by L A Cotton
Her words sent chills through me.
“Yeah,” I whispered.
“Anyway, we’re all heading over to Bell’s. I think they want to cheer me up.”
“That’s nice.”
“So, you’ll meet us there?”
“I...” Mya must have overheard Hailee because she was shaking her head mouthing, “No,” at me.
“Sure. Why not. I’m with Mya so it’ll be the two of us.”
“Okay,” Hailee said. “I need a drink. Something strong.”
Liquor sloshed in my stomach at her words. I needed water. But she didn’t need to know that.
“We’ll see you soon.” I hung up and downed the rest of the liquor.
“This is a bad idea.” Mya glared at me.
“I know.” I clambered to my feet, swaying slighting as the cool air wafted around me. “But didn’t you suggest I should add crashing a party to my list?” My lip curved deviously.
“This is not what I had in mind. I won’t say I told you so when things go to shit because it’s not my style, but I will say this: I think you should call Hailee back and say you’ve changed your mind.”
“Noted.” I gave her a defiant nod.
Mya rolled her eyes. “Fine, come on. Let’s go cause some trouble.”
“Trouble?” My lips curved into a thin line. “Who said anything about trouble?”
But she was right. I was drunk. And Jason was an asshole.
This couldn’t possibly end well.
“Hails,” I called across the bar. It was crammed for a Thursday, but I figured someone had told everyone that Jason, Asher, and Cameron were here, and like bees to honey they couldn’t resist.
Very sexy, very lickable, very bad-for-your-heart honey.
“Are you drunk?” Hailee’s eyes narrowed, her forehead crinkling like old lady skin.
“Who, me? Never!” I flashed her a mischievous smirk.
“Do I even want to know?” She cut me out, going straight to Mya.
“She called me.” The traitor held up her hands. “I’m merely the wingwoman.”
“And the liquor thief,” I mouthed.
“Liquor thief?” Hailee looked really worried now. “Did something happen?”
“Happen? What could have possibly happened?”
She grabbed my arm and pulled me close. “Flick, talk to me. This isn’t like you.”
Lots of things weren’t like me nowadays.
I let out an exasperated breath. “I just need to cut loose. Blow off some steam. Have a little fun.” I waggled my brows suggestively.
“Are you sure you’re okay? Maybe we should—”
“Fee, baby,” a voice came from behind Hailee. “Get your cute ass over here.”
I went to move around her, but she cut me off. “Flick, talk to me.”
“I’m sorry, Hails,” pulling her into my arms, I hugged my best friend tight. “I’m so sorry.”
“Sorry?” She eased back. “For what?”
“The portraits of course.”
Mya shook her head discreetly, but I levelled her with a look that told her this was between me and my best friend.
“You’re sure you’re okay?” Hails asked.
“Just feeling the pressure of senior year is all. You know how the parentals can get.”
“Your mom—”
“Is the last thing I want to talk about. Let’s forget all about parents and jerk face football players and just enjoy ourselves.”
“You do know it’s a school night?”
I shrugged. “One night won’t hurt.”
“Flick—” But I was already gone; weaving my way through the tables to where Asher and Cameron sat.
“Something you want to tell us?” Asher asked me as I slid into the booth next to him, a goofy grin plastered on my face.
“We’re here to take Hailee’s mind off things, right?” I arched my brow. “I figured what better way than to let loose a little.” My gaze landed on Asher’s beer and it was his turn to arch a brow.
“Seriously?” he asked, but I was already snatching his bottle away and bringing it to my lips. “Well, okay then.”
“Flick,” Hailee and Mya finally caught up to us. “Is that really a good idea?”
“It’s on my list remember,” I said giving her my best puppy-dog eyes.
“No way, you don’t get to pull that crap with me, not tonight.”
“Ah, the elusive list.” Asher’s arm went around my shoulder and I leaned into him slightly. He wasn’t Jason, but he smelled good and the weight of his arm around me was nice.
Too nice.
“When do we get to find out what’s on the list?”
“Never.” I grinned at him.
“Bet I could persuade you to tell me.”
“Oh yeah, and how do you plan on doing that?” I was flirting... with Asher and it felt good. He’d moved closer but so had I.
“I’m pretty creative, I’m sure I can think of—”
Someone cleared their throat and when my head lifted over to where the sound had come from, I was met with an icy cold stare that didn’t just give me chills, it froze the blood running through my veins.
“What took you so long?” Asher asked, edging away from me but not removing his arm.
“Jerry wanted to shoot the shit.” Jason’s eyes didn’t leave mine for a second but then moved to where Asher’s hand rested on my shoulder. If looks could kill, I was pretty sure we’d both be dead.
“Mya, right?” he asked sliding in beside her. “You know who I am?”
“Everyone does.” She shrugged, sitting a little straighter. I mirrored her action, desperate to see what he said next. Jason leaned in, his mouth dangerously close to her ear, and whispered something. Her gaze widened and then narrowed.
“Thanks,” Mya said coolly,” But I couldn’t be less interested if I tried.” She shot me a reassuring look, but the damage was done. Jason had flirted with her... right in front of me. Acting like it was nothing.
Like I was nothing.
Just like you’re doing with Asher.
“I’ll be back,” I said to no one in particular as I hurried from the booth. The room began to spin, but I kept going until I was in the hall leading to the restrooms.
“Felicity, wait up,” Mya called.
“I’m fine.” I waved her off, staggering toward the girls’ bathroom.
“It’s okay,” she said, gently grabbing my arm. “He’s just trying to make you jealous. I would never—”
“I know.” I finally met her eyes.
“Look, from one broken girl to another; you can’t let him win. You deserve more. You deserve everything he won’t give you.”
“I know,” the repeated words came out a whisper.
“So act like it,” Mya said. “Throwing yourself at his best friend is only lowering yourself to his level. You’re better than that. You’re better than him and if he’s going to get another chance with you, make him earn it.”
“Earn it... right?” I half-smiled. “And how do I do that again?”
“Make him think you don’t need him.”
“By not flirting with Asher?”
“His friends are definitely off-limits but I didn’t say anything about other guys.” Mya grinned mischievously. “So what do you say? Shall we get back out there, find us a couple of cute non-football players, and make your guy crazy jealous?”
My guy.
As if Jason would ever allow himself to belong to anyone.
“I guess.”
“Not good enough,” her expression darkened, “If I can survive leaving my home and the guy I’ve loved since I can remember, I’m sure you can survive a night of harmless flirting in the name of making Jason Ford realize what he’s missing.”
“Ssh.” My eyes darted around the hall. The last thing I needed was the wrong person overhearing our conversation—or any person for that matter.
“Okay, that’s it.” A look of determination flashed acro
ss her face. “I was ready to drag you out of here screaming and kicking but I can see it’s worse than I thought. So one night. You get one night.”
“One night?” I had no idea what she was talking about.
“Less talking,” Mya grabbed my hand, “And more drinking. We’ve got work to do.”
Chapter Twenty
Jason
“Bro, if you clench any harder, your jaw is going to break.” Asher chuckled, taking a long pull of his beer.
“She drives me fucking insane,” I ground out, watching on as Felicity and some douchebag from the soccer team laughed like they were old friends.
“She’s a girl. It’s what they do. So you and her—”
“Never going to happen.”
Felicity disarmed me. Every moment I spent with her, I felt my walls chip away a little more. I couldn’t afford to be defenseless, not in a world that would chew me up and spit me out quicker than you could say, ‘Go Raiders’.
I glanced over at him and noticed his eyes fixed in another direction... where Mya was also talking to some guy.
“New girl, huh?”
“What?” His head whipped around.
“You and the new girl?”
“I heard you the first time. I just have no fucking clue what you’re talking about.”
“Of course you don’t.” I scrubbed my jaw. He was right. If I clenched any harder there was a good chance I’d need emergency dental work. But ever since she returned from the restroom, Felicity had been talking to anyone and anything with a dick that wasn’t me.
“Well, aren’t we a pair?” Asher just wouldn’t shut the hell up. “You won’t admit you want Fee and I can’t admit I like the new girl.”
“So you do like her? Knew it.” I smirked.
“She’s... different.”
“You’re not wrong there.” I downed the rest of my beer.
“So you and Fee?”
“There is no me and Fee.” What kind of fucking nickname was that anyway?
“You know I only pushed you before because I wanted you to pull your head out of your ass, right?”
“I know,” I grumbled. When Cam and Asher had suggested we all come to Bell’s to take Hailee’s mind off the mess at the studio, I hadn’t anticipated on it turning into a session with Dr Phil. All I wanted to do was drink and forget about Thatcher. Numb the burning desire to ram my fist straight into his face.
I would never forget the look on my step-sister’s face when she saw the devastation he’d caused. Part of me didn’t want to care, didn’t want to feel responsible for it.
But I did care.
I was responsible.
And it was a hard truth to swallow.
Asher slung his arm over my shoulder as we watched the girls flirt shamelessly with the two douchecanoes. “I don’t know about you, but I’m not going to just sit here and watch this shit.” He gave me a pointed look, one that should have had me following him as he cut across the bar to them. But I didn’t go.
I couldn’t.
Because going would be admitting something I wasn’t ready for.
So I sat there like a fucking statue watching the girl who had completely flipped my world on its head as she batted her eyes and twirled a strand of hair around her finger.
My hand curled around the table. Walk away, I silently willed the douche to excuse himself. Because while I couldn’t go over there and stake my claim, I wasn’t sure I was strong enough to stand by and watch someone else make a move on Felicity. Not when I could still taste her on my lips, remember how good she felt bouncing on my dick, how fucking easy it was to lose myself in her.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Hailee came up beside me.
“Just chillin’.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen her like this before,” she said, guilt ripping through me. “Did something happen between the two of you?”
“Hailee—”
“I know, I know. But I know Felicity and this isn’t her.”
“I can’t be who she needs.”
“I want to agree. I want to tell you to walk away and save her the heartache. But something tells me you’re both already in too deep for that.” My step-sister looked at me as if she could see right through me.
I hated it.
“You have to make a choice, Jason,” she went on. “Take a chance on her or let her go. Because this—whatever this is that you’re doing right now—it’s hurting her. And I won’t stand by and let you hurt her, I just won’t.”
Pressing my lips together, I gave her the silent treatment. I wasn’t having this conversation. Not here. Not now. And most definitely not with her. My step-sister. Hailee fucking Raine; the girl I’d hated for so long I didn’t know how to deal with my newfound concern for her.
“Hey,” she laid her hand on my arm when I didn’t reply, “I’m not your enemy, Jason.”
Slowly, I slid my hard gaze to hers. She was right. The lines had been redrawn and somehow, we were on the same side now, but it didn’t mean I had to like it, or even accept it.
“Yeah, whatever.” I shrugged her off, finding Felicity in the crowd again.
Maybe I couldn’t go claim her, but I could sit here and watch. I could make sure that douchecanoe kept his hands firmly to himself.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Hailee let out a heavy sigh. “I’m going to find Cameron.”
“You do that,” I grunted. “I need another beer.” Catching Jerry’s eye, I tipped my empty bottle toward him. He gave me a terse nod, disappointment glittering in his eyes. He could judge all he wanted. Jerry didn’t know what it was like to shoulder the expectation of an entire town... your classmates... teammates. He didn’t know what it was like to want something so bad you had to give up everything else.
No one did.
“Are you going to handle that?” Asher asked me sometime later, “Or am I?”
Inhaling a deep breath, I watched Felicity sway on her feet as she attempted to make Hailee and Mya dance with her. It had been the same for the last hour; Felicity trying to coerce the girls into dancing, them telling her no.
“Shit, she’s going to—”
Mya caught her fall.
“Someone should have taken her home an hour ago,” I said.
“Hailee tried. Mya too. She’s on a mission, man.”
Hailee caught my eye across the bar, her expression full of challenge. Are you going to step up?
I rubbed my temples, exhaling a shaky breath, holding her steely gaze. It was a bad idea—the fucking worst. But I couldn’t take another second of Felicity flashing her bedroom eyes at some random guy or dodging advances from some dickwad who didn’t deserve to touch her.
“Here.” I thrust my bottle of water at Asher. I’d stopped drinking a while ago, right around the time Felicity began to try—and fail—to turn Bell’s into a club.
“Good man.” He clapped me on the shoulder. “Just go easy on her, she’s wasted.”
“Yeah, yeah. See you tomorrow.” Our eyes connected and I saw his concern. Asher might have had a crush on the new girl, but he cared about Felicity, and I couldn’t decide if I was relieved she had him in her corner, or insanely jealous.
Maybe both.
Hailee and Mya noticed me first. “Oh it’s you,” Felicity slurred, her body falling limp against me. “I’m not sure I like you anymore.” Her hands pressed against my chest, my body vibrating with heat.
Jesus, even her touch was magic.
“House key?” I asked Hailee over her shoulder.
“Pocket I assume.”
“If her parents wake up and discover me in their house, you’d better have a damn good cover story ready.” I kept my voice low.
“We can take her,” Mya said over my shoulder. But I ignored her, slipping my arm around Felicity’s waist and tucking her into my side.
“I’ll see you back at the house.” I gave her a tight nod. Hailee returned it, amusement dancing in her eyes. But it was nothing
compared to the curious stares aimed at us as I herded Felicity out of the bar. I was just relieved that Jenna and the gym team were nowhere to be seen because that was one shitshow I didn’t need right now.
“Jason?” Felicity murmured.
“Yeah?”
“Whatever you’re doing, stop. I hate you.” She sucked in a shaky breath. “And I hate myself for ever thinking you could change.”
“Yeah, yeah, Giles. You hate me, I get it. Now get your drunk ass in the car.”
Fifteen minutes, and one emergency stop later, thanks to Felicity thinking she was going to puke all over my car, we were at her house. I dug the key out of her pocket, Felicity cradled in my arms, and unlocked the Giles’ front door. She let out a soft moan when her head bumped the wall as I slipped inside.
“Ssh.” My fingers traced her cheek. The last thing I needed was Mr. Giles to find me carrying his daughter upstairs but yet again, all rational thought had flown out of the window.
Thankfully I remembered the layout of her house so I didn’t have to worry about walking in on her parents sleeping.
“Okay, let’s get you into bed.” I dropped her down onto the mattress and began the torturous task of undressing her.
“No,” she murmured, trying to fumble with her clothes. “I can do it.”
“You can barely talk, let alone get undressed.” My fingers peeled hers away. “Let me do it.”
“Why?” she murmured, her head rolling like a rag doll. “I’m no one. Nothing.”
“You’re not nothing.” I brushed the hair from her face, fighting a smile, and ignoring the giant lump in my throat.
Couldn’t she see she was someone to me? That she was slowly becoming too important, which is why I had to walk away? Before we were both in too deep and things became too messy.
Felicity relented, her body pliant as I peeled her shirt and jeans off before tucking her into bed. Her eyes were closed, her breathing deep and steady. She’d drunk a lot tonight. Too much. And I knew it was my fault for how things went down earlier.
“Fuck,” I muttered, stepping away from her before I did something stupid. Something more stupid than sneaking into her house on a Thursday night while her parents slept down the hall.