6. Tru
CHAPTER 6
TRU
N ow: Later that night at the party
I opened the door to apologize to Vaughan, feeling bad about the way I treated him in my bedroom earlier. Our mutual hate was just so lethal.
After we shared something so good, this was all we had left between us?
I slowly clicked the door shut behind me for the second time and looked down at what I was wearing. I still had so much work to do for the different students I was tutoring, but at that moment, the rage won, so I stomped over to my closet, grabbing the sexiest dress I could find.
It was a short red Versace my foster parents had bought me for my seventeenth birthday two years ago, but when I’d seen the price tag, I panicked and felt too guilty. I had just stared at it with shaking hands, said thank you, then carefully hung it in my brand-new closet with the rest of the shiny new things they bought me. Everything was designer, and I still didn’t get used to it.
Going from being the trash to the trophy was weird, and I never felt like I belonged in either world.
Until him.
Shit!
He wasn’t the same Vaughan, and I sure as hell was not the same girl.
Vaughan had seen it once—not on me, but in my room—and begged me to wear it for him. Now he would be begging for something pretty soon, and maybe I’d feel a bit vindicated with all the anger between us. Perhaps I would win and be the person to put this to rest once and for all.
The dress was for me, not him. It was a statement I wasn’t backing down or sucking his dick for. I’d cheerfully march into the fiery flames when I was the last person in the world, and he refused to rescue me but watched me burn in the flames instead.
Music started pumping so loud through the house that I nearly ripped the dress before even getting a chance to put it on. I added some nude heels, black eyeliner, mascara, blush, and lip gloss. After looking in the mirror and taking myself in, I took a deep breath and jerked open the door to my room, scaring the shit out of who I assumed was a freshman by his inability to act calm when he saw my breasts on full display.
“Hey.” I smiled.
“I’m in love,” he whispered.
“Dumbass.” His friend smacked him on the chest. “She’s too hot for you, and you always fall in love. If she’s in any of these rooms, it means the captain already peed on her, and you do not want to piss off Vaughan.”
With a grin, I strode downstairs through the condo, making sure my ass swayed with every step I took.
Around thirty people milled about in the kitchen and living room, eating food and watching sports. Pizza boxes were scattered around with paper plates, and an ungodly number of cups and liquor bottles were stashed on their fancy granite bar countertop. Most everyone just seemed chill, playing video games and laughing. Nobody was trashing the place, meaning the football team knew how to host a party without destruction.
All eyes were on me as I snuck down the hall in search of Vaughan. I was a bit overdressed and trying to fight my insecurity when I rounded the corner and ran directly into my other roommate, Brady.
He jerked back, spilling beer on his arm, then looked me up and down at least four times before he shook his head.
“I’m sorry, I can’t allow this dress or you outside right now. He’ll shit a brick, and we need those bricks to keep the condo building intact.”
“He’ll?”
“You know exactly who I’m talking about. I only just met you this morning, and I already know if you go out there dressed like you’re ready to be fucked, it won’t go over well.”
I rolled my eyes. “Brady, stop being difficult and move.”
“No.” He set his beer on the hall table and braced my arms with both hands. “I don’t think you understand.” His eyes roamed down my body again. “I don’t think I understand either. No, never mind. I’m not hitting on you. You just look so different, and it’s the sort of glow-up that causes a spike in testosterone, which, if you take a hard look around, we already have way too much of. Now go change.”
“Are you for real?”
“Yes. And I’d like to keep the captain of our football team out of jail. Do you understand what I’m saying? I don’t think you want to be responsible for us losing games if Van goes to jail for killing anyone for just looking at you.”
“You’re exaggerating.”
“I wish I were. Van has anger issues, and the whole world knows it. Why are you trying to provoke him?”
“Why not?”
“Is this your plan? I thought you were his tutor, not his destruction?”
“Why can’t I be both?”
“Tru, don’t start a war you can’t win.”
“Brady, don’t involve yourself in something that doesn’t concern you.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. Anything having to do with our team captain concerns me.”
“Maybe I’m not wearing this dress for Vaughan.”
“No shit, Tru. That’s the problem. Either way, you’re fucking us if you fuck with him. Understand?”
“All you’re doing is delaying the inevitable.”
“That’s what I’m scared of.” He finished nearly out of breath.
“Fine,” I lied. “Can you just grab me a beer or something?”
He eyed me skeptically. “Go change first.”
“Get me a drink, and then I’ll change.”
His sigh was deep and full of annoyance. “Don’t make me regret this. We don’t want to start our friendship with no trust.”
Brady was honest and nice to a fault, and I wasn’t ready to listen to more of his warnings. I knew Vaughan way better than he ever could.
Also, last woman on earth?
Pretty sure there would be no shitting of bricks.
After Brady was out of sight, I made a beeline for the front door. The music was louder outside. It seemed like most of the team was there, and the only reason I would know was because they were huge and looked like football players. The girls with tight dresses mingled with the players around the lawn. One sat on Logan’s, another player’s lap, feeding him tequila and accidentally showing nip slips from her see-through black top, but everything else seemed tame in comparison.
Until I locked eyes on Vaughan.
He glanced over at the door, then me, then the door. Eyes crazed, he slammed his red Solo cup onto the grass and stomped toward me.
The moment he stopped in front of me, it took everything in my soul not to back down.
“Get the fuck inside now! I won’t tell you again.”
His lame attempt at a whisper earned the attention of almost everyone outside, including Brady, who I could hear cursing behind me. He'd probably realized that I’d lied and slipped past him.
I crossed my arms and attempted to stand toe-to-toe with him when really it was head to chest.
“You invited me, remember? And you said to dress up.” My breasts were holding on by a tiny black strand covering my nipple beneath the see-through holes of my dress. “So here I am, all dressed up.”
“I said look nice, not dress like a whore.” His jaw clenched.
I faked a laugh. “But I thought whore was your favorite flavor?”
Hands came in and separated us.
“Guys.” It was Brady. “This is supposed to be a chill hangout, where people smoke some weed before they get drug tested for practices and get extremely drunk before being forced into sobriety for the next season. If you have to take it to the house or bedroom, garage even, just take it elsewhere. You’re ruining the vibe.”
Vaughan reached for me again, this time backing me up against the wall next to the sliding glass door. I could smell the bourbon on his breath, and his green eyes didn’t even blink when he lowered his head close to my mouth.
“You will get your ass back inside right now, or I’m going to kiss you. I’m going to hate fuck you against the wall in front of all my friends, then ask them if they want a sample. Now go.” His hand moved to my ass and squeezed. “And out of the two of us, you know I’m the one who keeps my fucking promises.”
Too stunned to speak, it took me a moment to gather my thoughts. “You want to talk about promises? With me? When you know full well?—”
“Ruining the vibeee…” Brady sang next to us.
I spread my legs a bit wider and flicked Vaughan on the nose with my finger.
“You wouldn’t even know where to begin, and then everyone would see how small your dick is.”
It wasn’t.
It was huge and painful the first time.
He flipped me around against the wall, then tugged me back against the front of his jeans.
“Yeah, sure feels small now, and I don’t even like you.”
Everything about him felt hateful and possessive, but I couldn’t help it when I shuddered.
His lips touched my ear, sending more chills down my spine. One of his massive hands ran down my bare arms and felt the goose bumps when he added…
“I broke you in, remember?”