostrils.Maybe she had been seeing him behind my back and didn’t want me to find out.
Is that what she is doing?Using us?
Calix placed his hand on her lower back and continued guiding her toward Arch and Cairo, who sat at our usual table.Sipping on a beer, Rush sat beside Arch and didn’t look at Astrid once.I walked over to them and pulled up a chair from a table.
“Where were you?”I asked Astrid.
“You didn’t come home last night.Thought you might’ve died,” Arch said.
She shuffled her feet and tugged on her sleeves, peering at the ground.“I was …”
“With me,” Calix said, meeting my gaze with a smirk.
I raised my brows at him.He really didn’t want to do this here.
“Yeah?With you?”I spit back.“That why she doesn’t look satisfied?”
He dropped his smirk and replaced it with a disgusted grimace.“You don’t know what she looks like when she’s satisfied, you fucking asshole.All that sleeping around, and she came back to me.”
A low chuckle left my mouth.“Is that so?”
“You bet, dickhead.”
My gaze traveled to Astrid, who stayed at his side.She peeked at me, then looked away, her nipples hardening underneath her shirt.She got off on this shit, didn’t she?Did she like that we fought over her?
