the back of my mind: “You ever hurt a girl, son, and I will beat your balls with a cactus.”
But I’m done with Leigh’s attitude and snide remarks. I call ahead to Nina, “You mind signing us all in? I just need a word with…Leigh.” The Raging Bitch, I don’t say.
Her sexy green eyes dart between my ticking jaw and Leigh’s narrowing gaze. She hikes her pack higher on her shoulders. “Sure. Just don’t dismember each other or anything.” Her eyes land on me for another second before she lumbers through the front doors.
Once she’s out of sight, I drag Leigh by her arm to the side of the hostel. We stand facing each other, arms crossed, lips pursed, while the mother of all staring contests ensues. Finally I say, “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
She pulls her head back. “Me? What’s wrong with me? What I’d like to know is why you’ve been lying to our ginger friend all this time.” With raised eyebrows, she smirks at me.
This is no normal smirk. This is the Raging Bitch’s evil-genius-plotting smirk. Fucking hell. She knows. I stare at the ground, blinking, until it sinks in.
It must have been my phone.
I’m always logged onto Facebook, connected with friends back home. Lacey’s been posting pics of her new boy toy, one of the dipshits from Delta Tau Delta. I couldn’t give a crap, but my buddy Xander messaged me to say he thinks Lacey’s stock has tanked since we broke up. Since she dumped me is what he should have said, but like all my friends these days, he avoids the subject.
Back to the Raging Bitch. The only explanation for her intel is that she must have scrolled through my messages when she borrowed my phone, learned I’ve been lying about Lacey, and now she’s waiting for the perfect moment to ruin my life. She hasn’t told Nina yet—I’d know if she had—but she’s probably dying to infect her with loads of crap about how big of a dick I am. “You went through my cell yesterday, didn’t you? You know I don’t have a girlfriend.”
She shrugs her bony shoulders. “Is this you showing off your above-average intelligence? Yeah, I scrolled through your phone. Your friends look as douchey as you.”
I scrub my hands down my face and pace. “I have reasons for what I did. And…fuck. It’s none of your business anyway.”
“I’d love to hear your reasons for making Nina feel like secondhand laundry.”
Hearing the words guts me. Even coming from Leigh. Nina tells her stuff and it means Nina said something to that effect. Maybe not as blunt, but my lying has hurt the one girl I’d do anything to protect. My chest aches again, deeper this time. Like if I don’t make things right with Nina, it might suffocate my heart. I’m an asshole for letting things go this far.
I stop pacing and face Leigh. “Look. I just need to talk to her and explain. She deserves to hear it from me. I think even you can agree with that.”
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t march in there and tell Nina you’re as worthless as the residue below scum.”
To avoid her glare, I glance down the street. There’s a couple by the road, the girl’s arm secure around the guy’s waist, his hand hooked over her shoulder while they study a map. I can’t count how many times over the past few weeks I’ve wanted Nina in my arms, held tight to my side. It was never like this with Lacey. Sure, I liked being with her. The touchy-feely stuff just never entered into the picture. But Nina? These days, it’s a constant obsession. And my “accidental” touching of her body isn’t enough. I know she wants me, too, but my phantom girlfriend keeps her away.
I’m so done with this.
If I don’t tell Leigh about my legs and she barges into the hostel, ranting about my lying ways, I’ll lose Nina for good. But I can’t. Not like this. If she sends me packing because of my scars, then I’ll have to deal with it. But I’m not letting her cut me loose because I’m too big of a pussy to tell her the truth. Looking back at Leigh, I grit my teeth. For some messed-up reason, Nina trusts her. Confides in her. I suck a deep breath and look the Dragon Lady dead on. (The Raging Bitch wasn’t cutting it.) If she’s my only way, then