Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 131926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 660(@200wpm)___ 528(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 660(@200wpm)___ 528(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
I laugh and watch as she takes her shot, knowing exactly how much she paid to have her hair done and still reeling from it. I don’t understand how it could possibly cost so much, though don’t get me wrong, it looks incredible and has a liveliness to it that I could never even dream about recreating for my own. I’d love to experience the whole fancy salon thing just once, but for me, it’s been cheap box dye from the store since I was fourteen and decided that darker was better. I was a golden blonde before that, and I’ve never looked back.
Once the shot glass hits the bar and she slides it back toward the guy, I quickly reach out and grab it. “I’m just screwing with you,” I tell her. “I only had two.”
Ember’s eyes narrow in suspicion and it’s clear as day that she doesn’t believe me. “You’re lying.”
I shrug my shoulder. “Maybe,” I grin. “But let’s not pretend that you haven’t been drinking since the second I went outside.”
Ember laughs to herself, knowing damn well that I’m right. “Speaking of what you’ve been up to tonight,” she starts, making my heart kick into gear. “What the fuck was going down with you, Sara, and Carver?”
My eyes bug out of my head. “You saw that?”
“The whole fucking room saw it. I’m not going to lie, I’m kinda jealous. It was hot as fuck. I’d be the filling in that sandwich any day, but whatever is going on between you and Carver, you’ve got issues.”
“Tell me about it,” I grumble under my breath.
Ember scans the room, knowing all too well that while my response was filled with hidden meanings and untold stories, that there’s no point in asking. “Did you happen to see Jacob on your travels?” she asks, making my brow arch as nerves pulse through my veins. “I just texted him like twenty minutes ago and he said that he was just pulling up.”
“I, umm …” I shrug my shoulder feeling like the world’s worst friend as I spy King across the room and realize that he was the one sent to watch over me. I should tell her the truth and spare her as much heartache as possible, but how am I supposed to admit that the guys and I caught her boyfriend out in the bushes organizing a hit on me? Am I supposed to just come out and tell her we snapped his neck and buried him in a shallow grave? Well, partially buried him at least, I’m not sure how fast the guys work. “I haven’t. Maybe he found some friends and just got caught up.”
She nods, her gaze sweeping across the room once again and catching the way King watches us. “I’m going to go and check out back. I’d ask you to come but King looks like he’s about ready to tear you a new asshole.”
I scoff. “Unfortunately, that’s just his face.”
Ember laughs and gives me a stupid grin before falling away into the crowded bodies and leaving me standing behind, completely riddled with guilt. We killed her boyfriend. He was a complete asshole, but to her, he was everything. She’s never going to forgive me, but then, she’s never going to find out. She’ll just be left wondering why she wasn’t enough for him to stick around and that’s on me.
Fuck. I’m such an awful friend.
Something in King’s expression softens and he pushes off the wall and makes his way toward me, but I discreetly shake my head, wanting to suffer alone. He instantly stops and gently nods his head, but the deepness in his eyes tells me that he’s ready to throw his arms around me and hold me for as long as I need.
Not being able to handle it, I push away from the bar and make my way through the party, and before I know it, I find myself at the front door, walking straight out of it. I mindlessly walk down the center of the quiet road, the night wrapping around me as the subtle glow from the street lamps light my way.
I don’t stop until I come to a familiar pier, a place that has somehow become so much more than just somewhere I once partied. I walk down, right to the sand below and drop my ass into it as I watch the calm waves crash on the shore.
I hear people down the beach partying by a bonfire while I’m pretty sure a couple to my right are getting more than just a little freaky, and judging by the sound of it, it might just be an exorcism.
I hear someone coming in behind me and I don’t even bother looking back. “How’d you know where to find me?”
King laughs as he drops down beside me, putting his arm around my shoulders and pulling me into his side. “Do you want the stalker answer or the I’m a fucking impressive boyfriend kind of answer?”