by Ashley Jade
Tommy’s got it all wrong. “Jace isn’t lik—”
“Yes, he is. You might not want to believe it, but he’s not a good guy.” He flicks a hand in my direction. “Look what he did to you.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to argue, but I can’t. Jace didn’t just pull the rug out from under my feet, he strangled me with it.
“I’m sorry I upset you back there. I just wanted you to understand.”
“Understand what?”
“I like you, Dylan. A lot,” he confesses as he takes a step closer. “And I’m pretty sure you like me too. Even if you won’t admit it.”
“I—” Words jam in my throat. I should deny it and tell him no…but a small part of me knows he’s right.
It’s not all-consuming or intense like what I feel for Jace, but it’s a flicker of…something.
As much as I wish I could force myself to like Tommy because he’s obviously the better choice for me…I can’t.
It would be like running after experiencing what it’s like to fly.
It will never be enough. Not when my heart knows what the real thing feels like.
Tommy’s an almost.
But Jace is my absolute.
Tommy’s eyebrows pinch in concern. “What’s wrong?”
I can’t answer him. If I do, I’ll break his heart.
I’m not the kind of person who could do a cruel thing like that.
I’m not my best friend.
He takes another step. “If you’re scared I might hurt you, don’t be.” His hands frame my face. “I’m not Jace—”
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
I jump at the sound of Jace’s voice.
Tommy’s eyes flash with anger. “Do you mind? We’re in the middle of something.”
I can practically feel the rage swirling around inside Jace as he approaches us. “Yeah, I do mind.” In one fell swoop, he snatches Tommy’s collar and yanks him back. “You’re wasting your time. Dylan isn’t interested.”
Tommy snorts. “How would you know? You’ve been too obsessed with Britney and her tits—”
Tommy doesn’t get to finish that sentence because Jace shoves him. Hard. “Shut your mouth or I’ll make you eat the floor.”
My stomach rolls. “Stop it, Jace.”
“No, it’s okay. I’ve been wanting to beat his ass for a while now.” Tommy takes off his jacket. “Let’s do this, Covington.”
Jace removes his tie and cracks his neck. “Ready when you are, dirtbag.”
Exasperated, I look up at the ceiling. “You both need to calm down—”
I scream when Tommy’s fist goes sailing into Jace’s cheek and he stumbles back.
“What the hell, Tommy?”
His eyes narrow. “Rule number one when you’re in a fight—pay attention to your opponent. Not his girl.”
Jace bares his teeth. “She’s not your girl.”
“She’s not yours either.” An evil gleam lights Tommy’s face. “You’re too much of a p-p-pussy.”
Seething, Jace charges for him. However, Tommy moves at the last minute, causing Jace to slam face first into the lockers.
“Son of a bitch,” he roars.
Cackling, Tommy bounces on the balls of his feet. “Wow, for someone who runs their mouth the way you do, you sure fight like a sissy.”
My heart constricts when I see the blood oozing from Jace’s now swollen nose.
I need to put an end to this before they wind up killing each other. Since I already know how stubborn Jace is, my best option is Tommy.
“Tommy, you need to relax.”
It’s like he doesn’t even hear me.
“Come on prissy boy.” He points to his jaw. “Take your best shot.”
Drastic times call for drastic measures. Jace is already hurt and there’s no way in hell I’m going to let Tommy make it worse.
Stepping between them, I grab Tommy’s face. “Did you mean what you said before?”
He nods. “Yeah, why?”
“Stop fighting and go back inside.”
“Are you kidding—”
“Please, Tommy.” I hold his gaze. “I know you’re a good guy. You don’t have to fight Jace to prove it. Take the high road for once…for me.”
If Tommy’s really changed, he will.
“I—fine.” His eyes search my face. “You coming with me?”
“Yeah. I’ll meet you after I talk to Jace.”
I can tell he wants to argue, but to my surprise, he relents. “Okay.” He leers at Jace. “Keep your grubby paws off my girl, pansy.”
I place my hand on Jace’s chest when he lunges for him.
“Tommy, go,” I growl like a mother protecting her baby cub.
Hell, right now I kind of feel like one.
My stomach is in knots for the several agonizing moments it takes Tommy to walk down the hallway and turn the corner.
“He’s gone.” I spin around. “Are you okay?”
Jace looks like someone kicked his puppy…and then butchered it right in front of him.
“Tommy DaSilva?” For a second, I think he’s going to be sick. “You like him?” He kicks a locker. “Jesus, it’s like I don’t even know you.”
Pot meet kettle. “I can say the same about you.” Placing my hands on my hips, I stare him down. “You came here with Britney Caldwell, remember?”
He averts his gaze. “I didn’t want—” Shaking his head, he wags a finger in my face. “It doesn’t matter what my reasons were. You have a lot of balls coming here with Liam and then ditching him to make out with Tommy. What the hell is wrong with you?”
I fight the urge to smack some sense into him. “Did hanging out with Britney rot your brain cells? Liam is in there dancing with Heather Gibson.”
He blinks. “That’s Cole’s date.” Before I can explain, he circles his ear with his finger. “I think your little tonsil hockey session with Tommy has you all screwed up. Liam is the twin you came here with.”
I roll my eyes. “I know that, you jackass. Cole ditched Heather in the middle of the dance to hang out with Hayley. She was crying, so Liam went over to check on her and now they’re dancing.”
His nostrils flare. “So you decided to come out here and make out with your new boyfriend.”
He spits the last word out like it’s rancid.
For someone so intelligent, he can be awfully stupid sometimes.
I start ticking things off with my fingers. “Okay, one—Tommy’s not my boyfriend. Two—we weren’t making out. But even if we were, Liam and I are friends, so I really don’t think he’d care. And three—stop acting like I did something wrong when you’re the one who came here with my enemy.” Anger spikes through me and I push him. “You are literally the worst best friend ever.”
“Yeah? Well, you’re not much better.”
He’s downright certifiable. “Screw you. I’m a great friend. I haven’t done a damn thing wro—”
“You ruined everything,” he shouts so loud I swear the lockers rattle. “We were fine, but then you had to act like some kind of lovesick puppy and dare me to kiss you.”
It would hurt less if he punched me.
Because he’s right.
We would still be friends and my heart would still be intact if I hadn’t fallen in love with him.
I ruined everything. Just like he said.
“Right, well, don’t worry. It won’t happen again.” Curling my arms around myself, I head down the hallway. “You should get your nose checked out. It looks pretty bad.”
“Dylan,” he growls.
Closing my eyes, I force myself to breathe. “Go back to Britney.”
I hate the way my voice cracks.
My mom used to tell me it was okay to cry if someone hurt me, but after the pain subsided, I needed to get up off the floor and dust myself off…because I didn’t belong there.
However, I don’t know how to get back up when Jace keeps kicking me down.
Every time I se
e him, he steals another piece of me.
Pretty soon there won’t be anything left.
“Dylan, stop.” His voice is rough, unsteady. Almost like he’s unraveling too. “Please.”
“Go back to Britney,” I repeat with conviction I don’t feel.
“I can’t.” He sounds out of breath, like he just got done running a marathon. “I can’t.”
That does it. I turn around. “Why?” I laugh, but there’s not a drop of humor. “Let me guess—”
“She’s not you.” The force of his stare has my heart pounding and my knees going weak. “She doesn’t make me feel even half the things I feel for you. I don’t think anyone ever will.” He looks utterly defeated. “God, I’m so screwed.”
My heart stops cold. “Why?”
A combination of turmoil and determination lines his face as he starts walking toward me. “Because what I’m about to do will change everything.”
Nerves pluck at my belly the closer he gets. I can’t tell if this is about to be the greatest moment of my life…or the worst.
I find my answer when he grabs my face and his mouth captures mine.
Chapter 26
Jace
I knew it was a bad idea the second I jumped in my car.
But like a moth to a motherfucking flame, here I am.
Watching in disgust as he wraps his arms around Dylan and hugs her like she’s the most precious thing in the world.
Part of me wants her to resist his advances. Kick him in the nuts and run inside.
But the other part—the one that’s winning—wants to walk over there, douse them in gasoline, and light a match.
Make them suffer for their sins.
Relief fills me as they break apart. However, it’s short-lived when he lowers his head and leans in.
Don’t kiss him.
For the briefest of seconds, her body goes rigid and I think she’s going to turn away…but then she rises on her tiptoes.
The hand around my steering wheel flexes as their lips meet.
He kisses her like she’s made of glass, liable to shatter at any moment.
It proves how little he knows about her.
Dylan Taylor is stronger than steel and tougher than leather.
There’s no way she’s enjoying Tommy handling her like a little porcelain doll.
I smirk when I see her hand flinch ever so slightly, like she wants to push him away, but she’s forcing herself to withstand it a little longer.
Eat it up, baby.
Because it will be a cold day in hell before I touch you again.
Reaching over my dashboard, I tap a button on the touchscreen.
Britney picks up on the second ring. “Hey.”
“You busy?”
“No, why?”
“Meet me outside your house in ten.”
Chapter 27
Dylan
“Do you need a ride home?” There’s no hiding the slight edge in Oakley’s voice.
“Nope.” I take my blazer out of my locker. October in Royal Manor means the weather is gorgeous during the day and chilly at night. “But thanks for asking.”
The look he gives me is full of contempt. “I don’t like this, Dylan. I don’t like this one bit.”
Oak’s made his aversion to me seeing Tommy well-known. Whenever I ask him what exactly he has against Tommy personally when he’s never even spoken to him, he goes on a tangent about how Jace is like a brother and if Jace hates Tommy’s guts, then he does too.
It’s so juvenile. Almost as juvenile as the fact that Jace hasn’t spoken to me in a month.
Actually, that’s not quite right. Him not speaking to me is something I can deal with.
The asshole literally doesn’t acknowledge my existence.
“Yo, Oak,” Cole calls out as he and Jace sidle up to my locker. “Let me holler at you real quick.”
Speak of the devil and he’ll appear.
Oakley leans against my locker, closing it. “What’s good, man?”
I poke him in the shoulder. “Do you mind? I still have to get my Chemistry book.”
He starts to move, but then Cole says, “How do you feel about strippers?”
Oakley stays rooted to the spot, grinning like a fool. “I feel awesome about strippers.”
I nudge him again. “Can you mo—”
“Great,” Cole interjects. “I think we should hire some for Jace’s birthday party next week.”
“Hell motherfucking yes,” Oakley exclaims. “That’s the best idea you’ve ever had.”
I throw my hands up. It’s clear Oakley’s attention is elsewhere, but I refuse to leave without my textbook.
“I know.” Cole slaps Jace’s arm. “Now please tell this asshole that, because he said he doesn’t want them.”
Oakley looks insulted. “Dude, why?” Reaching over, he places his palm on Jace’s forehead. “You feeling all right?”
Jace swats his hand away. “I’m fine. I just don’t see why we need to hire strippers for my birthday.”
“Because you’re turning eighteen,” Cole says. “You’re officially legal.” He drapes his arm over Jace’s shoulder. “The least I can do for my big brother is buy him a few dozen exotic dancers.”
“And a big booty hoe jumping out of a cake,” Oakley adds.
“My man.” Cole gives him a pound. “I like the way you think.”
Seriously? “They’re human beings, jackasses. Not hoes.”
Cole gives me the stink eye. “Take that feminist bullshit elsewhere, party pooper. This is between me and my boys.”
“Hate to point out the obvious, but one of your boys doesn’t seem to be into the idea. Seeing as it’s his birthday, you probably shouldn’t force him to do something he doesn’t want to.”
Too far, Dylan. Too far.
“On second thought, strippers sound perfect.” Jace smiles at his brother. “The more the merrier.”
Dickhead.
“Hey,” Sawyer greets me as she joins our little circle. “I found my old notes for chemistry if you still want them.”
“Yes.” I glare at Oakley. “At this point, they’re the only thing I’ll have to study with tonight since someone refuses to move.”
“Chill.” Oakley slides out of the way. “I got side-tracked.”
“Yo, Sawyer,” Cole says as I open my locker and shove my chemistry book into my bag. “I was wondering if your church would be willing to contribute to a good cause next week.”
Sawyer raises an eyebrow. “Uh, according to my mom, our funds are pretty tapped out, but I’ll see what I can do.” She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “What do you need?”
“Donation baskets.” He looks at Jace and Oakley. “I figure we can have them going around the room while the girls are stripping and giving Jace lap dances.”
“Word,” Oak says. “Way classier than throwing cash at them.”
Sawyer blinks. “Let me get this straight. You want my church to loan you our donation baskets for strippers?” She grimaces. “What the hell is the matter with you? Hard pass.”
“Fine, but just so you know, there are other ways to donate.” Cole shoots her a lewd grin. “Like giving me a private show, for example.”
She wrinkles her nose. “In your dreams, pig.”
He bites his lip. “Nah, sweetness. In my dreams, you’d be doing a whole lot more than stripping.”
Sawyer turns redder than a tomato.
Linking my arm through one of hers, I save her from the enemy. “Come on, let’s leave the dirty boys to their enthralling conversation.”
She hands me a notebook as we head for the exit. “They’re color-coded and everything.”
“Perfect. You’re the best.” I transfer the notebook to my bag. “Tommy and I are grabbing a quick bite to eat and going to the movies, but I’m planning on doing a major cram session after.”
Her steps ease up a bit. “Dinner and a movie, huh? Sounds like things are getting serious between you
two.”
I’m not sure how to answer that. For the most part, Tommy’s been pretty understanding about me not wanting to make things official, but lately I’m beginning to feel like the slack he’s been cutting me is wearing thin.
“Not really. We’re still having fun. He knows I’m not ready for a relationship yet. He’s free to see other people and so am I.”
Sawyer looks unconvinced. “Does he know that?” I follow her gaze to the orange Subaru parked by the curb. “He’s been here to pick you up every day this week.”
Why do I feel like my friend’s giving me the third degree? “Didn’t know you were keeping count.” I hike my backpack up my shoulder. “Thanks for the notes. I’ll have them back to you tomorrow.”
I start to walk away, but she reaches for my elbow. “Dylan, wait.” She guides me to an empty corner under the overhang. “I have to tell you something, and I hope you don’t hate me.”
This can’t be good. “Okay.”
“I wanted to tell you sooner, but every time I tried, you told me it wasn’t serious between you two, so I felt like an idiot for bringing it up. Then I figured Tommy would mention it at some point, but he obviously never did and I—”
“Sawyer,” I cut in when she runs out of air. “Take a breath. Whatever it is, I promise I won’t hate you.”
She wrings her hands. “Tommy and I hooked up once—no, twice technically. It happened over six months ago, but I swear it didn’t mean anything.”
“You don’t need to explain yourself.”
“Yes, I do. That’s what a good friend does.” A furrow appears in her forehead. “I don’t want to be sitting at your wedding seven years from now still feeling guilty for never telling you I hooked up with your husband. I can’t live like that.”
Boy, she’s really jumping the gun. “Understood.” I debate asking her the question on the tip of my tongue because it’s really none of my business. “I mean, it’s not like you guys had sex. Right?”
It’s fine if they did, but it might make our girl convos kind of awkward when I start having sex with him. Eventually.
She makes a face. “Heck no. I told you, my V-card is firmly in place until Nick Jonas realizes we’re soulmates.” She draws in a heavy breath. “To be honest, I don’t even know why I did it. I was lonely, he was there…the rest is history.”