Chapter 19
Chapter
Nineteen
JADE
“ W ow, you weren’t kidding, you really are going,” Stella stammers in disbelief as she walks into my bedroom.
“I see it’s customary to walk in without knocking now, I guess it’s my own fault for teaching you that bad habit,” I sneer, ignoring her and putting the finishing touches on my makeup look for tonight. I’ve had to go a little thicker on the coverage adding a dark smokey gray eyeshadow to hide the dark circles and puffiness of my eyes that keep getting more visible. I have my first doctor appointment back in Pleasant Hills tomorrow with Sarah, so I’m hoping they’ll give me some advice on how to better hide my situation . I can’t get myself to say the word.
“If you knock you are asking for permission instead of just announcing your arrival. Never ask for permission Stella, it gives them the ability to walk all over you,” she says, throwing my own wise words of advice back at me.
“A wise woman must have told you that… ”
“Nope, just a badass, no fucks given, sassy bitch,” she answers, moving to stand beside my dresser. “I told her she was talking crazy, but I’m starting to think that was exactly her intention.”
“Where’s Scar, I don’t hear her sulking around the apartment?” I ask, adding a pink lip gloss on my pouty lips. I guess that’s one good thing that’s come out of all of this, my already plump lips look like I’ve injected some extra fillers. That and my boobs seem to be perkier than usual, especially in the top I’m wearing..
“When are you guys going to hash things out Jade, I swear I get so much anxiety being in the same room with the two of you,”
“We’re fine Stella, don’t worry about us.”
“Bullshit, just because you’re not at each other's throat, the way she was with Ruby, doesn’t mean you guys are cool. I mean she’s hardly ever home because she’s terrified of you deciding that you are back to being mad at her and will take off again. Seriously Jade have you guys even talked about what happened?”
I ignore her, combing a brush through my freshly showered hair. “I’m not ready to talk to her…”
“Bullshit!” she shouts, interrupting me. It’s sudden, uncalled for, yet makes me a little proud.
“Wow someone has the mouth of a sailor,” I mock, unable to hide my amused smile.
She rolls her eyes annoyed I’m not taking her seriously, “Yeah thanks to you, but I’m serious Jade. You’ve been saying that for weeks now. Just talk to her, your birthday is coming and I know you don’t want to celebrate your eighteenth birthday without her.”
“Fine I’ll talk to her, but I’m not promising anything, I’m not sure I can just sweep this mess under the rug. I mean she knew my brother was back, Stella, she knew what he did, that’s not something you keep secret no matter the consequences.” I look down at my feet, swallowing down the hurt I feel at the memory of what Scar kept from me, “Not from your sister,” I whisper softly, but as the words leave my mouth, I remember I’m keeping a hell of a secret from everyone to and realize I’m no better.
Liam insisted on picking me up for our friendly dinner tonight. I only agreed because he asked nicely and in all fairness made it perfectly clear this was a dinner between two friends. Which is why I’ve decided I’m refusing, to in any way, refer to this outing as a date. It wouldn’t be fair to Liam, to lead him on knowing the current state I’m in, but I also really enjoy being around him and could use a friend who doesn’t know the Stephen King horror novel my life has been plucked out of. Not to mention the fact that I’m pissing Sebastian off in doing so, is a bonus.
Is it selfish? Probably. Do I fucking care? Not in the slightest. It’s what he gets for thinking he has any say in what I do or who I do it with, especially with the shit he pulled last night. Fucking bitch with her wack-ass nudes and fugly pussy, trying to entice him with something so blatantly desperate is not the way to go with Sebastian. He craves the forbidden, the unknown, and Kinsley laid herself out on a silver platter and was denied the pleasure of being his meal.
Instead he wanted to devour me. Though I didn’t give him the pleasure either.
I’m still pissed, even though he turned her down and told me about it like he owed me something. I must admit the notion brought a teeny tiny, barely noticeable smile to my face. Sebastian and I are nothing but two people who can’t seem to keep it together, fucking like rabbits every time we’re in the same vicinity. It’s not healthy to want someone this badly, someone I know is so fucking bad for me. Which is why I find myself waiting for Liam Walker, the Knight in Shining Armor of Servite Academy, Football Captain, and one of the most genuine people there is around here, the male equivalent of Stella.
Since it’s Friday, and Liam usually goes back to his parents’ house after practice to spend the weekend there, he’s asked me to meet him outside the academy’s gates. I find myself beside a large tree, those with the tiny purple flowers which stain the concrete when they fall, beautiful but cause a fucking mess, waiting for him to show. The guard in the booth beside the entrance watches me with careful eyes like I’m up to something, as if I didn't just walk out of the inside of those daunting gates. I decide against flipping him off, technically I’m on school property and I wouldn’t want to get some shitty detention because of it, so instead I pull out my phone and notice I have two unread messages. Weird, I guess I somehow had my phone on silent. I change the setting to vibrate as I type my password onto the lock screen and open up my message app. And I am not in the slightest surprised.
I open up the oldest message first seeing it’s from Liam.
Liam: I’m on my way. I’ll be there at 7:00. Can’t wait to see you.
I look down at the clock on the screen reading 6:59 and cringe at the hopefulness in his text, making a mental note to make things clear to him tonight. We are friends, that’s all we’ll ever be able to be. I am almost about to call things off and head back inside claiming to have caught some stomach bug when I open the other unread message.
I inhale a deep breath when I see his name, well nickname, appear on my screen.
Cupcake: Don’t you fucking dare go on that date.
My body tenses as I reread his message over and over. The fucking nerve of the cocky as fuck, bossy fucking bastard that is Sebastian Silver. I’m startled by the sound of a car engine approaching as I look up and find Liam’s silver Audi convertible pulling up to where I'm standing. He looks fly as fuck behind the wheel, his blond hair swaying in the breeze and his aviator sunglasses covering those adorable baby blues. He’s wearing his letterman, obviously, and his smile widens to the tenth degree when he sees me. Punctual fucking bastard.
“Hey gorgeous,” he says, and I inwardly roll my eyes. I swear he needs to come up with a better tagline.
“Hey there handsome,” I reply, shuddering at the involuntary flirtatious tone in my voice. Fuck Jade tone it down a notch, don’t let these newfound hormonal imbalances throw you off. I walk over to the convertible, as Liam quickly exits the car, leaving it running, and walking over to open the passenger door. Of course he’s chivalrous, something Sebastian would never do, were we ever to go on an actual date. He’d probably just push the door open from his place behind the wheel not even bothering to wait till I was fully inside before driving off.
“They say chivalry is dead around here, glad to see not all of you rich boys are as pretentious and ill-mannered as you seem,” I mutter mockingly.
“Not all of us have bubbly personalities like Silver and his boys,” he jokes, and I can’t help but laugh at his sarcasm.
However, the moment of calm is cut short when my phone buzzes in my hand. I look down cursing the facial recognition shortcut for unlocking it before I was ready and flinch when I see his name appear once again.
Cupcake: Don’t say I didn’t warn you baby.
My stomach drops, the anxiety I wasn’t feeling up until now overwhelming me with a coat of fear at his unspoken threat.
“Everything okay?” Liam asks, noting my unease.
I shake it off, Sebastian has no right to tell me what to do. It’s not like he knows I’m, in this predicament . “Everything’s great, I just realized I’m starving.”
“Well then, let’s get this gorgeous body of yours fed.” I glare up at him for his comment, but he simply smiles, winking harmlessly at me before retreating to the driver side of the car. I roll my eyes at his forwardness as I climb into the passenger seat. Well this is going to be interesting.
Luckily, the drive to Scottie’s diner isn’t long and given Liam drives a convertible, the conversation we had was hardly a conversation at all. More like him shouting over the sound of the wind blowing through our hair, and maybe the ingestion of a few small bugs.
We pull up to the parking lot of the town's favorite diner, one I personally love coming to. They have the best burgers and milkshakes and their onion rings are literally to die for. My stomach grumbles at the mere thought of the delicious, heart attack inducing, grease filled food. I haven’t eaten since breakfast, and today’s lunch came right back out before I even had the chance to fully ingest it.
Once inside we’re seated by Sally, one of the owners and Scottie’s wife, an older woman in her sixties who looks like your typical TV grandma. She leads us to a booth at the far left of the diner. Which is starting to quickly fill up with their usual Friday night crowd. My fellow classmates. Not many would be caught around this side of town, given girls like Carrington and Kinsley would rather hang out at the five-star establishments closer to the town square or any of the twenty or so sushi restaurants scattered across town. Guys like Ace, Bass, and the other two Horsemen prefer to hide out in their gilded palaces unless they’re hosting a party of some sorts which surprisingly isn’t happening tonight. At least we won’t be running into any of them tonight.
“Shall I give you two a minute to look over the menu?” Sally asks, as she sets down the two menus before us.
“Yes I think…”
“I know what I want,” I blurt out, interrupting Liam. “Sorry I’m starving and if I don’t eat soon, well let’s just say I get hangry and it’s not a pretty sight.”
He lets out a wholesome laugh as he motions for me to go on and order what I’d like.
“Can I get a double cheeseburger with no tomato or onions, with extra pickles, a large order of onion rings with extra ranch, and a peanut butter, chocolate, and banana shake.” Both Sally and Liam stare at me in awe, as if I’ve grown an extra stomach somewhere to fit all of the food I’ve just ordered. Nope just another body inside me begging to be fed.
“I’ll take the same, but instead of extra pickles, I’ll have no pickles and add a small order of chili fries.” I raise a brow at him, questioningly. That was nothing like my order. “Oh and I’ll have a vanilla milkshake instead.”
Of course he’s fucking vanilla. Plain, sweet, and predictable. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I’m more of a peanut butter, chocolate, and banana kind of girl, with chunks of fudge brownie. Complicated, overwhelming, and bad for your health, and that just so happens to be Sebastian's flavor.
“You have an appetite, where are you going to fit all of that?” he asks, genuinely curious as Sally stalks back over to the kitchen.
“It’s called cardio Liam. I’ve taken up running. Helps clear my mind and keeps me in shape,” and away from my favorite vice buried in the bottom of a bottle of liquor or said other vice that comes wrapped up in a delectable package of cocky, bossy, and dominant. But I keep those last two to myself.
His eyes roam over me taking in my outfit, as his teeth come out to bite down on his bottom lip. “Well it sure as hell works because I have to tell you Jade, you look good.”
“I thought you said this wasn’t a date?” I sneer, raising a brow as a sly smirk appears over his face.
“Did I, I don’t recall such a thing,” he chimes in with an ear to ear, warm, pearly white grin.
“I’m serious Walker, I’m not interested in dating anyone right now, I only agreed to come tonight because you said we are friends.” His mood visibly changes at the seriousness of my tone.
We both quiet down as Sally interrupts us, carrying our orders and setting the incredible smelling food down on the table before us.
“Alright here you go, you two enjoy yourselves and let me know if I can get you anything else, perhaps a slice of pie to share,” Sally croons, winking at us before walking away.
For once, I’m surprised I don’t gag at the food before me. What do you know, the Little Monster likes his food fried and dripping in oil. So instead I open up my burger adding a load of ketchup and mustard and closing it back up before taking a glorious bite. It tastes fucking amazing and so far I don’t feel the urge to regurgitate it into the bottom of a toilet bowl.
“So you like ketchup, but not tomato?” Liam asks, making me aware of the fact that I’m not alone here. I dip a delicious looking, crispy fried onion ring into the small bowl of ranch Sally placed in front of me, crunching down on it before answering him.
“It’s perfectly normal, ketchup is hardly tomato based and besides, it’s the gooey wet seeds I don’t like.” He stares at me like I’ve grown an extra head before picking up his own burger and taking a bite.
“We are friends Jade,” he says after a moment, bringing us back to our prior conversation, “but I don’t know I guess I thought, I mean we went to your sister’s birthday party together, we kind of made out in my car, multiple times that night.” I cringe at the mention of us making out. Fuck. I was fucking wasted, like to the point of near alcohol poising which always seems to be my default setting when I get a taste of the hooch.
“That shouldn’t have happened, I’m sorry Liam but I’m not interested in anything other than being friends, I hope you can understand that. You’re a great guy but, I just, you’re not…”
“Sebastian Silver,” he blurts out, and I shake my head at his response .
“No it’s not that, I told you there’s nothing going on between Sebastian and I, I’m just…”
“It’s one thing to accept a date you don’t even want to be on, but awfully cruel to lie to the poor bastard baby,” his husky, masculine and authoritative voice comes from behind me sending shivers down my spine and causing my skin to break out in goosebumps. I know it’s him without having to turn around just heating the sensual undertone of his voice. Fucking bastard.
I lazily turn to look behind me to where Liam’s gaze is currently glaring daggers, and find the cocky asshole, a smug grin plastered on his perfect fucking face. God he is seriously fucking beautiful. His face is freshly shaven, his hair messy and out of place, and those silver eyes filled with desire as they connect with mine. I can feel the tension between us burning its way to my core and I clench my knees together to try and calm the horny bitch inside.
Though just as easily as I became all hot and bothered, a metaphorical ice-cold bucket of water splashes over me when I hear her voice. The high pitched, ear splitting twinge that sounds like a cat getting run over or wet. “Bass are you coming over or what? I saved you a seat next to me,” Kinsley whines, standing a few booths away with Carrington, Wynter, Drea, and the Horsemen minus Ace.
“Be right there Kins, just saying hi to a couple friends of mine,” he utters, as I blankly stare at him, fury raging within me but I manage to keep an impassive glare. What the actual fuck? Hours ago he was texting me about how fucking desperate the bitch was and how her turned her ass down and now, he’s here with her. Bastard.
Then again, I took this date with Liam knowing well enough it would piss him off. Ughh why are we like this?
I can’t show him he’s won this round. “Don’t let us keep you Sebastian, I’m sure you have better things to do,” I snap back at him, emphasizing the word things while referring to the whiny little thing calling on him.
He turns and walks off, defeated by the fact that him being here with her didn’t faze me, but I’m simply better at hiding it than he is. I turn back to Liam who simply shrugs before looking back down at his full plate of food when I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. Knowing full well who it’s going to be I reach down and unlock it opening the new unread message.
Cupcake: I warned you Little Wolf, I’m not against teaching that fucker another lesson in keeping away from what’s mine. I don’t share.
Ignoring the way his message both excites me and terrifies me, I set my phone down on my lap and turn my attention back to Liam, who watches me with curious eyes. To anyone passing by our interaction would have looked like some kind of love hate, witty banter, but to those who know our history , it looked more like a lovers quarrel.
“I’m not saying that me wanting to be friends has anything to do with Sebastian,” I mutter, looking up into Liam’s kind blue eyes, cursing myself and wishing deep down I could want a guy like him instead of the temperamental maniac. “Things with Bass are…”
“Complicated,” he answers for me and I simply shrug my shoulders.
“That’s putting it nicely, but enough about him, tell me more about the star quarterback that is Liam Walker.”
“Well,” he beams, bringing the milkshake to his mouth taking a long sip. “I am the oldest of three, I have two younger sisters, twelve and eight, they are terribly spoiled by their older brother.” His smile widens as he speaks of them and I feel a slight warmth creep inside of me as he does. Never in my life do I remember Roman ever looking at me that way like I was the apple of his eye, his little princess .
I grab my milkshake taking a sip when suddenly my phone vibrates upon my lap announcing an incoming message. I quickly open it, rolling my eyes at the name appearing once again on the screen.
Cupcake: Vanilla. A fucking vanilla milkshake. Predictable. Does your quarterback know you like your milkshakes, tied up, with chunks of chocolate, a side of choking, and topped off with a dollop of my whipped cream.
I nearly choke on my drink as I read his crass innuendo. Deciding to ignore him, I set my phone back down and look at Liam, who watches me carefully wondering what it is that made me nearly spit out my milkshake on him. His gaze moves behind me where the group Bass is sitting with is laughing and hollering loudly causing a commotion in the middle of the diner. With the look that crosses over Liam’s face I know Bass must be glaring his way. Irritated with his cocky attitude and scheming nature, I decide it’s time to give him something real to be pissed about. Time to turn on my flirtatious charm.
“Well aren’t they lucky ladies,” I utter coyly, “to be spoiled by you.” I adjust myself in the booth, sitting up straighter and twirling a lock of my blond hair in my hand as I give him one of my sultriest smiles. He smiles back at me with a knowing glance letting me know he’s down to play along.
“There’s still room for another gorgeous girl to spoil and take care of, I’m a man of many talents, one of them being the ability to make myself available at all times.” He reaches his right hand across the table silently asking me to take it in mine. But just as I do, I feel my phone once again vibrate on my lap. Ignoring it, I keep my attention on Liam.
“Well then I guess we might have to test that theory.” I hate that I’m essentially playing with fire but Liam gave me the green light to innocently play along.
“Any time gorgeous, I’m all yours, if you let me be.”
However, my phone irritatingly continues to vibrate on my lap, pissing me the fuck off and causing Liam to nervously shift in his seat. If I don't answer him, he won’t stop. Sebastian is relentless. I give Liam a weak apologetic smile, as I pull my arm back, reach down and read the messages.
Cupcake: I hope your quarterback isn’t too fond of his right hand.
Cupcake: Answer me, don’t make me go over there and drag him out of the booth.
Cupcake: Or better yet carry you out of here kicking and screaming.
Tired of his eavesdropping and snide text messages I decide to throw a bone to the savage dog, brazenly sending a reply.
Me: Not quite sure if he is but I must admit I sort of am. Those thick long fingers, the way he can tightly grip a ball. I can only imagine the damage he can do wrapped nicely around my neck. You know what they say about a man with big hands, or is it feet? I bet he has those too.
Me: You wouldn’t dare.
I smirk at myself, proud of my witty response as I set my phone back down and place my hand back in Liam’s. He slowly runs his thumb along my palm, his eyes staring deep into me, setting off a tame little blaze inside of me. Well fuck me, Liam is a little tease. I know it’s wrong but Sebastian is asking for it by bringing the bitch here to try and make me jealous.
“Want to get out of...” Liam's question is interrupted as he’s suddenly picked up and hauled out of the booth and slammed into the table right next to us.
“What the fuck!” I shout out, rushing out of my seat and moving to stand between a clearly furious Bass and Liam who is hunched over in pain. I push against Bass’s chest forcefully trying to snap him out of his fury but am helpless against the predatory beast.
“Get the fuck out of my way Little Wolf I’m not above throwing you over my shoulder and dragging your ass out of here only to then come back and finish the fucker off,” he growls, his eyes a deep, dark almost black color, his chest rising and falling as he huffs and fucking puffs.
If I’m being totally honest he looks sexy ass fuck in this domineering role, the veins of his neck visibly protruding practically strangling him as he clenches his fist at his sides and muscles of his tattoo covered arms resemble vines wrapping around them. Pissed off Sebastian is hot but enraged Sebastian, now that’s the stuff wet dreams are made of. Something is definitely wrong with me.
“Leave him alone Bass, he hasn’t done anything. If anything it’s me that’s been flirting and leading him on,” I yell, his eyes turning to glare down at me.
Bass’s nostrils widen as his breathing turns heavy, the blood vessels in his eyes are red and frankly about to burst. The crowd of diners watches us with terrified expressions, everyone except the other two Horsemen. “Yeah and I’ll deal with you in a moment darling, but right now I need to remind this fucker not to play with my toys.”
Liam straightens up, stepping toward us, not taking the hint to stand the fuck down. “Fuck off Bass, Jade is worth way more than that and you fucking know it, she needs a real man not someone who’s going to use her like a fuck toy.”
I see it coming right before it happens. Frankly, I think everyone except Liam sees it. Bass’s fist locks in with Liam’s chin sending him flying across the room, slamming into Alek and Beck who stand on the side watching the debacle with smug grins on their perfect faces. “You have no fucking clue what Jade is to me so fuck off Walker,” Bass snarls, fucking foaming like a rabid dog.
I’ve just about fucking had it with his show of dominance and superiority. Consider me no longer turned on. “You know what Sebastian you do you, if you need to beat on his ass to prove your cock is bigger than his, be my guest. I don’t have to put up with this bullshit because either way the only cock getting fucked tonight will be a shiny, turquoise battery operated one that doesn’t talk back.” I turn and stalk away, flipping them both off as I head toward the exit of the diner, every single person in the place watching me with jaws dropped and eyes wide open in disbelief. I blew one of their kings off and not the good kind of blow either.
But of course I never make it out the door of my own free will because next thing I know I’m the one being hauled off my ass, thrown over a burly, rock hard shoulder, and carried out of the diner kicking and screaming bloody murder.
“Let fucking go of me you thick headed, psycho,” I shout, my screams muffled by the back of his T-shirt as my head dangles above his ass.
A loud smack is heard followed by a sting across my butt cheek, “You want to get fucked by your pretty little cock Jade, well you’ll be doing that while I watch, punishment for making me watch that fucker put his hands on you.”
I can’t help the pang of arousal that goes straight to my pussy at his crass comment, not to mention the painful smack of my ass. God I’m a fucking animal, desperate, needy, and so fucked up.
“But I didn’t even get to finish my dinner!” I pout, reminiscing on the delicious half eaten burger I left on my plate.
“I’ll get you fed baby, real good don’t worry about that.”