the stairs, and Jen rushes over to Ella’s side. She puts her arm around Ella’s shoulders and pulls her in. Their height difference shows now more than ever. Jen is taller, the model type, and Ella is the sexy girl next door.
Ella’s head falls, and then she leans into Jen to tell her something. Jen nods, whispers something back, and then turns to us.
“Let’s go and give them time,” she says.
“Like hell,” I speak first.
Ella breaks the distance and heads toward me. Placing her hand on my stomach, she shoots those doe eyes that have the ability to hypnotize me to be her slave.
“Please, Cros, I’ll only be a little while, but I need to talk to him.”
“I don’t want to leave you,” I whisper.
“I’ll be right out.”
“Call me if you need me.” I hold up my cell phone, and she pulls hers out of her back pocket.
“I will.”
I nod, unable to be the demanding ape I want to be in this situation. I wish I could be King Kong and throw her over my shoulder and stomp out of this house to wash away the pain the jackass has caused.
The five of us slowly walk down the stairs, but I keep looking over my shoulder at Ella.
Chapter Eight
Ella
Liam wipes the blood from his lip using the back of his hand. “Save it. I know who he is.”
“What?”
“I saw the two of you outside White Hall.”
I glance to the bedroom door and back to Liam. He’s waiting for an answer. I’ve never told anyone about Crosby. Liam believes that he’s my first serious relationship, and I never disputed any different.
“It’s complicated.” I swallow the lump blocking my throat.
“Doesn’t seem complicated. You show him more affection than me.” Liam walks over to his chest of drawers. Pulling out a new shirt, he quickly changes. “Fuck, Ella, now the guy goes fight club in here, what the hell do I tell my brothers?”
“What does it matter? What do they care? You were the one with the slut.”
A dry laugh escapes his throat. “You know how much our future depends on strings. I didn’t pledge at Pi Kappa for their parties. I did it for connections. Those families have connections that will help my future.” His outstretched arm points to the door.
From what I’ve gathered, Liam comes from a farm county, similar to me. His parents have no money, and recently, a superstore has built a center on the outskirts of his town, only pushing their small family grocery store out. He’s here on scholarship, and he has already been applying for loans for med school. Pi Kappa is the richest fraternity on campus. Legacies are children of surgeons, judges, and international businessmen. They even have one on the Supreme Court.
“Now, this beast of an ex comes in and beats me up.” He takes his bloodstained T-shirt and dabs the corner of his mouth.
“He was protecting me because again, you were cheating on me.”
“Great. Now, you’re going to stick up for him.” He sits on the bed, grabbing his water bottle and holding it up to his lip.
“Should I stick up for you?” I pull out his desk chair and sit down.
“None of them meant anything, but tonight I was mad,” he murmurs. “I saw the two of you in the kitchen earlier. You were laughing, and you instinctually touched his arm more than once.”
“He’s a friend,” I lie. My feelings for Crosby are far from bordering the friendship line.
“Do you know the last time you touched me like that? Hell, do you know the last time you smiled liked that?”
I release a breath and stand to pace the floor.
“Never. You’ve never been like that with me.”
I stop moving and stare over at him.
“I have.”
“No. No, you haven’t.”
I move toward the window, sliding the curtain to the side, and look out. Brax, Oliver, Saucey, and Jen are all sitting on the sidewalk across the street, but Crosby is standing, staring right up at me. Our eyes meet and lock. My heart flips.
“Crosby is…history.”
“Your history.”
“My past.” If he were my past, why am I still drawn to him right now? The fact is, I don’t want to be in this room with Liam. I want to be with Crosby, in his arms, as he promises me our future again.
“Your past isn’t history until you deal with it. From what I’ve noticed, you haven’t. The way you look at him…”
“Oh, please.” I drop the curtain and take a seat in his desk chair. “Don’t push