Chapter Twenty-Seven
Cal
I thrum my fingers on my steering wheel, trying like hell not to let my nerves get the best of me.
Trey is here.
Alive.
In my truck and going home.
I never thought we’d get to this point, but we’re here. He’s nowhere near the man he once was, but all I can do is hope like hell he’ll get back to that point. I wish Charlotte were here for moral support, but she’d be the worst person right now considering she was the cause of all of his pain. I know he doesn’t remember the accident exactly, but he knows who hit him that night.
If he were a dick to her, I might not take it well.
And that right there causes guilt to twist at my guts.
She deserves his anger. But she’s my fucking girl now and I can’t bear the idea of anyone being a dick but me. She likes it when I’m a dick to her. It gives her a chance to show off those new claws of hers.
I try not to think about last night. I’d taken her to dinner like I told her I would. A fancy steakhouse on the river. While she chattered on about her classes and Roux and cheerleading, I couldn’t look away. The girl has put a fucking spell on me. I wanted to drag her back to my cabin to fuck her in every nasty way possible, but she told me she was on her period. Not that that would have stopped me. My fucking girl made it all worth it, though, because she gave me road head on the way back to her dad’s apartment.
“No,” Trey clips out, finally speaking.
“No?”
“Not Grandma’s.” He rubs at his temple. “I need to feel normal. If I go to her house, she’ll fucking baby me.”
I glance over at him. He’s still weak as hell, but my boy is a fighter. Eventually, he’ll get back to the man he once was. All he needs is time and possibly space from his grandma. He’ll have enough to deal with considering he’s got a schedule full of therapists who are to come see him each week.
“I have an extra room at my new cabin. You’re cool to room with me.”
He nods, so I take a left toward the campground rather than a right to head to his house. We ride the rest of the way in silence. It’s dark by the time we arrive home. Trey climbs out and walks right in, not stopping to look at anything along the way. Since the door is unlocked, it means Mom must have stopped by. As soon as I trot in after him and discover fruit in the bowl on the table, I know she’s filled my cabinets with groceries.
Once a momma’s boy, always a momma’s boy.
“So, yeah, this is it. My humble abode. You can stay as long as you want. Your room is that way and mine is over there. Mom hooked us up with food. Eat whatever you want.”
He walks over to the window overlooking the woods and stares out. The silence grows awkward and I once again fill it with rambled words.
“I canceled Campfire Chaos indefinitely. It felt lame as fuck having all those people there.” I snort out a laugh. “Last week, I invited just the Hornets and my parents. Can you believe it? Sebban loved playing in the river and eating s’mores. My dad gave me shit about…” I trail off. “You hungry?”
He turns to study me, his left eye drooping slightly. His features are expressionless—a dark void of nothing. It’s unnerving considering he was always so playful and fun.
“What did your dad give you shit about?”
“The girl I’m seeing,” I rush out quickly. “If I know Mom, she left us something to heat up for dinner.” I start for the kitchen and open the fridge. “Mystery casserole it is.”
I start mashing buttons to preheat the oven when I feel his brooding presence.
“You’re seeing a girl?”
“Certainly not a guy,” I joke.
He doesn’t laugh. Doesn’t smile. Just stares.
“Yeah, man. A girl. I like her,” I admit.
“Who?”
“Does it matter?” I grumble as I remove the foil. Looks like Mom’s famous King Ranch chicken casserole. It’s Trey’s favorite.
“It matters.”
Silence fills the air as we stare each other down. Fuck. He’s not going to like this. Hell, until recently, I didn’t like this.
“It’s not Sonya or your grandma,” I tease, though my joke sounds forced.
His face doesn’t twitch. Anger glints in his brown eyes. He knows. Why is he going to make me say it?
“T,” I start, letting out a heavy sigh. “It just happened.”
A flare of disgust ripples over his features, making me wince. As though the world likes to fuck me over with timing straight from the book of Karma, a car door slams outside.
That’s right.
I invited Charlotte and Penny over for dinner. Penny was supposed to leave Charlotte overnight. When I was bringing Trey home, I assumed he’d go to his home, not mine. Now, everything is about to fucking explode.
The oven buzzes, letting me know it’s pre-heated. I shove the casserole dish inside and close the door before scrubbing my palm over my face in frustration. The front door opens. All I can do is watch the train wreck unfold. No warning for either of them.
Charlotte walks in, looking gorgeous as hell in a black leather jacket and jeans. Her smile is wide and all for me. Penny follows in, sloppy in her hoodie and sweats, always such a contrast from her sister. As soon as Charlotte sees Trey, her smile falters.
“Oh…”
Trey stiffens, his shoulders squaring like he’s about to faceoff with a dragon. Something in his stance sends my protective urges flaring to the surface. I stride past my best friend, putting myself between them. Charlotte’s blue eyes flicker to mine for a brief instant, relief shining in them, before she turns them back to Trey.
“Trey,” she murmurs. “I have nothing to say to you except I’m so, so sorry. Words can’t explain how sorry I am. I never set out to hurt you.”
“You did hurt me,” he snaps, his fiery words lashing at my back.
As though she’s been struck by them, she flinches. My hackles rise. I feel like an asshole for being pissed at Trey, but I am. I don’t want his anger directed at her. I want to draw her into my arms and keep her safe from him.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers, her nose turning pink and her eyes watering. “I know you’ll never forgive me—”
He cuts her off with a snarl. “You don’t know shit about me.”
“I know, but—” she tries again.
“Stop talking to me, you reckless bitch,” he bites out. “Just stop fucking talking.”
Twisting around, I come face to face with T. His drooping eye twitches with anger. I feel guilt for a split second, but then his words come flying back.
“Enough,” I bite out. “That’s enough.”
His lip curls up. “I’m—”
“One ugly motherfucker,” Penny states from behind me.
I flinch at her words. She pushes past me and looks up at Trey. His anger is no longer shot at my fucking girl , but to her sister instead.
“The fuck you say, little girl?” Trey seethes.
Penny laughs. “You heard me. Now back the fuck off my sister before I punch you in your good eye.”
His brows furl. “You can’t—”
“What? Can’t be mean to the mean boy?” She pokes his chest. “Just because you’re ugly, Humpty Dumpty, doesn’t mean you get a free pass.”
He gapes at her. “Did you just call me—”
“Do you like egghead better?” she challenges. “Seriously, dude, sue your doctor. He fucked up your head.”
“Penny,” I growl. “Enough.”
She looks over her shoulder at me. “You’re not the boss of me, Hornet.”
Fucking hell.
“Go home, little girl,” Trey mutters.
“Nah, I’d rather give you shit.” She shrugs. “Does Sonya know you’re a raging asshole? From the way she talks about you, you’d think you were God’s gift to mankind.”
“She knows,” I offer.
Trey smirks. I see it. Just the slightest movement. My heart nearly leaps out of my fucking chest.
“Can I touch your dent?” Penny asks Trey. “Is it squishy?”
He loses the smirk to scowl at her. “I don’t have a dent.”
“You most certainly have a dent. Have you looked in the mirror lately? You’re ugly as fuck, man,” Penny deadpans.
He blinks at her, his mouth parted in shock. “I haven’t looked in the mirror.”
Oh fuck.
She takes his hand. “Oh boy, I cannot wait to see the look on your face. Let’s do it together. Come on.”
“Sadistic bitch,” he grumbles, but allows her to lead him away.
I walk after them, Charlotte hot on my heels. Before I can get to the bathroom door, Penny closes it, an evil grin on her face. Charlotte clutches onto my hand.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispers.
I squeeze her hand. “It’ll be okay, Charlie girl.”
The bathroom is silent. And then…
“See. Told you. Look. Wow, that’s a huge dent.”
Trey groans. “Fucking hell.”
“Total horror show,” Penny states. “I hope you got laid enough to get you by for the next sixty years because your future chances are looking slim.”
Oh my God.
“It’s not that bad,” Trey argues.
“Keep telling yourself that, dude.”
“My dick still works,” he grumbles.
“Does it? Not what the doctor said. You are so fucked.”
He laughs. Fucking laughs.
“You’re a real bitch, shorty.”
“Thanks, Frankenstein.”
“Fuck you.”
“Nah, I don’t do dent heads.”
They both laugh.
“No wonder you’re friends with Sonya. Both bratty ass bitches with attitudes bigger than Dallas,” he grumbles. “It’s not a dent.”
“Dude, it’s a big dent. Don’t even get me started on that eye.”
He starts laughing again. Music to my fucking ears. Penny may be a huge bitch, but she may have just fixed my best friend. I owe that girl big.
The door reopens and he steps out, his eyes darting over to Charlotte. “It’s not a dent,” he says.
“More like an impression,” Charlotte agrees. “A blemish.”
“I agree with Penny on this one,” I cut in. “It’s a fucking dent.”
We all laugh. It’s real and honest and freeing.
“You good, T?” I ask finally.
He ruffles Charlotte’s hair as he walks by. “Yeah, man, I’m good.”
Turns out, having Penny over for dinner saved the damn day. Trey still broods and sometimes winces as though he’s in pain, but he doesn’t scowl like he hates the world. Every time he does, Penny gives him shit. I can tell he’s getting tired, though, so when Penny tells everyone goodbye, I let out a sigh of relief.
“I guess we’re gonna hit the sack. You need anything?” I ask him as I tug Charlotte’s hand, pulling her up off the couch.
“Nah, I’m headed to bed myself.” He bumps my fist and then disappears into the guest bedroom.
Once Charlotte and I make it into my bedroom, I close the door and then start stripping.
“Still on the rag, parasite?”
She rolls her eyes as she pulls off her shirt. “Yeah. You afraid of a little blood, Hornet?”
“Dirty bitch.”
Her smirk is my undoing. “Guess I’ll have to clean up in the shower. All alone.”
“I’m fucking you in the shower, woman. Be ready for me. Five minutes.”
She laughs as she closes the bathroom door. I toss my phone on the end table as I soak in how natural things feel with Charlotte. I’ve dated chicks but haven’t seriously dated anyone ever. Sure, there were a few girls who stuck around more than others, like Sidney, but none I claimed as mine or introduced to my parents.
With Charlotte, I don’t want to let her go.
Ever.
By the time I join her in the shower, she’s washed her hair and is waiting with a smile. I attack her with a desperate kiss. Her resounding moans spur me on. Gripping her ass, I lift her tiny body and am in her in the next instant.
Rather than fucking her like the madman I am, I take a moment to stare at her as water rivulets run down her face. So damn pretty. I kiss her lips softly. Then her nose. Her cheeks. Forehead. Throat. Sometimes I want to decimate her, and other times like now, I want to cradle her and cherish her. Strangest shit I’ve ever experienced.
“What is this thing between us?” I ask, my lips hovering over hers.
“Chaos,” she murmurs. I freeze at her safe word. “Unsafe and crazy and out of control. And I don’t ever want it to end.”