“And I’m having a hard time believing your memory is that bad. I’m pretty sure you remember that first night we had together over by the water tower. The night that I took theonlything you had to offer.”
I rolled my eyes. “There’s the cheap shot. Believe me, if that hadn’t been my first time the sex wouldn’t have been that memorable. You were an asshole, but I was just too stupid to see that. That night you took something big, never giving a fuck what that meant to me.”
Jacob eyed me, his humor at my reaction giving him an unattractive dimple in his sallow cheeks. While he was preoccupied with that, I glanced at Drew, noting the twitch in his jaw and the white of his knuckles as he balled his hands. He wasn’t going to take much more of this, of that I was certain. If I had a point, I needed to get to it quickly.
“Babe, as much as youthinkthat’s the truth, we both know it’s a lie.” He turned on his stool to face Drew, and I tensed as he said, “Does she scream your name, too, buddy?” He raised the pitch of his voice in an attempt to emulate mine. “Oh, Jacob. Jacob, don’t stop. Don’t stop.” He laughed and spun to face me again. “Did that slip your mind, too, Ayda?”
I made a face, glancing at Drew briefly.
“Damn, he’s got you on a tight leash, A. You can’t respond without looking to your man to make sure it’s okay first?”
I was losing ground fast and I knew it. It was the only reason I’d looked up at Drew because the moment he saw that control slipping, he would take over. I was so focused on Drew that I hadn’t noticed Kenny approach the counter. The moment he reached it, he slipped onto the stool next to Jacob’s and focused his entire glare on the side of Jacob’s head. It was a reminder for Jake to stay polite.
“Whoa, easy, pup. You’re not my type.” Jacob turned to me and thumbed over his shoulder at Kenny. “Who’s this joker?” Jacob asked, spinning his stool in Kenny’s direction. It went to show how little he was actually paying attention to his surroundings. Jacob didn’t realize the guys were beginning to circle around him like a pack of wolves around their prey. They would inch in and tighten the circle until he could feel their breath on his neck, stalking him and his every move.
I ignored the question he’d fired off, my hand slapping down onto the counter to bring his attention back to me. “Why are you here, Jake?”
“I missedyou, baby.” He made a foul gesture with his hands and smiled at me, an unreadable look in his eyes.
“Why are you really here?” I asked, ignoring the way his greasy stare made my skin itch.
“My parents live here, you stupid bitch. Why the hell do you think I’m here?” He never noticed the Hounds moving in closer and tightening around him. He never saw the glares of disgust because he was too busy trying to read my reaction and get a rise from me.
Me? I just smiled. Name-calling was a sure sign that I’d finally pissed him off. “Then take care of that and go back to wherever you came from.”
“Can’t. I accepted a job here.” His smile grew again, that cockiness rolling back into his posture as he leaned back, right into Deeks’ elbow. Jacob jumped forward before composing himself and swinging in Deeks’ direction to glare at him.
“You’re not welcome here, Jake. I’d advise you find another job somewhere else,” I spat.
“Can’t,” he repeated, leaning forward toward me. “I want this one.”
“God, you’re such a dick,” I hissed between my teeth. “Whatever. Just stay away from my brother and me. If I so much as see your face, you will regret it.”
“Oh, honey, you’re going to see my face every day and every Friday night. And every time you do, you will think about me, and what we used to do behind the very bleachers you’ll be sitting on.”
“What?”
“Say hi to the new coach for the Babylon High Bulldogs.” He spread his arms and shrugged, knowing he’d just dropped the money shot.
“No!”
“That’s not what you used to say.” He laughed. He swung his hips, using his arms for emphasis in a lewd emulation of sex. “If I remember you used to scream the word yes and beg for more. Behind the bleachers, in the guy’s locker rooms, the water tower, and the back of my truck at the Roller Freeze. All it took was my hand up your skirt as you stared down that high—”
He didn’t get to finish. Drew had reached his limit.
He’d escaped my hold without me realizing until it was too late. The dull yet heavy thud of Jacob’s head being smacked down onto the counter echoed all around the diner, leaving everyone inside of Rusty’s to hold their breath and wait to see what the hell was about to go down.
Chapter Nine
DREW
Isighed as I held Jacob down. The knock to the head had temporarily stunned him, and all was quiet for a merry fucking second. I smiled a flat smile at Rusty and Janette who were standing behind the counter, their eyes wide and concerned as they looked between Jacob and me a dozen times.
Holding the little shit’s face in place, I heard the muted laughter of my brothers and chose to ignore it. It had killed me listening to that skinny fucker talking about screwing Ayda, but I knew his game. It was the lamest trick in the book. Now, it was time to show him how the big boys played.
Glancing up at the menu board, I swam in the silence and smirked at the collective gasp the whole of Rusty’s had taken.
“Janette?”
