Our Broken Pieces - M.E. Clayton Page 0,21

pool. The pool now occupied by topless girls and horny guys. They spotted us around the same time we spotted them, and they stayed put as we walked towards them. I’d consider that a win, depending on how drunk Margot was and how she treated Mystic. However, I didn’t give a fuck if they were best friends or not; no one would treat Mystic badly in front of me.

“Margot-”

Margot threw her hand up to stop whatever Mystic had been about to say. “I’m too drunk to have this conversation, Mystic,” she said. “I’m drunk and hurt, and I am not going to discuss this while there’s a chance I may say something I’ll regret.” I could feel Mystic tense beside me and that had my back up. “I love you, Mys,” she continued. “I am not going to let this...secret ruin our friendship.”

“I’m sorry, Margot,” Mystic whispered sadly. “And... when you’re ready, I’ll...I’ll tell you everything.”

I looked down at Mystic. “Everything?”

She turned those hypnotic brown eyes up towards me and I could see the struggle in them. She was going to test their friendship with the truth. “Everything,” she confirmed.

I turned back towards Margot. “What was the plan tonight?” Her gaze was glacial, but I really couldn’t care less about Margot Cross. If she became serious with Chance, then I’d give her more consideration, but for right now, she was just Mystic’s best friend. And while she held an important title, she wasn’t a threat to me. No one was.

“The plan was to get shit-faced drunk and pass out after everyone leaves,” she replied after a few seconds.

I smirked. “Yeah, well, that’s not going to happen,” I told her. “There’s no way I’m letting Mystic get drunk and pass out in a house with random guys roaming about.”

She looked like she was about to argue, but Chance put his foot down by adding, “Yeah, I agree with Gage.” He looked at Margot. “I’m letting you get drunk because it’s your birthday, babe, but you’re out of your mind if you think I’m leaving you here to pass out.” He shook his head. “Yeah, that’s not happening.”

Margot turned on him. “Last time I checked, we were just going to the prom together, Chance. You’re taking rights you don’t necessarily have at this time.”

I couldn’t help my smirk as Chance stepped to her and snatched her up by her arm. “Oh, make no mistake, Margot,” he barked out. “I have every right.” Just let the fucker talk to me about how I treated Mystic.

Mystic’s hand tightened in mine and I knew in that moment she was hoping Margot might understand more than she thought. Especially when Margot wasn’t looking at all repulsed by Chance’s manhandling. “You think so?”

Chance grabbed Margot by her chin, and we watched as he squeezed just a little too hard. “I know so, Margot, so cut the shit.”

“Do you have a spare room for us?” I said, interrupting their foreplay.

Margot looked over at me the second Chance released her chin. “For what?”

“I’m not letting Mystic spend the night here without me,” I informed her. “So, if you want her here in the morning, so you guys can talk, I’m staying here too.”

I could tell she wanted to argue, alcohol tends to make people braver than they’d normally be, but her curiosity must have gotten the better of her. She wanted the details of mine and Mystic’s relationship more than she wanted to tell me to go fuck myself. “Fine,” she relented. “There’s a spare bedroom...well, Mystic knows where it is.”

I looked at Chance, and even thought I didn’t need to ask, I asked anyway for Mystic’s sake. I jerked my head towards Margot. “You on her?”

“Yeah, I got this,” he replied with a little bit of frost still in his voice, only I didn’t know if he was still pissed at me or if he was pissed because Margot was trying to downplay what was going on between them. Leave it to drunken teenage hormones to turn something casual into something explosive.

“We’re going to head in,” I told them.

“Oh, wait,” Margot cried. “It’s early. The party’s still-”

“I don’t give a fuck, Margot,” I snapped. “Chance has got you and Mystic doesn’t have any business being here if she’s not hanging out with you. We are turning in.” I didn’t give her a chance to reply. I turned and drug Mystic behind me into the house.

Once we got into the heart of the living room, I turned towards Mystic.