The Enemy - Kelsey Clayton Page 0,62

him for thinking he could break me.

GRAYSON HAYWORTH DRAPES AN arm over Savannah's shoulders as he drinks his beer. It's adorable seeing them together, especially knowing their history. Everything was determined to keep them apart, but they managed to stick together in the end.

Brady, Asher, and Colby are all talking about football, leaving me and Tessa clueless with all their official terminology. I can keep up to a degree, but when they start talking plays, I'm out.

I glance over at Cade, to find him looking back at me with a dangerous glint in his eyes. It's like he's waiting for someone to make a move on me, which is bullshit. He doesn't get to humiliate me and expect to have me, too. I don't know who taught him how to treat a woman, but if it was his dad, I can understand why Nora left.

“I'll be right back,” I tell them. “I need another drink.”

Tess stops me with a hand on my arm. “Do you want me to come with you?”

I shake my head. “I've got this.”

She smiles proudly as I walk away. Unsurprisingly, I only get halfway there before Cade steps in front of me. I roll my eyes and look up at him.

“What do you want?”

He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “I just want to talk.”

I'm not sure what exactly keeps me planted in place. Maybe it's partly that I'm afraid he'll humiliate me even more if I don't hear him out, but I think it's mostly because I'm curious what he has to say. I shouldn't be, I know, but I am.

“So, talk.” I put a hand on my hip and wait for him to continue.

Cade smiles down at the ground and then back up. “You're cute when you're angry.”

“Ugh.” I go to push past him, but he stops me.

“Okay, okay. I'm sorry. I won't hit on you anymore if that's what you want.” He pauses for a second and sighs. “It's just hard not to.”

I raise one brow. “Oh yeah? And why's that?”

He smirks and takes a step closer. “Because I want you. Isn't it obvious?”

“No, it's not, because someone who wants me wouldn't humiliate me the way you did.”

A level of vulnerability comes over him. “I was scared. I wanted to push you away. It was a mistake, and I'm sorry.”

The look in his eyes chips away at my wall, but I can't let him win. Not again, and especially not without having to work at it.

I pretend to give in and take a step closer. “So, you want me, huh? Want me how?”

He bites his lip. “Anything you're willing to give. Fuck, Lennon. I'm so glad you don't hate me.”

“Hmm.”

Running my hand up over his abs and to his chest, I place my palm on his stomach and push him back. He falls right into the pool and under the water. When he comes back up to the surface, he shakes his hair out of his face and looks up at me.

“News flash—I do hate you, and that's not changing. Go fuck yourself.”

I walk away to get my drink, chuckling as even Bryce puts his hand out for a high-five. Cade glares at him from where he's pulling himself out of the pool, but he doesn't back down.

Yeah, he's not in control here.

I am.

20

CADE

The cheap-ass vodka hits my tongue and slides down my throat, burning the whole way. My gaze is focused on Lennon as she stands with her friends. She's so unfazed by me that I'm not sure I stand a chance at all.

Tonight was not my idea. I was planning to get her to talk to me the same way I have been, by being persistent while we're alone. Bryce, however, said that I should show her affection in front of the same people I humiliated her in front of. He insisted it was the best way to undo the damage I caused.

Spoiler alert: Bryce is an idiot.

The relief that flooded through my body when I thought she was going to forgive me was overwhelming. I'd like to sit here and tell myself that it's because I need her in order to get something against her dad, and I do, but no part of me believes that lie. Regardless of my motivations, most of what I said was the truth. I fucking want her.

As if her sole intention is to piss me off, Lennon plants herself in Colby's lap, and he wraps his arms around her waist. My jaw