Mess Us Up – Jaxson Kidman Page 0,44

him then?” I ask. “Last I heard he was one step away from ending up at Brooks Crest.”

“He went to live on a ranch in Texas,” Violet says. “I swear on my life. And let’s just say… whatever he was doing there, ohmygod… his body… ohmygod…”

Okay, now Violet is getting annoying.

Which I’m used to.

But we’re on opposite ends of life.

She’s living the party, flirty life.

I’m still pretending to be kidnapped.

“Do you want to hear this or not?” Violet asks.

“Sorry,” I say. “Tell me the details.”

“Oh, I don’t know if you want those,” she says with a grin. “But I rode that cowboy so hard that he-”

The bedroom door opens.

In walks Mac with the entire crew.

“Uh, Violet, I have to go,” I say.

“Violet?” Taz asks. “Where?”

I turn my phone.

Taz hurries to the phone and stands there so his area is on the screen.

“Like what you see, darling?” Taz asks.

“Too many clothes,” Violet teases.

Taz grabs for his jeans.

“No way,” I call out.

I look at the screen again and Violet is blushing.

“What is wrong with you?” I ask her.

“Where’s Les?” Violet asks.

“I’m here,” Les calls out. “I’d rather see you in person.”

Violet smiles.

“Violet was just telling me the story of how she fucked a cowboy,” I say.

“Jolie!” Violet yells. “Stop!”

“What?” I ask.

“A cowboy?” Taz asks. He plops down on the bed next to me and grabs my hand. He points the phone at him. “You like that shit, darling? Throwing hay around and milking cows?”

“I like what it does to a guy’s body,” Violet says.

“You’re going to love what I do to your body,” Taz says.

“Is that so?” Violet asks.

“Okay, that’s enough,” I say. “You two can pick this up later.”

“I’m in,” Taz says. “I’ll need a really big phone though. So it fits on the screen.”

Violet giggles.

I look over to Les and he looks pissed.

“Do you want to say bye to Violet?” I ask Les.

“I don’t say goodbye,” Les says. “That means I’ll never talk to her again.”

Violet giggles again.

I end the video call.

Taz looks at me. “I’m going to fuck your best friend someday soon.”

“I feel bad for her,” I say.

“I don’t,” Taz says.

Taz moves off of the bed.

I stand up and Mac touches my face and kisses me.

His tongue flickers against my lips and we start to really kiss. Right in front of everyone. Which I’m not used to and have never done. So my face is burning red hot. So is the rest of my body. But I don’t want Mac to stop kissing me.

When he does stop kissing me, he pulls me close to him.

“Are we good yet?” Les asks.

“Can we get down to business?” Raf asks.

“Business?” I ask.

Mac looks down at me. “Time to show everyone just how fucking badass you are, sweetie.”

It’s one text message that changes my life.

And it isn’t some big dramatic thing either. It’s not like in the movies where there’s music playing or it’s a certain kind of day or time or whatever.

I’m just standing in Mac’s room.

Surrounded by his crew. Minus Ado, of course.

Mac tells me the plan.

The crew all nods in agreement.

Everything in a way is on my back.

It’s up to me to decide what to do.

I’m not forced into anything.

I can tell Mac I don’t want to do it.

I know that. He knows that. The crew knows that.

But I want to do it.

I want the truth. I want everything to come to an end. I want to be with Mac like normal. I know our normal isn’t the normal of many… like Violet. Her normal is something I’ll never have. That’s okay because I never wanted that anyway.

I’m happy for her. She got to sleep with Liam.

And I’m happy she gets to flirt with Taz and Les over the phone.

Just as long as she doesn’t get too close like I did.

Except, I don’t mind it. I can’t picture my life without Mac.

And, yes, my thoughts are racing.

Deal with it.

I look at my phone and see the text message.

There’s a part of me that wants to cry. A part that demands I cry.

Mac touches my back. “You okay, sweetie?”

“I am,” I say. “I really am. Is Mama Dae okay with this?”

“She’s fine,” Mac says.

Meaning she doesn’t know about this. You’re doing this on your own, Mac. To protect me. To protect her.

I know how rough and tough Mac is. How mean he can appear to be.

But what he’s doing now proves that he has a heart.

Again, is this normal?

Not a chance in hell.

But that’s okay.

My phone buzzes in my hand.

“He