Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 77992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
I blink open my eyes, instantly feeling aches in every muscle, as I seek out the sound of the sweet, feminine voice. “Define alive.”
Sidney laughs. “You’re talking, so you lived. I thought having to spend the night with the Hoodlums, you’d for sure be dead meat.”
I sit up and survey the cabin. Everyone’s gone. “Where’d everybody go?”
“No one sticks around past noon on Saturdays after Campfire Chaos. We’re some of the last few. You’re my ride, so…”
“Oh, shit. Sorry. I was completely out of it.”
“Someone had a good dream,” Sidney says, darting her eyes to my bare abs that are crusted with a fuck ton of cum.
Well, that’s awkward.
“Um…” I rake my fingers through my hair and give her a frantic look. “It’s…”
“It happens,” she says with a laugh. “I’ll pretend it was me you were thinking about.”
I grin at her. “Because that doesn’t make it any less uncomfortable.”
She stands and walks into the kitchen area. I’m still scanning the cabin, looking for clothes, when she returns with a wet rag.
“Where’s my bag?”
“Still in the car,” she says, tossing the rag at me. “I’ll go grab it. Wanted to make sure you were alive first. It would have been wasted efforts to go grab clothes for a corpse.” She smiles sweetly.
I shake my head at her as I scrub off my mess, trying not to give this girl too much of a show. “Nice, Sid.”
“Not to mention, I didn’t want to miss a naked shot.” She shrugs her shoulders. Her words are meant to be playful, though. Something’s different with her.
“Where’s Gio?”
Her face blushes bright red. “He went home.”
“Is he okay?”
“Of course he’s okay,” she says grumpily. “Why wouldn’t he be?”
“It was just a question. I didn’t see him after all that shit that happened.”
She crosses her arms over her chest and frowns. “Sorry. I’m feeling…”
“Defensive?”
“Yeah.”
“And why’s that?”
“You were right.”
My brows hike up. “With Gio?”
“Yeah. He’s…I don’t know how to explain him. He just sees a me not many people do.”
“Did you two…”
“Fuck? Because that’s what I’m known for?” Her cheeks burn bright red again and her bottom lip trembles.
“I was going to say kiss.”
“Oh.” She huffs. “Sorry. I suck at this.” Her finger toys at a strand of her brown hair as she frowns. “I was upset after what Jordy did. They had you taken care of, but I was shaken up. Gio came over to me and hugged me. Asked if I wanted to talk about it. So we went for a walk. It got colder, so we decided to talk more in his tent.” She swallows hard. “I feel like such a whore, Hollis.”
“What? Why?”
“He kissed me. It was sweet. Nice. I really liked it. Too much. I just threw myself at him and started getting naked.” A tear races down her cheek. “He kissed me again. Softly. Then told me to put my shirt back on.” Another tear. “I was devastated at having been rejected. I bawled my eyes out. He just held me. Cuddled me to him. Kept kissing my tears away. When I calmed down, he said he wants to get to know me first. Asked if we could go out on a date. He wants to take me to dinner. Maybe meet his mom. I felt like such a skank.”
“You’re not a skank, Sid.”
“But I am. I’ve been freely giving it up to anyone who’ll give me the time of day. It’s just sex. Empty sex. They never stick around for the after. I didn’t realize I wanted an after.” She chuckles. “Gio isn’t even my type, but he just sees me. I’ve never been seen like that before. I’m excited to go out with him tonight. Not because I think we’ll have sex, but because I want to spend more time with him and argue with him about all the dumb stuff he says. He’s funny and a smartass, but he’s sweet.” Her lips turn up. “He’s a great kisser too.”
“Gio’s a great guy and you’re a great girl. You two need to make a go at it. I’m happy you’re giving him a chance.”
She stands and fishes out my keys from my soaked jeans pocket. “Now that I’m taken care of, we just need to find you a boyfriend.”
I don’t want a boyfriend.
I want a Hoodlum.
“How about we start with my clothes first, Cupid.”
Roan
Jordy paces the living room of our garage apartment, looking more broken than ever before. I didn’t realize my best friend was going through some mental shit. Enough that he’d try to kill Hollis over it. It’s fucked up, and I’m going to get to the bottom of it.
“Talk to me, man,” I urge, crossing my arms over my chest. “Tell me what’s going through your head.”
I don’t blame him. He’s my brother. In that moment, he probably felt like he was trying to protect us. But normally, he wouldn’t make such a life-changing decision. I don’t need him going to prison for me. I need him here with me.