Текст книги "Slow Play"

Автор книги: Monica Murphy

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Текущая страница: 4 (всего у книги 20 страниц)

The restaurant Steven takes me to is nice without being too over the top expensive, and the food is delicious. Our conversation flows easily, he’s made me laugh more than once and he’s so incredibly sweet. Considerate. Truly interested in what I have to say and I’m returning the favor as best I can.

I sit there and nod and smile and laugh in all the right places, but my mind keeps straying to Tristan. Which is awful and unfair to Steven because he’s nice. Cute in an unassuming way. A bit of a nerd who loves video games—he actually knew Conrad when he came to pick me up for our date and they promised to get together some other time to play the latest version of Call of Duty.

Guys and their video games, I get it. But I swear Steven seemed more excited to discover that I live with his friend versus going on a date with me. At least with Tristan, I know he’d be into me—to the point where I’d probably want to push him off and tell him to take a chill pill.

Maybe.

Maybe not.

“Do you like to gamble?” Steven asks after the waiter takes away our dinner plates.

“I don’t like making risky moves with my money.” And that was the God’s honest truth. After everything I’ve been through, I’ve become thrifty. A word I didn’t even know existed until recently.

Steven’s face falls a little, like my answer totally disappointed him. “Ah, there’s this illegal gambling house not too far from campus.” He pauses.

“I’ve heard of it,” I tell him. Who hasn’t? There are whispers about it everywhere but I’ve never been there.

“My friends and I like to go there on occasion and I just got paid so…” He smiles. “I thought you might want to go. But if you don’t, it’s cool. We can do something else. Maybe go to the movies or go have a drink. You do drink right? I mean, we met at a bar so I assumed you like to drink and we can—”

I settle my hand over his and he goes mute, his eyes widening as he glances down at our connected hands. I only touched him to shut him up. The guy rambles when he gets nervous. “Let’s go gamble your paycheck away,” I suggest.

He laughs but it sounds forced. I think I freaked him out with my remark. “Not my entire paycheck. I have about one hundred dollars to play with tonight.”

That’s it? Alex of old would laugh at him. The Alex of old would’ve spent one hundred dollars on an appetizer and not blinked twice.

The new Alex wouldn’t toss one hundred dollars away playing blackjack or whatever. I can buy a week of groceries with that kind of money, maybe even two if I really stretch it.

“Let’s go. Sounds fun.” I smile at him and release his hand, settling mine in my lap.

He studies me as he gnaws on his lower lip. That looks painful. “Can I admit something to you?”

Uh oh. I mentally brace myself. “Sure. Go for it.”

“The other night at the bar? My friend dared me to talk to you.” His cheeks turn ruddy and he drops his gaze to the table. “I kept going on about how gorgeous you were and he got sick of it so he told me if I thought you were so hot, I should just go ask you out.”

My cheeks warm too. Poor, sweet Steve and his asshole friend. “I’m glad you approached me. I’ve had a good time tonight.”

He lifts his head, his gaze meeting mine as he smiles. “You have?”

Poor dude. He sounds surprised. “Totally.” I nod. “You’re fun.”

“I am?” He sits up straighter. “I mean, yeah. So are you. Fun, that is. And pretty. Shit. I sound like an idiot.”

I start to laugh, but not at him. “Stop while you’re ahead. And you’re adorable when you’re flustered.”

The pleased look on his face was worth the compliment. And Steven is cute when he’s flustered. Not Tristan gorgeous but cute.

Ugh. Quit thinking about Tristan.

Pushing him firmly out of my thoughts, I focus on the guy in front of me. He’s got his wallet out as he looks over the check and I automatically grab my purse. “Do you want me to help?” I ask.

Steven glances up, a scowl on his face. “No way. I invited you, Alex. I’ll pay the bill.”

“Thank you,” I say softly. I’ve gone on exactly one date since I arrived here at school and we split the dinner bill. I paid for my own movie ticket. He also wanted me to help pay for popcorn but I didn’t want any so I refused. That pissed him off.

I never saw him again. Good riddance.

Would Tristan actually take me on a date? Or would he just drag me into his bedroom and fuck me? I’m going with the latter. He doesn’t seem like one who’d buy me dinner in order to get me naked. Not that I would get naked with him on the first date. No way.

“You ready to go?”

Steven’s voice bursts through my thoughts and I nod, rising to my feet, totally irritated with myself. It’s not fair of me to constantly think of Tristan while on a date with another guy. A really nice guy who seems to like me versus just using me. How often does that come along? I need to focus on Steven. He’s easy to talk to. Seems fun. Has good taste in clothes—he’s dressed nicely in a dark green and black checked flannel shirt and jeans. Polite and a gentleman, he holds the door open for me as we exit the restaurant and walk out into the cold night.

The rain stopped Wednesday night and left cool and cloudy days in its wake. I have a thick blue sweater on but it’s still cold enough to make me shiver when the breeze hits us. We walk side by side in the parking lot toward his car, making small talk. I can feel Steven looking at me and I wonder what he’s thinking. Wonder even more what Tristan is doing…

I grimace. He invades my thoughts. I don’t even like the guy but I can’t get him out of my head. It’s crazy. I think of when he came into my room, eating up all the space with only his presence, trying to find out information about me when really, why would he care? He sees me as nothing but a conquest. I know it. So why am I still thinking about him?

Why am I still interested?

Damn it, I am not interested.

“If you don’t want to go to the gambling house, it’s cool,” Steven says out of the blue.

I look over at him and smile. “I want to,” I say sincerely. “Let’s go win you some money.”

He laughs. “Sounds like a plan.”

“I think we should close early,” I mutter to Shep.

We’re sitting at an empty blackjack table that has no dealer, surveying the scene before us. It’s dead for a Friday night. This place is slowly losing its appeal with the masses and Gabe is especially over it since everything happens at his house. He’d rather snuggle up with Lucy than work his shifts.

“I’m with you. It’s quiet tonight,” Shep says. It’s my normal shift but Shep showed up about an hour ago, letting me know Jade was having some sort of girls’ night with her friends so he thought he’d help me out.

It took everything within me not to ask if Alexandria was part of the group Jade was with tonight. I mean, I knew she had a date with that dude from the bar but I was hopeful she canceled on him. I was damn proud of myself for keeping my mouth shut. Though her name still hangs on the tip of my tongue.

Our little argument after picking her up in the rain had been some sort of weird foreplay that I can’t get out of my head. After leaving her place, I went home and jerked off in the shower to the memory of her falling asleep in my car, how she tried to hustle me out of her house, the angry look on her face just before she shut the door.

Yeah. My beat off material is of Alexandria mad at me. What the hell?

“I think we should close this place down period,” I tell Shep who raises his eyebrows in surprise.

“You serious?”

I nod. “We already plan on shutting it for good at the end of the school year. Are we even making enough money to make this feasible?” At first, we’d started the gambling house for fun. Something to do—something illegal, which made it even more enticing. It wasn’t about the money. It was about playing poker, blackjack, whatever we could for big money and getting away with it. It was about high stakes and hot girls and all the booze we could ever want.

Don’t think I’d ever admit this to anyone—especially Shep and Gabe—but I’m tired of it. Tired of running this place and having it eat into my time. Maybe I just want to veg out by myself and have a beer, you know? I don’t even hang out at our fraternity house much anymore. To the point where they’re demanding we all show up and go to the semi-formal dance they have planned with one of the sororities.

I get fucking hives just thinking about having to put on a suit and take some girl to a dance who’ll end up with big expectations in regards to me. I’ll have to disappoint her.

It’s what I do best.

“Yeah.” Shep glances around the room, his expression pained. “I have good memories here. It’s where I met Jade.”

He would bring his girl into it. He always does. “You want to build a shrine in here? Like an ode to your guys’ relationship?”

“Don’t be an asshole,” he mutters.

“You’re the one who has to constantly bring her up. It’s always Jade this and Jade that. Gabe’s just as bad. They’ve barely been going out for what—a month?” I don’t know and I don’t really care, I just know it’s not been for long. “And he’s already asked Lucy to move in with him.” I shake my head. These two are so whipped it’s unbelievable.

“You’re just jealous,” Shep says, looking away like he can’t stand the sight of me.

“That is the last fucking thing I am,” I protest vehemently. “I don’t need some ball and chain dragging me down, always wanting to spend time with me. That sounds like a nightmare. Don’t you miss the variety? So many girls are out there, all yours for the taking, man.”

“Right, because you’re totally surrounded by an endless array of pussy.” The pointed look Shep gives me is hella irritating. “You’re practically tripping over it in here.”

I don’t bother looking around because I know the place is pretty much filled with dudes, not counting those two chicks Emily and Emma who are always hanging around. Em and Em, they call themselves. They dress the same like they’re freaking twins and they’re only here to hit on the guys.

Smart move on their part but I have no desire to even touch those girls, let alone fuck them. They’re always here. Like a ball and chain that belongs to no one but are on the constant hunt to hitch onto some unsuspecting fool.

“Whatever,” I mumble.

Shep starts to laugh. “If you think you’re the king of pussy then let’s make a bet.” Now we’re talking. “Next girl who walks through the door, you have to seduce.”

“Seduce? Such a flowery word choice.” I scoff. “How about this? Next chick who walks through the door, I’ll have naked and panting beneath me, guaranteed.”

“If Jade caught me doing this, she’d kick my ass,” Shep mutters under his breath. But then he says like he can’t help himself, “Hundred bucks says no way can you seal the deal.”

“Make it one thousand and I’m in.” I rub my hands together, adrenaline making my blood pump faster. This is what I live for. The challenge Shep just threw down, the thrill of the unknown.

“You don’t even know who’s going to walk in next,” Shep says, still chuckling. “She could be a total dog.”

“She could be a total hottie.” I stare at the front door, practically willing it to open.

“You think all females are hot. As long as she has a pulse and tits, you’re golden.”

He’s not far off the mark with that statement. “What can I say?” I shrug, my gaze never leaving the door. “I like variety. All shapes, all sizes. It doesn’t matter.” Well, it normally matters. I’ve always been drawn to curvy brunettes.

Though there’s a particular blonde who’s sticking in my head lately…

Forget her. Fuck her right out of your system and banish her for good.

“I can’t wait to see this.” Shep turns his chair so it’s facing the door. “The night has officially grown more interesting.”

“Fuck yeah it has.” I rub my hands together, feeling like I’m about to bet on something big.

Like my dick.

I burst out laughing just at the thought, making Shep laugh too. “You’re fucking crazy,” he says, shaking his head.

“You know it,” I agree because I am. I’d rather be crazy as fuck than bored out of my skull. Anticipation hums in my veins as I wait for the door to open. I’d almost take one of the Ems just to have someone to conquer. And Emily or Emma would be a guaranteed lay…

The door cracks open and Shep leans forward, his elbows on his knees, fisted hands at his mouth as he waits to see who appears. I rise from the chair, my body stiff, ready to leap into action at first sight of her.

Whoever she might be.

A guy walks through the door and I immediately recognize him. From where I’m not sure but I know I’ve seen that face before.

Shep turns to grin at me like a maniac. “Gonna try and fuck that?”

“Fuck off,” I mutter, my gaze never straying from the door.

And then she enters the room, sucking up all the oxygen just with her presence, so beautiful it fucking hurts to look at her. Shep starts laughing hysterically and I move closer to him so I can hit the back of his head.

“Ow.” He rubs his head, sending me a glare but I ignore him.

I’m so pissed, so freaking ruined over who I have to fuck in order to win this stupid bet, I’m certain I’m gonna fail.

What are my odds now?

The room is cavernous, full of gaming tables though most of them are empty. The place is pretty dead for a Friday night.

“Not very busy,” Steven says, as if he read my mind.

“Well, that means you have your pick of what to play,” I tell him with a smile, glancing around the room, my gaze snagging—and stopping—on Shep Prescott.

He’s grinning at me like I’m the best thing he’s seen in days.

I wave at him and he rises to his feet, striding toward me and greeting me like a long lost friend.

“Alex.” He pulls me into an enthusiastic hug, pressing me so close I can feel the hard, muscular wall of his chest. If Jade saw this hug she might want to scratch my eyes out. “So good to see you. Glad you’re here at our humble little business,” he says when he pulls away from me. He turns his friendly smile onto Steven while I stand there in semi-shock. Shep runs the gambling house? I had no idea. “Who’s your friend?”

I introduce them and they shake hands, Shep looking at me yet again and shaking his head, the grin permanently etched into his face. “You are the last person I expected to see tonight.”

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

“Oh, it’s an interesting thing. Let’s put it that way.” His eyes sparkle and he slaps Steven on the back, almost knocking him forward. “You here to play?”

“Definitely,” Steven says firmly, reaching for his wallet. Shep puts out a hand, stalling him.

“Don’t bust out the money yet. Keep your cool,” he advises, his voice low. “What are you in the mood for tonight?”

“Poker.”

Shep turns his attention on me. “Alex. You want something to drink?”

I nod, my gaze meeting Steven’s. “You want something?”

“A beer would be good. Thanks,” Steven says, already eyeing the poker table nearby. “I’ll be over there,” he says with a nod as he heads for the table.

Huh. I watch him go, my gaze meeting Shep’s, who’s still watching me like he’s in on some joke and I missed the punch line. “You two are seeing each other?”

“This is our first date.”

“Ah.” He nods. “I’ve seen him in here before. He always loses his ass. Every single time.”

Of course. Most everyone who walks into this place does, I’m sure. “So this is yours?”

“Well, mine along with my partners.”

“Who are your partners?” I’m almost afraid to ask.

“Your boy is in trouble tonight. My dealer’s on fire,” Shep says, changing the subject.

Hmm.

“Go easy on him,” I say softly.

“Not up to me.” He flicks his head toward the dealer who’s taking Steven’s one hundred dollar bill and cashing it in for chips. “Want me to grab you that drink? What do you prefer?”

“Please. Um, two beers. Whatever you’ve got.”

“One for you and your friend?” Shep raises his brows.

“Yeah,” I say slowly. Shep is actually wiggling his brows now, like some sort of demented cartoon character. “What is your deal anyway?”

“Tonight’s been pretty fucking funny.” He twists his mouth into a wry smile. “Sorry.”

Oo-kay. “No biggie.” I wave a hand. “Why’s it so funny?”

“Just weird stuff happening. I’ll go get your beers. Be right back.” He leaves before I can say anything else. I watch him go, shaking my head.

Guys are so strange. Shep was acting odd. I hope he’s not doing anything he shouldn’t be. I don’t want to know if he’s like, possibly cheating on Jade? They seemed so into each other at the Halloween party but hell, I don’t really know him.

I don’t know anyone here. Not Shep, not Steven, not Jade or Lucy or Gabe. Kelli is the only person I’m close to and she’s not here tonight. She went out with the rest of the girls—they invited me but I already agreed to go out with Steven so I had to pass.

Sort of a bummer I couldn’t go. It would’ve been nice, getting to know them better.

Deciding I need to use the restroom before I crack open a beer, I head down the darkened hall, spotting a sliver of light shining from beneath a closed door. I lift my hand, about to knock to see if anyone’s inside when I feel a big, warm hand clasp my shoulder. A shriek escapes me and I whirl around to find none other than Tristan in front of me, his gaze dark, standing so close to me I can hear him breathe.

“Alexandria,” he drawls like the arrogant bastard that he is. “What are you doing here?”

My heart is beating so hard I swear he can probably see it pounding beneath my sweater. “I could say the same to you.” I sound breathless and God, I hate that. He doesn’t make me breathless.

So why am I excited to see him? Because I am. I so am and there is no way I can admit that because he’ll just become even more arrogant, to the point of insufferable.

Fine. He’s already insufferable. I was just being nice.

He grins and moves closer, leaving me no choice but to back up until my butt hits the wall. “I own this place.” He pauses, tilting his head toward me. “And don’t try and tell me you didn’t know that.”

“I didn’t know it,” I immediately say. No wonder Shep didn’t want to tell me who his partners were.

“This is Gabe’s house. The three of us, we’re partners.” He props his hand on the wall, right beside my head, drawing himself even closer. “What are you doing here, Alexandria?”

I make a face. “Only my grandmother calls me Alexandria.” It’s true. She’s been dead for ten years but seriously. No one calls me by my full name unless I’m at an appointment or it’s the first day of class.

“I refuse to call you Alex.” He touches my chin, slips his finger beneath it and forces me to look up and meet his gaze. “How about Ali?”

My skin tingles where he touches me. The nickname is cute. Much more feminine. I refuse to let him call me something intimate and sweet. I’ll find more meaning in it than there really is and who wants that?

“I need to go find my date,” I tell him.

His smile is all knowing as he leans in close, his mouth right at my ear. “I guarantee he doesn’t even know you’re gone. That asshole doesn’t appreciate you and you know it.”

“Right, like you appreciate me?” I raise my hand to stop him, fingers splayed, palm flat against his chest. His heart is racing, I can feel it go boom, boom, boom against my hand and as if I have no control over my fingers I curl them into the fabric of his shirt. Pulling him closer…

“You know you want the big D,” he whispers as he tilts his head, his mouth just above mine. “Just give in to your urges, baby. I’ll be whatever you need.”

His words are like a bucket of ice water dumped over my head, snapping me out of the Tristan-induced haze I was falling under. I release his shirt and give him a shove, then duck underneath his arm so I can get away from him as fast as possible. “Stay away from me,” I demand as I start to leave.

Tristan grabs hold of my arm, swinging me around so I face him once more. “Where the hell are you going?”

I jerk out of his hold, rubbing my arm where he touched me. It’s like his fingers imprint themselves on my skin. “Do you really think you can win me over by telling me I want the big D?” I’m yelling but I don’t care. Let everyone hear me. He’s the ass who said it not me. “Despite what every other female tells you, I’m not interested in your dick, Tristan.”

He blinks, appearing shocked. “I didn’t mean—”

“Shut up, you so meant it.” I run up on him, get right in his face. Has anyone ever gotten in this guy’s face before? I doubt it. He’s a cocky asshole who’s gotten away with whatever he wanted for too long. Well, not anymore. He’s not getting me. I refuse to let him near me ever again. Screw that I’m-so-drawn-to-him– and-I-don’t-know-why vibe.

Clearly I was delusional.

“Seriously, Al—”

“Shut. Up. Tristan.” I press my fingers against his mouth, silencing him. His lips are soft and warm and damn it, I have to resist the urge to trace them, learn their shape. He’s a complete prick. A sexy prick but that doesn’t matter.

It can’t matter.

“Don’t say another word,” I tell him, my voice soft, almost a whisper. “Are you going to be quiet and listen?” When he nods I drop my hand from his mouth and take a deep breath. “Girls don’t want a guy to come on to them like he’s the biggest sleaze ball that ever lived. If you really want to win her over, don’t tell her you know she wants the big D. That’s just gross.”

He doesn’t speak, those dark blue eyes stare at me like he can’t believe what I’m saying. Good. He needs to soak it up. This is much-needed advice, I’m sure. Whatever girls he’s been hanging around with, if all they like talking about is his so-called giant dick, then they need to get a hobby and fast.

“And don’t call a girl you barely know baby. It makes them think you can’t remember their name, and that’s super insulting.”

Still nothing from Tristan, so I continue.

“Lurking in the hall near the bathroom isn’t a great place to try and talk to a girl either. I don’t know if you’re into me or not. Clearly, you’re down to fuck. But guess what? I’m thinking you’re down to fuck just about anyone who walks into this place with a decent face and a vagina. Am I right?” When he remains silent I go on. “If you like empty fucking with nameless, faceless girls, then go on with your bad self. I’m sure you’ll have a great time fucking your way across campus, if you haven’t done so already.”

I’m sure he has. He’s a senior, like Shep and Gabe. They’ve been on this campus for three years, going on four. That’s a lot of girls for him to fuck.

A lot.

He shoves his hands in the front pockets of his jeans, drawing the denim tight across his thighs. I can’t help but notice because damn it all to hell, the man is fine. Big ol’ muscular body with sexy arms and that face, those pretty blue eyes that are all-knowing and his beautiful mouth. But when he opens that beautiful, sexy mouth and spits out all those smarmy words, I can’t take it.

“Just know this.” I invade his space, resting my hands on his shoulders so I can rise up on tiptoe and whisper in his ear. “It could’ve been amazing between us, Tristan. But you fucked it up before we even had a chance.”

Alexandria releases her hold on my shoulders and steps away, her gaze never leaving mine. I catch a glimpse of it for one quick moment, all the pent up lust she’s feeling for me that matches exactly how I feel about her, but then it’s gone. Like it never existed.

Snuffed out like a lit match. One moment fire, the next moment…

Nothing.

“Bye Tristan,” she whispers just before she turns and walks away, leaving me alone in the hallway like a loser.

Which I am. A loser. Not only did I just lose my bet with Shep and one thousand fucking dollars, I also lost the girl. The fucking girl who with one look immobilizes me so that I can’t move, I can’t breathe.

I can’t do anything but bask in her presence.

She doesn’t look back and I let her go, my gaze lingering on her perfect ass, feeling the loss of her before she’s even out of sight. I lean against the wall, wait for a few minutes before I slowly walk back out into the casino area, hoping like hell no one notices me.

I’m still reeling from what she said. And how she said it.

Shep is nowhere to be found, the bastard. Alexandria is standing behind Steven as he sits at the single poker table we have open tonight, her hand resting on his shoulder like it belongs there.

Shit.

“How’d it go?” Shep materializes behind me out of nowhere like a ghost. “Bang her yet?”

“I don’t move that fast,” I say out of the side of my mouth, my gaze unable to stray from Alexandria. It’s torture, watching her. Having her so close and unable to do anything about it.

“Why not? I used to,” he says smugly.

“I’m calling bullshit.” Shep was a smooth motherfucker but he wasn’t that smooth.

“Face reality, cuz.” I really fucking hate it when he calls me cuz. “That girl just iced your ass out. She hates you.”

“I’ll win her over,” I say confidently, hating how she squeezes Steven the dipshit’s shoulder when he wins a hand. “It takes time.”

“Ha, you don’t have time. You have to get her naked by the end of the night,” Shep points out. “And since when do you believe anything that involves a woman takes time?”

I turn on him and he takes a step back, that shit-eating grin still on his face. I want to do physical harm to him, swear to God. “We never put that condition on it. I have all the time in the world.”

The grin falls. “That’s cheating, bro.”

“I don’t think so, bro.” I smile, feeling pretty good right about now. “It might take a little while, but I’m winning this bet.”

“So you say,” he mutters.

“Want to make it double or nothing?” I ask.

He’s quiet for a moment, rubbing his jaw as he contemplates my suggestion. “She finds out you did this, she’ll hate your guts.”

I shrug, ignoring the sudden fear that makes my stomach bottom out. “She already hates my guts. What’s the difference?”

“The difference is she’ll hate you even more if you do this and she catches you. Especially if you two end up hooking up—all over a bet.” He takes a deep breath. “No double or nothing. Original deal we 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.