Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 38804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 194(@200wpm)___ 155(@250wpm)___ 129(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 194(@200wpm)___ 155(@250wpm)___ 129(@300wpm)
I glanced around, seeing the girls were still there. Their phones remained up and pointed at us.
I tugged on Ryan’s hand, stepping away. “Let’s go.” I cast a furtive look in Cahill’s direction. “I have things to tell you.”
The two guys were still engaged in a heated scowling stand-off, but when I tugged a second time, Ryan let out, “Fine. Yeah.” He went with me. When we cut through the small crowd that had formed, I glanced back over my shoulder.
Cahill still stood there, but his head was down and his hands were balled into fists at his side. He stood alone.
Once we got outside, I opened my mouth to tell Ryan everything that happened, my hand letting go of his.
He shook his head at me. “No,” he growled, keeping my hand caught in his, and he switched our direction, taking me in the direction of the food courts. “Whatever you have to say to me, you can tell me over food. You’re going to eat.” His gaze held mine, as if daring me to go against him, but a grin slipped out.
What was a girl to do in this situation? I laughed slightly before saying, “We ran out of time for food this morning, and I was busy during lunch. I’m not starving myself. I’ll happily eat, but I do have things to tell you.”
He studied me for another beat before his jaw relaxed and his head lifted. “Good. Just—good. I’m…” He hesitated. “Just as long as you’re okay.”
That guilt was there again, but it’d take time. He loved me. He cared. He didn’t want me to hurt, or be sad, or be how I used to be. Warmth surged up in me, filling me completely, knocking that guilt away. We’d had talks about this, hours and hours, and we’d both do our part.
I stopped us, standing in front of him. “It goes both ways, you know.”
His eyes fell to my mouth. His hands went to my hips, just holding me there lightly. His thumb moved under my shirt, rubbing over my skin. “I know.”
We both had haunts. They were different, but at times, they weren’t that different. What affected him, affected me and vice versa, and in the end, we were in it together.
As if sensing where my thoughts had gone, his eyes softened, and he stepped close, kissing my forehead before his hands fell from my hips. “I just need to know you’re okay. Okay? I can’t function if you’re not. I go crazy.”
A warmth tunneled in my chest, taking root in there. “I’m okay, except now—” My stomach growled. “—I’m hungry.”
The corner of his mouth curved up. He moved to my side, his arm coming down around my shoulder, and he tucked me into his side. “What do you think I’m doing here? I’m trying to feed my woman. Let me take care of you.”
I let him take care of me.
Then I told him everything because I was taking care of him too.
8
MAREN
Troy’s house was a shitshow. His roommates were in another band, which was how he met Luis, Hell Skate’s drummer, and the two started hooking up. That lasted two years and now they’re boyfriends, so Troy’s was a party house. It was the general go-to place before heading out to whatever gig was happening that night. When we showed up, it was still early in the day. I hoped there wouldn’t be a lot of people around, and we got lucky.
I let myself in through the back door, which was the common way to get into the house. And you didn’t wait. You knocked once, let yourself in, and called out as you did, “Anyone here?” If anyone tried going to the front door, they were ignored.
Cris snorted, following me inside.
Lauren stayed outside because her phone began ringing when we were walking in.
No one was in the kitchen, but I heard people talking in the living room, and Troy’s room was on the other side of the living room. There was only one way to get to it.
“Hey…” I trailed off, not seeing who I’d expected. Some of Troy’s roommates. Some random other stranger, or two. Maybe Luis and Troy themselves. I’d not expected to see Jude on top of Toya, and two guys standing in the corner, their dicks hanging out of their pants, and filming the entire thing.
They saw me with different reactions. One got excited, his dick noticeably rising, while the other’s eyes got big and fearful. He put his phone away and began doing up his pants. “Oh. Hey, Maren—”
Jude’s head ripped away from Toya, looking my way. “Oh—shit. Maren.” He paused, his dick inside of her, but he didn’t pull out. “Hey…”
I stood there, not sure how to react to any of this.
Toya was in another world, and she blindly reached for Jude, trying to tug him to keep moving inside of her. She had no idea I was even here.