“Well, she ran outta here like her ass was on fire, so I’m pretty sure you’re the one that set it alight.”
I have a sigh. “She tried to kiss me. I turned away at the second and…”
“So you humiliated her? Nice going, man,”
“Fuck off,” I snap. “I feel bad enough as it is.”
“Holy shit. Do you actually care about her?”
My silence tells him everything he needs to know.
“You forgetting this was your plan?”
“No, of course I’m not forgetting! Just need to find a way I can do this without hurting her.”
The memory of what I did makes me wince.
It’s been a long week, and I’ve missed her. I’ve missed the push and pull between us and I’ve been feeling like a sack of shit for ruining it. For making her think I didn’t want her when it’s the exact opposite. I want her more than I’ve ever wanted anyone. I need to explain why I didn’t kiss her that night and it was nothing to do with her and everything to do with me.
My phone buzzes in my pocket and I take it out finding Sofia’s name flashing up on the screen.
It’s the winter ball tonight, an annual event to celebrate the holiday season, an event Lawless areneverinvited to. Sofia goes every year and apparently Kaia is expected to go this year with her being back in town.
So why is she calling me?
Unless…
“Sof?”
“Kill, you need to come. It’s Kaia.”
My stomach sinks at the mention of her name, the tone of Sof’s voice telling me something is wrong. “What about Kaia?”
Drew and Jett must hear the alarm in my voice because their heads snap my way, their game of pool abandoned.
“I can’t believe he’s done this. She told me not to tell you, said she could handle it herself but I… God, I swear if I wasn’t wearing six-inch open-toed stilettos my foot would be so far up his ass, he’d—”
“Sof!What’s happened?” I shout, cutting off her rambling.
She sighs through the phone. “Her dad’s invited her ex to be her date tonight.”
“Okay…?” I won’t lie, the thought of another man being with her has a wave of jealousy crashing through me.
She’s mine.
“You don’t get it, sheneverwould’ve invited Daniel here. She’sterrifiedof him, Kill. He’s an entitled prick who treated her like crap when she wouldn’t sleep with him. He tried to force himself on her in college, that’s why she broke up with him.”
My feet are on the move as soon as the wordsforced himself on herleave her mouth. “I’m on my way,” I tell her before hanging up.
“Bro, what’s up?”
I stop and turn. Jett and Drew face me, their eyes wide and alert. “If you don’t want to see me in cuffs through a screen during visiting hours, you better come with, because I won’t be held responsible for what happens next.”
“Oh fuck,” I hear Jett mutter as I burst out the door, crossing the lot towards my bike, Jett and Drew hot on my heels.
I climb over my bike and fire up the engine before the three of us peel out of the lot, taking a right onto Watery Lane towards the town hall.
I don’t know who I’m angrier with. Her piece of shit ex who touched her enough to fill her with terror or her father for inviting him to be her date. I’d love to pound both of the bastards into dust, but I need to get to her first.
