Chapter Two
Kylie woke upthe following morning and groaned when she moved her head. The pain was like a jackhammer plunging through concrete, and it was relentless. When she opened her eyes, another wave of piercing pain like shards of glass poking the backs of her eyeballs assaulted her, and she licked her dry lips, hating the way the desert had overtaken her mouth.Why the fuck did I drink so much of that cheap, shitty beer?She laid her arm over her throbbing eyelids, trying to block out the light in her dorm room.
The previous night, she’d drunk more than she ever had since coming to the university. Whatever had possessed her to have had so much beer? She groped the nightstand next to her bed, searching for the bottled water she always kept on it. Finding it, she sat up, her body screaming, unscrewed the cap, and swallowed a long gulp. Relief coated her parched mouth and throat. Setting the water back down, she glanced at Taylor’s bed. Small snores filled the room as her roommate slept.
Easing back down, Kylie covered her eyes again, the pressure making them feel a tad better. She replayed the previous night’s events in her mind, and she knew the reason she’d drunk so much—Jerry. She’d been shocked when she’d seen him in her space, and at first she’d thought he’d come up just to see her, but when he’d told her he had friends in the area he was visiting, a tinge of disappointment had weaved through her. She’d chided herself on her silliness. After all, they’d known each other for many years, and he was used to older, more experienced women. But during the night, she’d caught him looking at her as more than a friend, and when he’d danced close to her, his hardness pressed against her, pleasure had battled with the urge to flee far away from him.
Then he’d helped her back to her dorm, patiently putting up with her nonsensical chatter and giggles she hadn’t been able to control. When he’d tucked her in bed, she’d been so overcome with tenderness that she’d kissed him gratefully, never expecting his response. It was like she’d unleashed a powerful caged beast, and she’d loved it. The way he kissed her still made her flush heatedly and her toes curl. And just when she’d thought her heart was going to burst, he’d broken away and left her. She winced as she recalled the punch to her pride. He’d probably been drunk the previous night as well, and when he realized he’d been kissing her instead of one of his slutty women who knew how to fuck, he’d recognized his mistake and freaked out. Her chest hitched and she rubbed her temples in a vain effort to banish those thoughts.
With a sigh, Kylie forced herself up and into the bathroom. She jumped into the shower, resting her forehead against the cold fiberglass wall. As the cool water washed over her, she began to feel better, gripping her stomach as it growled. Thinking a donut and a cup of strong black coffee would hit the spot, she finished getting ready then headed to the snack bar at the Student Center.
The snack bar was quiet, with only a few students scattered at the different tables. Sundays were usually like a ghost town during the morning and afternoon hours, only coming to life in the evenings after a night of partying had worn off. Kylie sat at a table for two, a few feet away from the window and the bright sunlight. Sipping her coffee, she leaned back, feeling much better. She took out her phone and noticed a text. Opening it, her stomach lurched when she saw it was from Jerry. She’d plugged in his phone number a couple years back when he’d called on her dad’s phone about club business. For a split second, she racked her brain trying to remember if she’d given him her number the previous night. It was such a jumbled puzzle, bits and pieces fitting in different spaces of her memory; it was very possible she’d given it to him. Looking back down, she read his text.
Jerry:How’re u feeling?
Kylie:Like shit. Drank 2 much!
Jerry:U think???
Kylie:Cute. Don’t tell my dad. K?
Jerry:Now I have something to blackmail u with.
Kylie bit into her donut, loving the burst of deliciousness from the icing. She licked the small flakes off her lips, took another sip of coffee, and returned to texting.
Kylie:Blackmail? What do u want from me?
A very long pause ensued. She laid her phone on the table and promptly finished her donut and coffee. A ping drew her attention back to her phone.
Jerry:Sorry bout last night. I drank too much too. I didn’t mean anything by it.
Kylie sucked in her breath as fluttering butterflies made her stomach queasy.I knew he probably thought I was someone else.Her skin crawled and bitterness invaded her thoughts.
Kylie:What did u do? I was so drunk. I remember u helping me to my dorm, but nothing past that. Am I missing something?
Another long pause. Her insides quivered.
Jerry:Nah.
Kylie:Thx for helping me.:)
Jerry:Ya. So u don’t remember anything after getting to your room?
She pressed her lips together and reread his text a few times before replying.
Kylie:No. Did I do something embarrassing?
Jerry:Not at all. No worries.
Kylie:I gotta go. It was fun hanging with u. See ya.
Jerry:Later.
Kylie let out a long breath, having held it in since he’d alluded to their kiss. Oh, that wonderful, sexy, panty-melting kiss. No boy had ever kissed her like that, not that she’d had many guys around. With her dad being so protective, she was surprised she’d even been allowed to date in high school. She had Cara to thank for that. Her dad had a soft spot for the woman because she was such a good cook, and she’d been the one to catch Hawk, so he’d listened to her when she told him to let Kylie go to the school dances. If it hadn’t been for Cara, she never would’ve been able to convince her dad to let her come to Red Rocks University.
She smiled when she thought of her dad. They’d been through a lot after her mother’s death, and during her teenage years, but they were super close and she loved him dearly. Now that he was married to Belle, she hoped he’d ease off on being her guard dog when it came to men, especially the Insurgents brothers. Belle had already stood up for her twice when Kylie came up during President’s Day weekend and had been at the club, flirting with Jerry and Rock. Banger had been livid, but Belle had convinced him it was only natural for Kylie to feel comfortable with the brothers since she’d grown up with the majority of them. He’d softened under Belle’s soothing voice, but Kylie knew her dad still had his eyes on her and Jerry.
And Jerry had always made her insides melt, ever since she’d first laid eyes on him when he came to the MC as a prospect. How could shenotnotice him? He was a powerfully built man of over six feet, with sandy hair, large brown eyes, muscles that could rival any Greek Adonis, and enticing tattoos curling around his biceps, forearms, and ripped chest. Looking at him made her drool, and with the way the club and party girls checked him out, she knew they were drooling as well. Jerry had been a patched member for a little over two years, and he’d told her during one of their talks at the clubhouse that he was saving his back for the Insurgents logo—the one a member earned after being with the brotherhood for ten years.
