Chapter 13
TJ
T his girl has a death wish.
It’s the only thing that might explain why she’s gone radio silent on me… again .
Did I not fucking warn her that ghosting me a second time would be a bad idea?
My guess is she doesn’t take me seriously.
She made that clear when she left my last two messages on read. The first was me asking her when we could have our next lesson. The second was me telling her to come to the game tonight.
She didn’t. Her friends, Dia and Aveena, were front row, but she was nowhere to be found.
Tonight was one of the last games before the tournaments—we won by a landslide. Midterms are right around the corner, so I was thinking if I could get her here, I could trap her in a corner and make it clear that she can’t just cut me out of her life.
“Any reason you all look like you accidentally sent a dick pic to your grandma?” Xavier, our shooting guard and a friend of Theo’s and Finn’s, says as we’re entering the locker room with the rest of the team.
The irony of the situation makes my teeth grind. The last time I was in a locker room, aside from today, was when I was with Lacey.
I glance at Theo from the corner of my eye. Xavier has a point. Theo looks like he just got a bag of dog shit delivered to his doorstep. And I’m guessing I look worse.
“Fuck off, Emery,” Theo grumbles.
“Don’t mind him. He’s had a stick up his ass all week,” I tell Xavier.
Xavier pulls his locker open. “Let me guess, he found out Ashley’s in town?”
Theo doesn’t answer, trying to take off his jersey, which is slicked with sweat and clinging to his skin. We’re always soaked to the bone by the end of a game.
“Hold up, Ashley’s in town?” I ask.
“Yeah. Her tour just wrapped up. She’s here visiting my girlfriend,” Xavier explains.
I got to know Theo pretty well when we were living together last year, and from what he’s told me, Aveena’s sister, Ashley, is the only girl he’s ever loved. She’s also the girl who ripped his heart out and beat it to a fucking pulp.
I strip off my own jersey and throw my locker open. “And? Aren’t you going to go see her? Maybe ask her if she could be so kind as to give you your balls back?”
“Only if you go see Lacey.” Theo gives me a taste of my own medicine. “Shit, that’s right—she’s been ghosting your ass.”
Remind me to tell Chance to stop running his fucking mouth.
“Take it from me, the girl will go silent on you for months and not think twice about it. She once ghosted me for three months when we were in high school,” Theo says, a big fuck-you smile on his face—payback for asking him about the one girl he doesn’t want to discuss.
I forgot Theo and Lacey had a thing in high school.
Not that it matters.
Once I’m done with her, she won’t even remember his name.
I’ll also be sure to tell her how much of an idiot Theo was for rejecting her like this.
“I’ll tell you what. I don’t mention Ashley, you don’t mention Lacey, deal?” I make Theo an offer he can’t refuse.
This girl is already messing with my head enough as it is. I don’t need the guys bringing her up every five seconds.
Theo nods. “Deal. You fuckers coming to my party later?”
“Nah, man. I’m beat. I’m just going to go home to my girl,” Xavier says.
“Jacobs?” Theo asks.
“Ditto,” I reply before grabbing my gym bag and making a beeline for the showers.
I’ve just turned the corner when I hear Theo say, “Too bad he said no Lacey talk. I might’ve told him she’s coming to the party tonight.”
He knows I’m still within ear range. The bastard did that on purpose. I’m not mad about his meddling, though. She clearly didn’t believe me when I told her she wasn’t allowed to ignore me.
But after tonight?
She will.
She’s not here.
She’s not fucking here.
Was Theo lying? No, that doesn’t make sense.
Maybe something happened and she changed her mind about coming?
This girl is the only reason I showed up. I would’ve bailed an hour ago if it weren’t for the fact that Finn’s fiancée, Dia, isn’t here either. Lacey and Dia usually go to these things together. There’s still a slim chance they’re going to come by later.
I lean back against the living room wall, zoning out as I tip back the red cup in my hand and take a swig of gin. I spend the next five minutes eyeing the door and thinking it’s her every time someone walks in.
She’s not coming. Just go home.
“News flash, Jacobs. Staring at the door isn’t going to make her materialize out of thin air.” Theo’s voice stops my spiraling.
I don’t even look at him. “Go bother someone else.”
Theo reclines against the wall next to me. “You’re catching feelings, man. Better watch yourself.”
I take a long gulp of my drink so that I don’t have to answer.
“Look, I wasn’t going to say anything, but Lacey… She’s a good person. She’s come a long way since high school, and she’s been through a lot of shit with her dad dying out of nowhere. Just… promise me you won’t hurt her, okay?”
“I won’t.” I can barely get the words out, something… heavy… weighing on my chest.
Guilt?
Yes, guilt.
I feel guilty as fuck.
Because that’s the one thing I can’t promise.
“Speaking of,” Theo says.
My head snaps up, and sure enough, she’s here. She just walked through the door with Dia.
Shit, she looks…
And that dress…
She’s perfect.
She was wearing a summer dress much like this one when she showed up at the restaurant for her date with Aaron. This dress, however, is shorter. It hugs her body like a second skin, showing off her perky little tits and hourglass waist. Her long brown hair is half up, half down, and she’s wearing bright red lipstick that makes me want to devour her mouth until mine falls off. Everything about her screams, “Come get another taste.”
And I plan on it.
It’s as though she heard my thoughts when she whips her head in my direction and notices me across the room. She doesn’t hold eye contact for long, though, tearing her gaze away from me like I’m see-through.
The next thing I know, she’s grabbed Dia’s arm and pulled her into the next room, out of my sight.
So, that’s how it’s going to be.
Her running away from me every chance she gets.
Well…
It’s a good thing I like to chase.
Lacey
“Mind if I borrow her for a second?” A deep, masculine voice interrupts my conversation with Dia.
I spin to see Aaron standing behind me, a polite smile on his chiseled face. He and I haven’t really spoken since our last date. I kind of figured we would go our separate ways and never talk again, but based on what’s happening right now, it seems I was wrong.
“Sure,” Dia says, turning to give me a side hug. “Find me after.”
Whoever invented this “can I borrow her” thing should be locked up. Why should someone else get to decide whether or not I want to be borrowed ?
Reluctantly, I shadow Aaron across the living room. I had every intention of keeping my head down, dead set on avoiding eye contact with a certain brown-eyed basketball player, but I catch myself looking ahead for a few seconds.
That’s when I see him, burning holes through my head from a corner of the room.
TJ watches as I shadow Aaron, his gaze thick with hatred, and I feel myself shrink. I thought I was used to TJ giving me the evil eye. He spent half my date with Aaron staring at us with such intensity that his eyes could’ve pierced through steel.
My shoulders unwind when Aaron whisks me away to an isolated spot.
“So… I think we both know our last date wasn’t exactly…”
A small laugh leaves my lips. “No, it wasn’t.”
“I never want to assume anything, so I figured I’d ask you before I jump to conclusions. I’ve just been getting the feeling that maybe you’re not feeling it anymore?”
“I…” I exhale. “No, I’m not. I’m sorry. I realized I’m not in a good place to date right now. I’m so busy taking care of my siblings and?—”
“You don’t have to explain. Really. I completely understand. I’m only asking because I know we’re going to keep running into each other. I just wanted to clear the air. Make sure there’s no awkwardness, you know?”
“Of course. I’m glad you did.”
Our interaction is as brief as it is effective. We’ve just rejoined the party when I spot a drunk Heather stumbling out of the bathroom.
“What is she doing here?” I think aloud.
No one invited her, I know that much. She’s not welcome after she slept with Chance and betrayed her oldest friend in the process. I’m just glad Bethany isn’t here to witness this. She dropped out of school to go spend time in the country with her grandma.
“She invited herself,” Aaron answers. “Probably on the lookout for a new prospect.”
The audacity of this girl.
“Hey, you want to be my beer pong partner? I’m up next, and Theo bailed.”
I glance around the room, filled with relief when I don’t see TJ anywhere. Dia, on the other end, is making out with Finn on the couch. It’s not like I have anything better to do.
I shrug. “Sure, why not?”
We’re halfway to the dining room by the time TJ reappears. But the real kicker? He’s waiting for us near the beer pong table. His jaw muscles quiver when he sees us approaching.
Wait, we’re playing with him ?
“Sorry. Got held up,” Aaron tells TJ once we reach him. “Where’s Finn? I thought he was playing?”
TJ shrugs. “Off sucking face with Dia. Whatever. I’ll crush you without him.”
Heather pops up behind him. “I’ll be your partner.”
Where did she come from?
TJ is quiet for a moment, but the charming grin spreading across his face tells me he’s made up his mind.
“All right.”
“Thanks, sexy.” She returns his smile, laying it on thick as she rubs his arm. “Oh, wow, has someone been working out?”
I can’t be held responsible for redecorating this house with vomit if they keep this up.
“We playing or what?” Aaron cuts their nauseous flirting short.
TJ looks up at me, a hint of a smile dancing on his face when he sees how repulsed I am by the scene. It’s clear he’s just trying to get a rise out of me. And Heather is just trying to get a rise out of Aaron.
And as much as I hate to admit it…
It’s working.
TJ might be on my “avoid at all costs” list these days, but I’ve got to give it to him…
The guy is a beast at beer pong.
As predicted, he wiped the floor with us. And that’s with Heather missing every single shot. It’s about time the game ended, too. I don’t know how much longer I could have survived watching Heather drool all over him.
“Good game,” Aaron says, extending his hand for a high five.
I barely have time to high-five him before Dia’s turning the corner and grabbing my arm. “Enough beer pong. Let’s dance.”
She has me on the dance floor in the living room in the blink of an eye.The beer pong game we lost consisted of a lot of chugging, and the booze is starting to take effect. Hell, I’m even on the verge of having a good time.
Until I realize Heather thought it would be a good idea to follow us onto the dance floor—with TJ, might I add.
I direct all of my energy into pretending that I don’t see her rubbing against him like a cat in heat. Flashing strobe lights sync with the beat of the music, and the bass is so loud I can feel it deep in my chest cavity.
Don’t look, don’t look, don’t look .
One glance in TJ’s direction is enough for our gazes to fuse together. TJ watches me watch him, dark eyes burning into my skin as a wasted Heather presses her back to his chest and drops it low, rocking against his cock repeatedly.
She’s pulling all the stops, teasing him with each sway of her hips, but he doesn’t acknowledge her, keeping his eyes strictly on me.
A pang of jealousy flickers in my chest when his big hands come down to grip her waist, and he clutches her body to his so tightly she must feel all of him against her ass.
A subtle hint of satisfaction stretches across his face at the clear display of bitterness on mine. All I can do in return is shoot him a look that’s packed with disgust, anger, and, as much as I try to hide it, disappointment.
I’m not an insecure girl—not anymore, at least—but seeing TJ bury his nose into the crook of Heather’s neck, grazing her jaw with his lips as they dance… it’s making me feel like that girl I used to be.
The girl who used to beg for a guy’s attention.
Heather puts an end to her provocative dancing a minute later and turns to whisper something into TJ’s ear.
He responds with a nod.
She proceeds to take his hand and pull him off the dance floor. The wave of emotions raging in my chest evolves into a full-blown storm when they make a beeline for the staircase…
And go up the stairs together.