“MOTHAFUCKAAAS!” Zane, out of nowhere, jumped on Jude’s back and stuck a bottle of liquor in his face. Jude stumbled back but caught Zane’s legs and held him there, as Zane jammed the bottle into Jude’s mouth and poured liquor into him, cackling all theway.
Jude wrenched his head away and spat out liquid. Then he dumped Zane on the ground, snatched the liquor bottle from him and dumped the contents all over him… and Jesse fucking diedlaughing.
Zane just lay there, laughing like a drunkenhyena.
JesusChrist…
What was I even doinghere?
There was no conversation to be had with any of these mentonight.
With Jude, there never reallywas.
I went back into the house. I tried to find Jessa, but as far as I could figure out, she was most likely in Brody’s bedroom—with him—since I couldn’t find either of them and it was the only room with a closed door I couldn’t get into. Maggie was deep in a conversation with Elle, so I called a cab. I sent Jessa a text to let her know I was leaving, then wenthome.
I didn’t talk to Judeagain.
Why would I want to talk to someone who just kept hurtingme?
But his words hauntedme.
You’re the kind of girl some guys fuck on a kitchen counter and forget… And other guys never getover.
Was he seriously never going to forgive that I’d once had sex with his brother—before we’d even hookedup?
And what was he implying? Thathewas never getting overme?
He sure acted like he was over me. Way the fuck overme.
Except for thatkiss…
The morning after that party, Dirty headed back out on the road to finish their tour, and Jude went with themagain.
While they were away, Jessa finished her first year of college and left Vancouver in pursuit of modeling; her agency sent her to work with their sister agency in NewYork.
And she never cameback.
When she left, I said goodbye to her at the airport. But I was saying goodbye to a lot more than Jessa Mayes. I was saying goodbye to her brother and his whole crew of friends. I was saying goodbye toDirty.
Because I wasn’t under the same illusions that Brody and her brother and everyone else seemed to be. IknewJessa wasn’t comingback.
So I hugged her and kissed her and wished her all the happiness she deserved and hadn’t seemed to find in this city, and I saw heroff.
And I said goodbye to Jude Grayson, because without Jessa around, I knew there was a very real chance I’d never see himagain.
Chapter Twenty
Jude
Thursday.
It had been a week since I’d fought with Roni and she’d accused me of not wanting her around the club. Since she’d told me she changed her mind about our fuck buddy arrangement, and I walkedout.
We still hadn’tspoken.
I had no fucking idea how she was feeling, what she might be goingthrough.
All I knew was I was seeing hertonight.
