Ah. Now I got it. I looked at her attire, noticing the skintight black miniskirt and the white tank top. Unlike my tank, though, hers had sequins around the neckline and in one long strip down the front. With her café au lait skin, dark, straightened hair falling below her shoulder blades, and her legs that went on for days, she was stunningly beautiful.
I wondered if Jax ever noticed her, but I shook my head clear. I didn’t care.
“No, it hasn’t escaped my notice,” I mumbled. “I think the vibrations of the music are shaking the foundations of this house, actually.”
“Well, I’m going. And so are you.”
“No, I’m not.” I let out a bitter laugh and unwrapped a piece of spearmint gum, sticking it into my mouth. “Jax is trouble, and I have no desire to be over there.”
“Yes, you do. Everyone wants to be over there. And every girl gets along with Jax.”
I couldn’t help it. I looked up and shot her what I was sure was a nasty little scowl. But I quickly looked back down again. Images of Jax screwing those two girls a couple of years ago flashed through my mind, and I thought of everyone else he’d probably had since then, and I …
I fisted the gum wrapper.
Why did he affect me so much? Jaxon Trent was just a cocky kid who had liked to push my buttons in high school—but for some reason my damn body had more of a reaction to him than the boyfriend I’d had for five years. And even though I didn’t consider what he might or might not have been doing while I was gone, I damn well couldn’t stop thinking about it now.
Oh, Christ. I hope Shane had never slept with him.
I almost asked.
“Well, I don’t,” I grumbled. “Jax was always bad news. Does he even go to college?”
“To Clarke,” she answered quickly, and I blinked.
Clarke College?
It was local. Close enough for him to live in Shelburne Falls. But it was also private and had very high ratings for its academics. Shame warmed my cheeks for assuming he wasn’t college material. He was, and he was in a much better school than I attended.
“So he still lives next door year-round with Katherine?” I ventured.
“No, she married Madoc’s dad last year and moved into his apartment in the city. She gave Jax the house when he graduated from high school.”
So that was Jax’s house now.
I closed my laptop. “What’s with all the cars outside?”
Her full lips, painted a glossy red, spread in a smile, showing off her perfect white teeth. “A lot’s changed, Juliet.”
“Trying to be cryptic? What the hell’s changed?”
She shrugged. “It’s hard to explain,” she said, leaning back and resting her arms on the sides of the chair. “You just need to see. We’re going to the party, and you’re going to have fun.”
I shook my head. “Neither of us is going over. I’m keeping my nose clean, and you’re severely underage and without a party buddy.”
Her eyes practically twinkled. “Oh, no,” she gasped, putting her palm to her chest. “I can’t be without a party buddy,” she said as she stood up.
I stared at her. “What are you doing?”
She inched past the chair toward the entryway, smirking with her hand still on her chest. “Without a party buddy, I might do something moronic,” she teased, still moving away, “like take a mysterious drink laced with GHB from a tattooed ex-con who wants to take me upstairs to introduce me to his buddies!” She opened the door as I scrambled off the floor. “Bye,” she yelled.
And then she bolted out the front door, slamming it shut.
“Shane!” I growled, scurrying after her.
Damn, damn, damn! I pulled open the door, darted out to the porch, and … shit! Spinning around, I dived back into the house and shoved my feet into my black flip-flops that were lying in the entryway.
Yanking open the door again, I ran outside, leaping over all the steps on the porch and landing on the brick walkway.
Ugh, that girl!
She was gone. Twisting left and then right, I didn’t see her sparkly white top anywhere. She was already at the party, and I sucked in breath after breath, trying to calm the tornado in my stomach.
Eighteen. Without a buddy. And the closest person I’d had to real family in a long time. All good reasons to go get her.
I looked down at my outfit. Sloppy and disheveled, in clothes that hung on me, hair kinky with the natural wave that I hadn’t straightened out after my shower and barely any makeup on.
Well, the good thing was I’d push off any unwanted attention. That was for sure.
I stomped across the lawn, feeling the sharp blades of grass poke my ankles. The sun had set an hour ago, but the wet heat still hung in the air, and my back suddenly cooled with the light layer of sweat already coating it.
The long driveway was packed with cars—two rows, five deep—and the street was a damn parking lot. I recognized most of the cars I’d seen earlier. Different makes and models, some with loud paint and design work, others calm, clean, and sleek-looking. There were even cars parked in the middle of Fall Away Lane, as if the neighborhood residents wouldn’t need their own street to drive on tonight.
I noticed that the garage—which sat on the other side of the house—had been extended from a two-car to a three-car, and the house had been refreshed with new white paint, although the shutters had been changed from navy blue to black.
My ears perked up when a new song started, and I actually recognized it. “Heaven Knows” by the Pretty Reckless. Nik had listened to it a lot at school.
Partygoers were scattered about as I walked onto the porch and stepped through the open doorway, trying not to think about the last time I was here.
But then I couldn’t think about anything as I immediately deflated and gawked at the inside of the house.
Oh, my God. Wow.
More than the exterior had been upgraded. My eyes darted up, down, and all around as I took in new, bold paint making the house so much more inviting, and the carpet in the living room that had been torn away to reveal shiny hardwood floors. Everything in the rooms that I could get a glimpse of was made to accommodate a bachelor and his parties.
Three huge flat-screens lined the wall in the family room where the pool table still sat. The furniture in the living room had been replaced with deep leather couches and more flat-screens, and as I peered to the back of the house, I could see glimpses of a renovated kitchen as well.
“A lot’s changed, Juliet.” Shane’s voice came back to me. Yeah, so it would seem.
Katherine Trent—or Katherine Caruthers now—had kept a nice house before, but this was … well, I didn’t know how to describe it.
Loaded? Indulgent? Hot. Definitely hot.
I liked the red walls in the living room, the midnight blue walls in the family room, and the cappuccino-colored walls in the foyer. I liked the black-framed prints of Native Americans wearing various headdresses and jewelry on the walls leading up to the second floor, and even though black leather couches usually creeped me out, the ones in the living room weren’t cheap. They were deep and lush, and expensive looking. Everything looked so well kept and clean.
“K.C.?”
I spun around, coming face-to-face with Liam.
And I swallowed my fucking gum.
I winced, not even trying to hide the look. The sight of his blue doe eyes and polite expression gave me a sudden urge to breathe fire in his stupid, fat face. Was this seriously happening to me right now?
He stood in the doorway, holding hands with the very same redhead I’d caught him with at the club last week. She had on a black, strapless dress, and her hair was full of volume and looking sexy as it fell around her.
Great. And I picked today to get rebellious with my appearance. I shook my head at the irony.
When he’d cheated on me in high school, I’d taken him back. Stupidly. I felt as if I’d done something wrong—something to push him away—and he’d honestly s
eemed sorry for what he’d done. After seeing how Jared had treated Tate through most of high school, I was actually grateful to have a boyfriend who brought me flowers when I was sick and who put up with my mother’s attitude.
When I caught him cheating again a couple of weeks ago, I was done.
“Liam.” I sighed, trying to look bored. “Doesn’t Jax hate you? Why are you here?”
His face fell, and it was the first time I’d been glad for Jax’s contempt toward Liam. Although I was also insinuating that Jax was fine with me being here, which might not be true, either.
“Everyone’s here, K.C.” Liam stuck his other hand in his pocket. “This is Megan, by the way.”
“I’ll let you know when I give a shit,” I mumbled.
He continued, ignoring me. “I brought her home to meet my parents.” Don’t care. “We’re moving in together, K.C.”
My knees damn near buckled, and I let out a shocked laugh. “You’re kidding, right?”
Megan arched an eyebrow, looking dissatisfied that she had to tolerate my presence, and Liam hooded his eyes, totally not laughing with me.
I immediately straightened. “Wow, I’m sorry.”
“Excuse me?” Megan snipped.
“I mean, I’m sorry in advance. For when he cheats on you,” I explained. “Do you really think that he won’t?”
She smiled, looking smug, as if she knew something I didn’t, and I locked my hands behind my back, fingering my scar.
“Men who are unsatisfied cheat,” she taunted me. “And from what I hear, you were very unsatisfying.”
And I stared dumbfounded as she pretended to take a dick into her mouth and start gagging.
I barely saw Liam give her a dirty look. All I could hear was my heart pounding in my ears while her pompous smirk leveled me. She was imitating me. Liam had told her …
No.
The room was too crowded, and I rubbed my upper arms, trying to erase the chill even though embarrassment warmed my cheeks. They just stood there, staring at me, and it was my turn to act, but I locked my mouth shut, searching my blank mental arsenal for what I should do next.
But I had nothing. I was unsatisfying. I was pathetic to him. What was I supposed to do now? What was I supposed to say?
Tate. She would know what to do.
“You couldn’t even give a decent blow job, huh?” Megan baited me.
Say something!
Goose bumps broke out over my arms, I was so cold, and I blinked long and hard. So cold.
But then a rush of heat hit my back, and I gasped, my eyelids fluttering with the sudden warm relief.
“Liam,” Jax’s voice greeted him as he wrapped his arms around my waist and engulfed me in the soothing furnace of his skin.
“Jax,” Liam muttered, his voice unfriendly. I opened my eyes to see his gaze shooting between me and the man behind me, probably wondering what the hell was going on.
Hell if I knew.
Glancing down, I saw Jax’s same beautiful hands and long fingers, smeared with grease, locked in front of my waist. I brought up my hands and clasped his forearms, much thicker than they were last time I’d seen him.
I didn’t know why he did it. All I knew was that I wasn’t hurting right now, and I wasn’t alone and feeling stupid.
He took my movement as an invitation and pulled me closer into his chest.
“How’s it going?” he asked Liam.
“Fine,” Liam answered, still looking between Jax and me suspiciously. “You?” he asked back.
I noticed Megan staring over my head at Jax, the hint of a smile on her lips.
“Fine,” Jax answered in a flat tone. “But your new girlfriend is acting like a bitch, and it’s pissing me off. If she upsets K.C. again, she’s out.”
A breathless laugh escaped my chest, and I clamped my hand over my mouth. Oh, my God!
Megan’s eyes flared, and Liam just stared at Jax, shaking his head as though he wanted to lunge for him.
But he knew better. This was Jax’s house, Jax’s party, and Liam knew if it came to a fight, no one here would be on his side.
Heat spread across my face, and I dropped my eyes, knowing damn well they looked too pleased at what was happening. I wasn’t supposed to like a guy throwing his weight around for me. I shouldn’t want Jax to protect me. I should do this myself. But what the hell?
Liam looked between us and then grabbed Megan’s hand, twisting around and leaving.
As they both disappeared out the front door, Jax dropped his arms slowly, his hands running down my bare arms before his touch disappeared altogether. I couldn’t help feeling disappointment.
I was cold again.
Turning around, I folded my arms over my chest, putting on my game face. And forced down the sudden golf ball lodged in my damn throat.
Shit.
My eyes used to meet his neck, but now I stared at the wall of his chest. His strong-looking pecs and wide shoulders made me feel very, very small. No wonder I’d felt so warm a minute ago. His body would be like a blanket on mine.
And then my stomach flip-flopped, seeing that his nipples were pierced.
Well, that was definitely new.
He sported two barbells, one on each pec, and I suddenly felt as if I were on a roller coaster.
I scowled, wondering why I couldn’t take my eyes off them. I didn’t like nipple piercings, so what the hell?
Then I forced my eyes into a convincing—I hoped—little scowl and finally looked up.
Blue Hell arched an eyebrow at me, and I deflated. Not a damn thing had changed. And yet everything had changed.
While I was away, Jaxon Trent had become a man.
CHAPTER 3
K.C.
Only his hair was the same. Still as dark as black coffee but with a gorgeous shine. His face was still smooth and clean-shaven, but now it was more angular with chiseled cheekbones, a straight, narrow nose, and full, sculpted lips.
And his straight black eyebrows only emphasized the bluest eyes ever born to a human being. You could see those jewels from fifty yards away.
I knew that for a fact.
He was bare-chested, of course, and the cuts and dips of his abs and slim waist were hard to look away from. But I’d look away, scowl, glance back real quickly, and then look away again. His arms were a lot bigger than the last time I’d seen them.
He was huge.
And nineteen.
And a troublemaker.
And scary.
I dug in my eyebrows as deep as I could manage and met his gaze again.
His lips were tilted in a smile. “Don’t worry. I know.” He sighed, cutting me off before I could speak. “You’re an independent woman who can fight her own battles, blah, blah, blah, and et cetera. Just say thank you.”
Oh.
He thought I was mad about the Liam episode. That worked. I arched an angry eyebrow for extra effect, not saying thank you.
He smiled, probably amused by my defiance. “You looking for your cousin?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Come on.” He took my hand.
The car grime on his hand rubbed into mine, and I held him firmly, a smile that I wouldn’t set free tickling the corners of my mouth.
I liked how it felt. Sandy, gritty, alive.
Everything had always been clean for me. Every moment of my life had been manicured, pedicured, and scrubbed. My clothes always matched, my fingernails were always clean, and my biggest decision was whether I should buy the silver ballet flats or the black ones.
Now Jaxon Trent’s dirty hands fused with my sweaty palms, and I wondered how good his dirt would feel everywhere else on my skin.
I glanced around me, noticing people noticing us. Their eyes visibly taking in the sight of Jax holding my hand behind him, at which point a confused look would appear on their faces. A couple of people seemed surprised, and a few others—women, mostly—scrunched up their noses or looked away, annoyed.
I squee
zed his hand one last time—hard—because I never wanted to let it go, and then I yanked my hand quickly away. Jax only looked back for a second, probably to make sure I hadn’t run off.
“This is ridiculous,” I grumbled as I followed him through the kitchen. “Isn’t there a maximum capacity in a house like they have for restaurants and elevators?”
Jax ignored me as if I’d asked a rhetorical question. We slithered through the crowd, stepping aside as three young men crashed through the back doorway.
“Shane comes around quite a bit,” he said. “But don’t worry. No one messes with her.”
“Not even you?” I ventured, following him into the backyard.
Please say that you haven’t screwed my cousin. Please, please, please.
He kept walking, turning his head only slightly. “Especially not me.”
I exhaled, trying to keep my cool and my thoughts together. Until I took a look around. The backyard was insane, and I couldn’t help gawking.
“Uh, I …” Was that a Jacuzzi? “I just came to take Shane home. Back to Tate’s, I mean.”
“I figured.”
I couldn’t see his face, but I knew he was nodding. His ponytail rose and fell on his spine. “See?” He turned and gestured through the gate. “She’s fine.”
But I barely registered my cousin sitting in a lawn chair, talking closely with another girl.
“What the hell?” I burst out, my eyes burning from not blinking.
No wonder it felt as if Tate’s house was shaking! The party next door had spilled over into her backyard.
“K.C.!” Shane smiled with eyes full of mischief as she sat cross-legged on the lawn chair. I noticed that she had a Solo cup in her hand, but to be honest, my head was elsewhere now.
The old wooden fence that had separated Jared’s and Tate’s backyards was now gone.
It had been replaced with an awesome-looking wall of aged red bricks, pierced to leave small empty spaces for looking through. Each three-foot section of the brick wall was interrupted by a brick column, a lamppost sitting on top of each one. Where you would have to hop the old dowdy wooden fence before, you could now simply walk through a solid wooden gate to venture into the next backyard. Thus making two spaces into one.
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