Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 115590 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115590 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
“What’s wrong with you?”
He shrugged a shoulder. “Nothing. What’s wrong with you?”
The hum of the highway rolled in the distance, mixing with the loud classic rock blaring from the neighbor’s backyard. We sat in silence for a while, until Wolf’s phone dinged with a text. He chucked his beer over the edge of the roof, then grabbed his phone. A short snort left his lips while he stared at his screen. “Davison just sent me a text. Kreuger’s got a party going on. Wanna go?”
Kreuger was a dick, and his parties always sucked. Plus, I didn’t feel like being around anyone right now. “No.”
His foot tapped the shingles for a moment. “Monroe’s there.”
“And?”
“And Matthews.” He turned his phone around, and on the screen was a picture of Monroe and Jade between Chase and a few of the other football players. “Davison sent it to me.”
I finished off my beer, my blood pressure spiking before I crushed the can in my fist. “Can I borrow your bat?”
I left the bat in the back of Wolf’s truck and followed him up the drive that led to Kreuger’s bright-blue house. A handful of girls leaned against the siding, laughing and waving at us while they held up one of their friends who was taking a piss.
“I hate Kreuger’s parties,” I mumbled as we stepped through the open gate into the backyard.
Kreuger had graduated two years ago; then his parents had died in a car accident. He took his inheritance and tried his damnedest to turn the house into something worthy of an under-budget porn film.
“He’s a dick,” Wolf said, snagging a cup on our way to the keg. He nodded toward the heart-shaped hot tub filled with topless girls. Wolf chuckled before lifting the plastic cup to his lips. “But at least there’s titties. Dude, Hendrix is gonna kill us for not bringing him.”
I filled my cup and followed Wolf through the yard to the hot tub. He crouched by the edge, flirting with one of the girls. The only reason I had come was to… I felt my brow crease. I wasn’t even sure why I had come. To beat Chase’s ass? To rub salt in an already raw wound by seeing my ex-girlfriend with another guy?
“Hey, Zepp.” One of the girls edged to the side of the tub, pressing her shoulders back to lift the bottom of her massive tits above the steaming water. “Like that shirt.”
“I don’t give a shit.”
She gasped before sinking back onto the seat amongst her equally horrified friends. I looked across the yard, through the swirling steam, and my stomach sank just before the lava-hot adrenaline surged through me. Monroe was by the hammock, next to Chase, and laughing like she was completely fine.
God, I must look like an idiot. Right under my nose. And now she was out with him. At a damn party. I glanced across at Wolf. His gaze pinged between Monroe and me.
“Hey, hey, hey!” Wolf skirted over, grabbing my elbow and tugging me out of earshot. “Look. The bat’s in the car, but wait until it thins out. Or until everyone else is shitfaced. ‘Cause it’s just you and me.” He did a quick take over his shoulder. “But meanwhile, dude. Just fuck with her head. You got about ten topless chicks back there willing to suck your dick. Don’t forget who you are.”
Yeah. Right. Don’t forget who I am. A guy who used to be a player and was taken to his knees by a girl who stole his heart.
36
Monroe
Even through the crowd of people, I noticed Zepp the second he walked into the party. I hated that he’d come because all I had been trying to do was escape him.
“You okay, Moe?” Chase bumped his shoulder to mine, his gaze shooting between me and Zepp, who was standing by a hot tub full of topless girls. No, I was not okay.
Jade persuaded me to come to this stupid party, and now all I wanted to do was leave, but I wasn’t about to let Zepp chase me away. Especially when this entire thing was his fault, and I had done nothing wrong. If he didn’t trust me, we didn’t need to be together. I knew that, and yet the sight of him surrounded by girls was like a knife in the chest.
“I’m fine.” I directed my attention back to Chase.
“She’s tough enough to deal with that asshole.” Jade punched him.
“Don’t let her fool you, Jade.” Chase flashed a wide smile. “She’s soft as shit. One time, she got a ladybug in her ponytail.” He flicked my hair. “Freaked out. Screaming.” I couldn’t help but laugh at the memory. I knew what Chase was trying to do, though: distract me.
I downed my beer, hoping that if I got blind drunk, I would feel numb to all this. When I lowered my empty cup, I noticed Jade staring at Wolf—and the girl in his lap.