I want to tell him to fuck off too but I know he’s right. I’ve had a few too many drinks and that with how pissed off I am right now is not a good combination on a motorcycle. I climb into his car and slam the door, causing Tate to shoot me a dark look filled with warning.
“Take it easy. The door’s not who you’re pissed at. What was up with her tonight anyway? She barely looked your way.”
I slam my head back against the seat and grind out, “I don’t fucking know, T. I don’t fucking know because she’s not my fucking girl, she won’t fucking talk to me and now she won’t even fucking look at me either.” I scrub at my face as the anger starts to drain away. “What the fuck is wrong with me, T? What am I even doing? I’ve wasted the last two years waiting for a stranger to acknowledge me in some way. I feel like a fucking fool.”
He looks over at me in concern when we hit a red light. “Don’t say that, man. Anyone with eyes in their head can see that you guys have a connection. She dances foryou, brother. That’s clear as day. I don’t know what her deal is, what she’s got going on outside that club but without saying a single word to each other, you two have more of a relationship than I’ve ever had with any woman.”
The light turns green and he looks back to the road. As mad as I was, what he said is true. There is something there between me and my Butterfly and it’s something bigger than words. There has to be because if I’m wrong, that means I’m just some fucked up stalker loser. Now I’m feeling shitty for storming out on her like that. Even though she wasn’t facing me tonight, I know she knew I was there for her. I shake off my mood and focus back on Tate.
“So, what’s with you and the bookworm? She’s not exactly the Tatum Valor type.”
He glances my way with a frown before going back to the road. “Savy’s helping me out. She agreed to be my fake girlfriend to keep the skanks away and help me get caught up with school. Coach is riding my ass about my grades. I can’t risk getting benched for the rest of the season. I need the scouts to be looking at me on the field and you know how my dad is. Hell hath no fury like a football dad living vicariously through his son’s achievements.”
I make a hmm of agreement. “Sure, I get that but what does she get out of it? Why would she agree to fake date you?”
“She gets a shield. She’s got a hell-on-wheels sister that likes to bully her. The bitch can’t do shit to Savy as long as she’s under my protection.”
I nod slowly. “Alright, but what happens when she catches a case of the feels for you? A girl like that probably doesn’t have a long line of guys waiting to date her so having you acting like her boyfriend might…confuse her.”
Tate scoffs. “Yeah, no. Savy didn’t want to have anything to do with this. I kind of forced her into it. She’s not going to be a problem.”
I shrug and look out my window. “Ok, sure. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, though.”
I have to shake my head at what a sorry group the four of us are. Tate’s got a fake girlfriend. I’ve got a girl who won’t even tell me her name and Beckett and Jude will nail anything in a skirt.
We’re less than two years out from graduation and entering the real world and I still don’t know what that looks like for me. I need to decide if I want to continue on to get my MD or just roll the dice with a Bachelor of Science in sports medicine. It’s a huge commitment to go another four years, not to mention the cost involved.
When Jude was scouted in our senior year of high school by multiple universities, I was thrilled my best friend would have a pathway out of the world we were born into. Both of us had been getting deeper into the dark side where our families have lived for generations and I was afraid that the blood would never wash off our hands if we stayed much longer.
I was ready to cheer him on and throw him the biggest send off but that sneaky fucker used his clout to demand a scholarship for me too if they wanted him to sign. Penworth U took the deal and that’s how we got out together. If I keep going after graduation, there won’t be a scholarship and that means deep debt.
I wave off Tate’s offer for another drink once we get home and head up to my room for a shower. As much as I want to shut down and not think about anything, the minute the hot water hits my head, those stunning blue eyes flash through my mind. I close my eyes and picture her perfect curves, her smooth skin, and her sexy moves as she dances for me. My cock is in my hand without a thought and all it takes is imagining her moaning my name to have me coming all over the tiles. Fuck, my Butterfly’s killing me.
SAVY
Ipull my sweater tighter around myself to ward off the late fall chill as I walk across campus. I’m going to have to break out my winter jacket soon as the weather gets colder and the forecast is calling for snow any day now.
As chilly as the air is, it is no match to the coldness I felt when Ash stormed out of the club last weekend. I hate that I made him feel that way but I was so wound up about seeing him at Tate’s and then knowing they would all be at the club watching me that I just couldn’t bring myself to dance for him like I usually do.
A shiver wracks my body as a gust of wind hits me. I hate this so much. I hate that I have to hide who I am from him. I would give anything to be the kind of woman he would want in real life, but I know I’ll never be brave enough to be her without a mask.
Why can’t I be the Butterfly? When I’m pretending to be her, when I’m dancing for him, I have all the confidence in the world. I know there’s something there, it’s like there’s a tether between us connecting us. If I could just be that woman in real life, I might have a shot at…
“Oh Savy, that is you! That nice brown outfit of yours just blends right into the background. Almost didn’t see you, thought you were a big ol’ pile of lumpy dirt there for a minute.”
I cringe at hearing her voice and the cruel words that fall so easily from her mouth and then slowly turn to face my sister. She’s standing with three other blond sorority girls that are just as beautiful and stylish as she is, in their designer outfits, expensive scarves, and all clutching tall white paper cups that I would bet all the money in my wallet are filled with pumpkin spice something or other.
“Hello, Vanessa. It’s nice to see you’ve already made friends. Are you enjoying the new school so far?” I ask, in as pleasant a tone as I can stomach.
Her blue eyes are flint hard as she smirks at me. “It’s passable but I’m sure it will get better the more I settle in and find my groove. You know how it is at a new school. It takes time to catch up on all the gossip and rumors.”
Her smirk spreads to a grin and I brace myself for whatever she’s about to hit me with.
“Speaking of which, I actually just heard a few about you. Apparently, you’re quite the little slut. I was shocked to learn that you’ve managed to fuck your way through two of the hottest guys on campus and it’s only a few months into the year. I’d love to hear who your next target is.”
The other three women laugh as my face turns red. Before I have a chance to try and defend myself a deep rumbling voice comes from behind me at the same time a warm jacket is wrapped around my shoulders and spicy cinnamon fills my nose.
“Speaking of sluts, why don’t one of you three fill me in on who the new super bitch is? I’d like to be able to tell Tate exactly who’s fucking with his girl.”
