Do we really want to try to be anything when this entire town will look at us like we’re complicit? Is that what we want?” Another plea, but it fell on deaf ears. If she wanted me to be the bad guy here, I couldn’t.
I lifted a hand, lightly brushing at her cheek, moving the hair out of her face. “I want to kiss you,” I murmured, stepping closer to her, my other hand finding her hip and holding her there, “but I’m a little nervous that Dante’s going to pop out of these bushes and attack me again.”
Her chest hummed against mine. “I’ll have your back.”
It was all I needed to hear, all she needed to say. I lowered my face to hers, our foreheads touching before our noses grazed each other’s. Then, finally, after what felt like so long apart, our lips met, and it was like fireworks in my head. Having this girl in my arms, tasting her again, feeling her tongue sweep across my lower lip and push inside my mouth to dance with mine…I couldn’t describe it. I was on cloud nine.
Jaz practically melted against me, her body leaning into me, becoming one with me as much as she could while we were still clothed. God, I wanted to lay her down, tear off her clothes, and give her the attention she deserved, the love she needed.
I broke our lip lock enough to say, “I need you, Jaz, and I don’t care who knows it. I’ve needed you since the beginning.” Truer words I’d never spoken. My heart, my soul, laid bare for her to see and do with as she pleased. Whatever happened after this, at least I’d know I gave it my all. I gave her my all. “I’m sorry for everything I’ve done. I never…hurting you is the last thing I ever want to do—”
“Shh,” Jaz whispered, shushing me as she set a finger over my lips. Such a soft finger. I knew the rest of her was even softer. “No more lies between us. Promise?” The finger on my lips dropped to lean against my chest, bending down as a different finger poked up: her pinky.
She wanted me to pinky promise?
I wanted to laugh, but at the same time, I was too entranced by everything she was. Without a word, I met her pinky with mine, curling my finger around hers tightly. A moment passed, and finally I said, “I promise.”
Jaz made me want to be better. She made me want a future for myself, one of my own choosing. She made me feel alive, even if my whole world was crumbling. I didn’t deserve her…but was that going to stop me from going for her?
No. No it was not.
Chapter Sixteen – Dante
I had no idea if Vaughn was here or not. I’d done my own sleuthing to figure out where this party was, and I didn’t share the information with him. I just said that to further irritate Archer. At least, I hoped it irritated him to know multiple people were watching him and Jaz on their little date.
Whatever the fuck kind of date this was supposed to be. Starting over, blah, blah. Whatever.
I saw Archer and Jaz leave to go walk, and I was going to follow them, but two girls near the house caught my eye. They’d just arrived, stripping out of their shirts and into their skimpy swimsuits. Normally I’d take a second to stop and appreciate the beautiful bodies in front of me, but my heart and my eyes belonged to Jaz now. The me that used to play the field was gone.
And, regardless, it wasn’t so much the bodies themselves that caught my eye; it was the heads attached to the bodies. One with obnoxiously dyed red hair and one with dark, thick curls. Chelsea and Deetra, Brittany’s two best friends.
Considering their best friend was dead and her body was missing, they—no, they still looked terrible. Even the makeup piled onto their faces couldn’t hide the stress they’d been under. I bet they hadn’t seen Jaz and Archer yet, but it was only a matter of time until they did, and once that happened, they’d do their best to ruin the night.
That was not something I’d allow. I might threaten Archer, I might stalk them a bit, but if anyone was going to butt in it would be me and not either of them.
I had to get them out of the picture, and luckily for