CHAPTER NINE
SHAY
I don’t know how long I’ve been driving, but even the hum of my Jeep’s engine can’t drown out my dad’s words. He’s basically asking me to keep Blair in check, like she’s just another thing he can shove onto my plate while he plays house with her mom.
I don’t even know where I’m going, but I know I needed to get out.
I’m a pro at keeping my anger in check, but my dad has a way of testing me.
Hell, we test each other. Mom was the ref between us, keeping the peace and making sure there was always a resolution to any problem.
But he just replaced her like she meant nothing.
The town streets blur past as I drive, the wind whipping through the open windows and carrying away some of the knotting tension in my shoulders. I really don’t want to think about my dad or Blair. I just want to clear my head.
My phone buzzes on the passenger seat, and I glance down, seeing Austin’s name flash across the screen. I grab it, hitting the speaker button. “Yeah?” I bark, my tone sharper than I intended.
“Hey, man.” He sounds so easygoing. “You sound pissed. What’s up?”
I shake my head and tighten my grip on the wheel. “Just some bullshit with my dad. Needed to get away for a bit, so I’m crawling the streets.”
“Perfect timing, then,” he replies. “There’s a beach party going down on the south side. Figured I’d see if you wanna swing by. You can blow off some steam, have a few beers, and relax a bit.”
I hesitate for a second. A beach party isn’t exactly what I had in mind, but maybe it’s what I need—a distraction, something to take my mind off everything.
“Yeah, why not,” I say, turning my Jeep toward the beach. “I’ll be there in a few.”
It takes me less than ten minutes before I’m pulling up to the beach. I park my car on the concrete slab, then lock it as I get out. As soon as my feet hit the sand, I can hear the music already thumping and see the glow of a small bonfire in the distance.
I trek forward, scanning the crowd for Austin as I go. I spot him lounging in a lawn chair across from the fire, talking to a small group of people.
Waving me over with a grin on his face, he raises the drink in his hand. “There he is!” he shouts over the music, sanding from his seat. “Glad you made it, man!”
“Yeah, well, figured it was better than driving around all night,” I reply, grabbing a beer from a cooler nearby. “What’s up with this party?”
He shrugs. “Just a bunch of us hanging out and celebrating.”
“Celebrating what?”
“Fuck if I know. Just felt right to say,” he laughs, clearly already a few drinks in. “I mean, I guess we don’t really need a reason to let loose, do we?”
I crack the top of my beer and take a big swig. “Not at all.”
Austin falls back into his chair and points with his drink across the fire. “Speaking of letting loose, may wanna check on your new stepsister.”
I frown and follow his gaze. That’s when I see her—Blair.
She’s on top of one of the picnic tables, dancing like she doesn’t have a care in the world.
Her movements are uncoordinated and sloppy, a clear sign she’s had way too much to drink.
She’s shouting something over the music, her voice slurred, as everyone around her is cheering her on and snapping pictures and videos with their phones.
“Shit,” I mumble under my breath, then turn my attention back to Austin. “How’d you hear about that? About her?” I jut my thumb over my shoulder.
“The dinner at Clear View was posted all over Insta within minutes.”
I nod and look down before taking another drink. “Great.”
“I mean, can’t be that bad, right? Considering the locker room the other night.” Austin wiggles his eyebrows.
“That’s just what makes it worse. Pretty sure she threw herself at me after the fight because she knew about our parents. And look at her now. You know how my dad is when it comes to our public image.”
He shrugs again. “I dunno, man. I wouldn’t give two fucks what my dad said if a piece of ass like that was so easily accessible.”
“Shut up, dude. You’re drunk and not even hearing yourself talk. You know how much money he gives me to be good. ” I make air quotations with my fingers . “On top of that, she’s a fucking bitch.”
He levels his bloodshot eyes with mine. “Is she really, or is it just you being classic Shay playing the douche to slide into those panties?”
I roll my eyes and laugh. It’s hard to even take him seriously right now. “You act like you know me or something.”
“’Cause I do, you prick. You may be trying to forget about the locker room, but it’s exactly what I’ve been using to beat my meat for the past few days.” He strokes the air above his crotch.
“You’re sick.”
“And you’re not fooling anyone but yourself.” He throws his empty can into the fire, then raises his hands, palms up, beside him.
“Whatever. I’m going to try and get a handle on her before this is the next headline my dad wants to bitch about.”
“Yeah, yeah. So much for relaxing, right?”
I salute him, then turn on my heel. Yeah, so much for relaxing is right.
Pushing through the crowd, I down the rest of my beer and make my way toward where Blair is still dancing on the table.
As I get closer, I can hear her better. She’s singing along to the music, her words bleeding into the beat, and she’s laughing like it’s the best night of her life.
The closer I get, the more anger starts to settle into my gut, peaking my frustration all over again.
“Blair!” I shout, trying to get her attention over the noise. She doesn’t hear me, or maybe she’s just ignoring me, so I push closer, finally reaching the edge of the table. “Blair, get down from there!”
She looks down at me, a drunken grin spreading across her face. “Shay!” she shouts back, her voice filled with reckless joy. “Go fuck yourself!”
“You need to get down.” My tone is harder. “You’re making a fool of yourself.”
Her grin falters, and for a second, I see a flash of hurt in her eyes. But then she’s laughing again, throwing her head back. “Why do you care? You hate me, remember?” she slurs.
My patience was already thin, but it’s getting even thinner. “Blair, now. You’re drunk. Let’s go.”
She crosses her arms, pouting like a stubborn child. “No. I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“Fine.” I shrug, then reach up.
Before she can react, I grab her by the waist and lift her off the table.
Her skin is warm under my hands, and it has me pausing for half a second.
I try to ignore the heat and the want suddenly swirling deep in me and throw her over my shoulder.
Fucking Austin. This is his fault. He always has a way of getting in my head and making me think about shit I shouldn’t.
Like how good her body feels on mine right now…
She squeals and kicks her legs, then pounds her small fists into my back. “Put me down, you fucking caveman!”
“Not until we’re off this beach.”
I start walking, her weight shifting with each step, but I don’t slow down.
Her hands aren’t even fists anymore, but the hitting doesn’t stop.
Her open palms slap me, batting at my back and ass, and her words are a mixture of insults and protests, but I keep going, determined to get her away from here.
When we reach the edge of the beach, I set her down and keep a firm lock on her wrist to make sure she doesn’t run and to help steady her so she isn’t face-planting into the concrete.
She stumbles slightly and glares at me with anger and a little embarrassment. “What the hell is your problem?”
I roll my eyes and drag her to the passenger side of my Jeep. “You. You’re my fucking problem.”
I hit my fob, unlocking the door, then stuff her inside before heading to the driver’s side. As soon as I climb in, she starts ranting again.
“You act like I asked for this. If I’m such a problem, then leave me alone. Let me live my life as far away from you as I possibly can.”
I shove my keys into the ignition and start the car, then peel out, heading back home. “Yeah, because that’s totally possible living under the same roof.”
She kicks her sandy feet onto my dash, shoes and all. “Whatever. You can act like the reason you’re mad is because our parents are getting married and you feel your mom is being replaced or whatever, but I know the truth.”
“The truth?” I laugh sarcastically. She doesn’t know shit about me or what I feel.
She nods dramatically. “You’re just mad I wouldn’t fuck you. Sucks to suck, Shay, but not every girl wants you in their pants. Honestly, I’m glad it didn’t go further because now I realize what a dick you really are.”
“Me, mad I didn’t get in your pants? Please. I can have any girl I want. Including you.”
She clicks her tongue. “That’s where you’re wrong. I’ve held out for eighteen years already. Think I’m going to fuck that up for someone like you? I can’t even believe I kissed you.”
“Seemed to me you really enjoyed it when it was happening. You can keep lying to yourself, but you can’t lie to me.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Maybe it was a little enjoyable, but you showed your true colors, and they’re fucking uglyyyyyyy.” She draws out the last word.
“You don’t know shit about me, Blair.”
“Yeah? Well, you don’t know shit about me either.”
“I know enough to know I don’t like you.”
I make a right and finally turn into our driveway. “And I don’t like you.”
As I come to a stop, she plants her feet back on the floorboard and pushes open the door. “Glad we had this talk. Now, kindly fuck off forever and ever.”
She stumbles out of the car and barely makes it up the steps.