agreed on or I’m done. Jesus, Jade will kill me if she knows I’m encouraging you like this.”
Look at Shep and his conscious. “Then don’t tell her. Do you really have to confess everything you do and say to Jade?” I ask pointedly.
“Yeah, actually I do. We don’t keep secrets from each other.” He glares at me, all humor gone. “You don’t understand what it’s like.”
“I don’t want to understand. Trust me.” I whip out my phone and scroll through my contacts before I start typing.
“Who are you texting?” Shep sounds like he’s about to break out into a cold sweat and throw up his dinner. Nervous fucker.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m texting Kelli.”
“She’s with Jade, you dumbass.” He tries to snag my phone out of my hands but I turn away before he can grab it.
“Scared of your girl that bad? Jesus, get a grip.” I keep my back to him as I finish my text and hit send.
I need a favor.
Kelli’s reply is almost immediate.
If you want to make out that would be a no.
I shake my head and reply.
I think you’re obsessed with me.
You wish. What do you want? I’m out with the girls.
I know. I need a phone number.
Who’s?
Alexandria’s.
No reply for a few seconds and I can feel Shep pacing behind me. “You’re a dick,” he mutters.
“You’re the dick who’s scared of his girlfriend. Trust me, I’m not involving her in this.” I stare at my screen, willing a text to appear. And then it does.
I shouldn’t give it to you.
Why the hell not?
I don’t think she likes you that much. She’d probably be pissed if she knew I gave it to you.
Let me worry about that.
They’re all pissed at me. They all hate me. Because I say and do what I want and don’t give a shit what other people think. My heart is hard, just like my fucking soul and I flat out don’t care.
I’m becoming more and more like my old man every single day. It’s Mom who’s soft. Who lost her shit and almost took her life. It was his tough exterior and grim determination that got them through the hard times.
But you don’t have to deal with hard times if you let anyone into your heart, right?
A number appears on my screen, followed immediately by a reply from Kelli.
Tell her where you got this and I’ll kill you.
I immediately enter Alexandria’s number into my contacts before I answer Kelli.
Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me. Thanks K.
I delete our conversation just to be sure.
“You’re going about this all wrong,” Shep tells me.
I barely look at him. I’m too busy trying to figure out what exactly do I say to Alexandria.
“There are rules you know,” he continues.
“Like what? You broke all those rules with Jade remember? One and done and all that shit. You’re a non-believer.” Christ, what do I say to her without coming across as a dick? And she thinks I’m the dick to end all dicks.
Should I apologize?
Yeah. I should. Chicks love it when you say sorry. But no groveling. I don’t think I need to stoop to that level yet.
I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings.
I hit send before I can second-guess myself.
Watching her receive the text, knowing that she’s reading the words I typed only seconds ago is a trip. She pulls her phone out of the back pocket of her jeans and reads the message, her brows furrowing. Then her fingers start flying on the screen.
Who is this?
You know who it is. The prick who lurks in hallways hoping to pick up helpless women who are down to fuck.
A little smile curls her lips when she reads my response and I smile in return, struck yet again by how beautiful she is. That sweater she’s wearing really brings out the blue in her eyes.
I scrub a hand over my face. Did I really just think that?
Yes. I fucking did.
My phone dings and I read her text.
How did you get my number?
I’m magical. I can make anything happen.
I lift my head after I hit send, our gazes meeting across the room. Steven isn’t paying attention to her. From the grimace on his face I’m thinking he’s too worried about the bad hand he was just dealt.
That could be taken two ways, I suppose. Because in this story, that asshole isn’t getting the girl.
I am.
“These are gorgeous,” the woman gushes as she pulls yet another formal dress out of one of the many