Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 80074 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80074 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
“I fuckin’ knew it. You are in love with her, aren’t you?”
“The only difference between you and I, Jackson, is that she loves me back.”
“I don’t love Harley.”
“Then why the fuck you standin’ in front of me?”
My heart suddenly felt like it was in my throat, and I found it hard to breathe, not knowing how to respond.
Why was I standing in front of him?
Journey chose that moment to walk out of the bathroom, smiling wide when she saw me.
“Jackson!”
“Hey, baby.”
Cash reached for her hand, and she immediately took it. Unaware of the animosity that’d been brewing between her crush and her brother since we were born.
“Face it, quarterback...” he murmured in my ear, shoulder checking me on his way out. “Your baby sister is just another girl who wants me over you.”
“I don’t want Harley.”
He shrugged, speaking with conviction, “Then prove it.”
And so, I did.
Chapter 2
<>Jackson<>
I grabbed Willow’s hand and led her down to the beach, under the pier. Only to find out her surprise wasn’t for her to deep throat my cock like I assumed, but to show me she had a pint of whiskey in her purse for us. I was never one for drinking, however there was a first time for everything, and I was so fuckin’ pissed I could barely see straight.
Fuming, I took a long, deep swig off the bottle. Throwing it back as if it were water.
“Whoa ... Jackson, take it easy.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.”
Two swigs.
Three swigs.
Four swigs down.
Unfazed by the burning liquid searing down my chest, I passed it over to her when I was done.
She took a sip, immediately clearing her throat from the strong taste assaulting her lungs. I chuckled in response, kicking off my shoes and socks before sitting in the sand. As I rested my elbows on my knees, she sat beside me, handing the bottle back over.
I swallowed a few more mouthfuls, setting it between my legs. Swiftly, feeling the effects of the liquor coursing through my veins.
“Baby girl comes runnin’ into my arms whenever you piss her off. Makin’ it so fuckin’ easy to constantly be her hero.”
“I really like you, Jackson,” Willow revealed, triggering me to bring the bottle back up to my lips.
Her confession wasn’t a surprise by any means. She didn’t know the meaning of the word subtle. Having her admit what she felt for me didn’t change how I felt about her.
Nothing.
I decided it was better if I kept my mouth shut. This wasn’t going to end well, that much I did know. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her, but I didn’t want to lie to her either.
I wasn’t a complete dick. Although, I also had no filter, and she knew it.
So instead, I simply spoke the truth, “You don’t want to like me, Willow.”
“Why is that?”
“’Cuz I’m all sorts of fucked up.”
“I don’t think so.”
I turned my head, looking at her. “You don’t know me.”
“I think I do.”
Taking another pull off the bottle, I shook my head. Conscious of where this was going.
“People at school still talk about your mom.”
“Don’t.”
She didn’t listen, not that I expected her to. “Are you scared? That you’re going to end up like her?”
“We’re not talking about this.”
“Why not? I can be here for you.”
“I don’t want you here.”
She flinched, making me feel like an asshole.
“Listen.” With the bottle in my hand, I gestured in between us. “What we have going, it works for me. No strings, no emotions, no bullshit.”
“Then what you’re really saying is you don’t want anyone getting close to you, right? Why? Because you think you’re going to forget them?”
Even though she was the one sitting right in front of me, it wasn’t her face I saw.
It was Harley’s.
“You think I don’t know you have nightmares?! That I don’t know you’re constantly thinkin’ about your mom ... but it’s so much more than that. You push everyone away ’cuz you’re terrified of losin’ someone else who matters to you! Someone else who you care about ... think about ... fuckin’ might love!”
“I don’t love you.”
She jerked back, and I shook my head again. Trying to clear away the drunken haze with my mind playing tricks on me.
“Fuck. I didn’t mean that for you... I mean...”
“Hey, it’s okay.” She kissed my neck. “I don’t love you either, but I could. If you let me.”
Throwing back swig after swig off the bottle like it was water, ‘til the pint was half empty. I drank more than I probably should have, feeling the effects of the alcohol much faster with each passing second.
Wanting nothing more than to get rid of the thoughts and memories of the girl I might eventually forget.
“I didn’t want this to turn heavy between us,” she muttered into my ear, working her way up the side of my face.