by Alla Kar
Cade doesn’t answer but I hear the door click shut behind us. His front is really close to my butt now, and I feel his breath on my neck. My gaze turns to my dad who’s examining the living room from several feet away, oblivious to everything else.
The warmth from his body heats me. I want to move, but my feet won’t budge.
Then Adam pulls me to him and wraps me in a hug. His breathe hits the side of my face and I nearly gag. He’s definitely high as a fucking kite. The entire place smells like weed which explains why it took them ten minutes to answer the door. I pull back and scrunch my nose. He ruffles my hair like he does our cocker spaniel, and slaps me on the back. Like I need another reason—besides being the same bra size since ninth grade—for him to think I’m a little kid. “This is Jaden,” Adam says, gesturing toward me. “This is Cade.”
I turn to gaze up at him when something catches my attention. A long-legged blonde staggers toward us.
“Ah,” Adam smiles. “And this is Jasmine.”
She is swaying her hips like she’s on the damn runway. When she reaches Cade, she peers down at me. She’s probably 5’9, and I have never felt this small. 5’2 doesn’t compete with 5’9. Ever. Her slender arm snakes around Cade’s waist as she offers me her other hand.
Of course, I take it.
“Jaden,” I mumble. The gross grease stain on the kitchen floor is suddenly very interesting.
“Jasmine,” she says, with a voice that matches her long silky hair. “So you’re Adam’s sister?”
My cheeks are hot and I can feel Cade’s eyes on me. God, why am I so lame? “Yes.”
She nods and nuzzles her mouth against Cade’s thick neck. Cade doesn’t move, keeping an amused smile directed toward me. He makes this face—a face that tells me he thinks I’m like not old enough to watch him be kissed. The thought sends rage through me. Why do I care so much about what he thinks?
“Come on, sis. Let me show you to your room.”
Thank, God.
I nearly race out of the small kitchen and into the hallway. Adam slings his arm around me and pulls me close to his side. “This is it.”
I take a step in, checking behind me to see dad following us, and smile. My entire room is in grays and whites. Paris, London, Tokyo and Australia pictures line my walls. It’s my dream to travel, and Nancy always supports it. She decorated this perfectly. It looks magazine worthy.
“Do you like it?” Dad asks from the doorway. He’s checking his phone, and I’m sure he doesn’t really care if I do or not. I don’t think he’s even looked up.
“It’s great. Thanks.”
“Good. No problem.” He shoves his phone in his pocket. “Your schedule is in your History book. You’ve already been registered. So all you have to do is show up for class tomorrow.” He puts his hands into his pockets and gives me his patient smile. It’s totally fake. “Your pills are on your nightstand,” he adds.
Warmth envelopes my cheeks. When I glance at Adam, he’s staring at me with a worried expression. “And you know you have your appointment next—”
“Yep, got it,” I say, dropping my purse on my bed before I take a seat
I do not want to talk about this. Dad and I haven’t talked about my medication since I was put on it over a year ago. An eerie silence envelopes the room, and I pretend to pick lint off of my new comforter.
A huge black desk sits beside my bed. My laptop, printer, books, and pens sit on top. A bookshelf near the window overflows with books, and my dresser stands opposite of the bed, close to my entertainment center.
Dad claps his hands. “Adam, you keep an eye on her.” He points to me like I’m some kind of prized possession. “Keep her away from”—his eyes move toward the kitchen—“people.”
Adam laughs. Plopping down beside me on the bed, he runs his fingers through his dark hair. “Dad, Jaden isn’t exactly Cade’s type. You don’t have to worry about him. He’s isn’t around much, anyway.”
Not his type? Not that I give a shit, but why? Oh—that’s right—because I’m five foot two, and the boob fairy ran out of boobage when she was giving all the other girls theirs.
“Good,” Dad says, straightening his tie. “I’ve got to jet. If you…need anything let me know, okay?”
I nod. Reluctantly, Dad walks over and presses a kiss to the top of my head. “Bye, Jaden. You can come home whenever you feel like it, okay?”
I nod.
Then he’s gone. Just like that.
Once the door closes, Adam lets out a huge sigh and slams his palms down on the bed. “I’m so glad he’s gone.”
I smile over at him. “Why, because you’re scared he’d find out that skunk smell isn’t really a skunk?”
Adam’s green eyes, that match mine, dart over to me. “Oh, Dad knows. He just didn’t say anything because as long as I’m not getting girls pregnant and staying in school, he doesn’t care. But how would you know what that smells like, huh?”
I roll my eyes and stand up. “So, I guess you’re stuck with me now?”
Adam gets to his feet, stretching his arms above his head. “Guess so. But, hey,” he says, grabbing my wrist, “are you okay? I mean …” he trails off. Because neither one of us knows what to say. Adam knows what happened in school. Hell, my grandma who lives five hundred miles away knows about what happened at school.
“I’m fine.” I snatch my dresser drawer open and pull out underwear, a tank top and some yoga pants. “Like Dad said, I’m starting over.”
Adam smiles, and a dimple that matches my own indents his jaw. “That’s right.” He kisses the top of my head. “Hurry and shower. Will is getting back from baseball practice, and I want to introduce you.”
“Who’s Will?”
“My other roommate.”
“Another? What do you mean?” I think I know exactly what he means. That Cade is one of those other said roommates. I just thought he was visiting. I didn’t think I’d have to actually live with him.
“Cade and Will are both roommates. Cade moved in a few weeks ago. But don’t worry, they won’t bother you. They know you’re my little sister. I’d beat their asses.”
That’s not what I’m worried about. I’m worried I’ll embarrass myself living with two college guys. Or the fact that I’m super aware of everything Cade does around me. Or how large his shoulders are. Christ, did Dad not think this out at all? I’m going to be surrounded by guys all the time.
“Oh,” I say.
Grabbing my things, I shoot across the hallway toward the bathroom before he can see the worry line in my forehead.
-- END OF UNEDITED SAMPLE --
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Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Epilogue
Song Credits
About the Author
Preview the first chapter of Here With Me
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