Chapter 41
DANI
He loves me.
Tyrell Jackson loves me.
And my heart hasn’t stopped singing since he whispered the words. At first, it was a shock. And he so obviously didn’t mean to say it then, but the second and third time… I felt those words all the way to my core.
When he’s inside me like that, filling me body, mind, and soul, it’s hard to think straight.
He’s really good at the sex thing, and the fact that I get to enjoy his body the way I do is a privilege.
And now he loves me as well.
Which is like… wow.
So why haven’t you said it back?
I’m not sure. Maybe because the I love you too thing can sound kind of weak sometimes, like I’m only saying it because he did. Or maybe it’s because I’ve only ever said those words to one man before, and saying them to Tyrell will shift out relationship in a really big way.
You’re moving to Dallas with him! my brain argues.
Only for the summer!
I snap my eyes shut, begging the two sides of my brain to be quiet.
He loves me. Why can’t I just focus on that… and how good it felt when he flipped me over, looked me right in the eye, and said those words like he meant them.
Because he does mean them!
I go still, staring at my reflection in the bedroom mirror as I smooth down my dress.
Tobin picked it out for me, spewing clothes all over my bed as he tried to find the perfect thing to wear for this graduation party I’m going to with Tyrell and all his friends.
It’s at some massive house off campus, and I think I want to go, but I’m not really sure.
Atlas and I used to go to parties all the time, but I was put off them after his OD nightmare.
This will be my first party like that since then, and I will be glued to Tyrell’s side. Of this, I am sure.
He loves me.
The words swirl through me again, and I smile at myself.
He’s a safe bet.
No, more than that… he’s a grand prize.
He’s sweet and sexy, and kind and good.
“He’s so good,” I whisper. And I’m lucky to have his love.
Which is why, after the party tonight, I’m going to invite him back here, and as we drift off to sleep in each other’s arms, I’m going to tell him.
Because I do love Tyrell Jackson.
I probably always have. First in a sisterly, “you’re my boyfriend’s bestie” kind of way… but it’s shifted now.
I love that man or I wouldn’t be going to Dallas, would I?
Pausing, I stare at myself and test it out. “I love you, Tyrell.”
My eyes instantly glass, the ghost of Atlas wilting beside me.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I’m sorry it ended up this way, but you left me.” I sniff. “I asked you to walk away, and you wouldn’t. You told me to fuck off.”
Slashing a tear off my cheek, I keep gazing at my reflection.
“Tyrell would never do that to me. And I’m sorry that you’re not here anymore, but he is. And he loves me.” I swallow, this feeling blooming in my chest when I whisper. “And I love him.”
And holy shit, I mean it.
I do.
I love him.
A smile crests my lips, this buzz illuminating the room around me as I finally let go and take a giant leap into my future.
“I love him.” My smile grows a little wider, excitement racing through me when I hear a knock at the door.
Tyrell only left an hour ago. He needed to go home and change for the party, and I wanted to shower up and make myself pretty.
“You’re always pretty,” he assured me before kissing my lips and trailing his fingers across my stomach.
I watched his very fine ass walk out my door before jumping into a hot shower.
Now I’m ready to go, and as I step out of my room and watch him appear behind Jed, my insides trill again.
I love you. It’s tempting to blurt it right now, but I want it to be special. So I’m saving up those three little words until the timing is right.
I’ll be cocooned in his embrace, and then they’ll slip out of me. He can drift off to sleep knowing how much I mean it. In the morning, we’ll wake up together, drink coffee, and both be buzzing as we open this next chapter of our new lives.
“Hey.” I smile up at him.
“Hey, beautiful,” he murmurs against my lips.
“Okay, before you guys go.” Tobin pulls us apart with his bright voice. “Oooo! Tinker Bell! You fine, girl.”
Nix swans out of her bedroom door, doing a little spin in her dress.
She does look fine.
Wow.
That thing must be painted on.
She dips her knees, then adjusts the barely-there straps and blushes red.
She obviously has no idea what to do with compliments, and Tobin snickers at her expression.
“What time is Ricky picking you up?” Jed asks.
“Oh, he’s meeting me there. He had some stuff he had to do.”
“We’ll take you.” I point between Tyrell and me.
“I was counting on it.” She winks at us, and I grin, leaning into Tyrell’s side when he tucks his arm around my waist.
“Okay, okay, but before you go, we have something special for you.” Tobin’s grin is pure excitement, and Jed’s deep laugher rumbles through the room as he pulls an envelope from his back pocket and hands it to his boyfriend.
“We’re really serious about the whole keeping-in-touch, still-seeing-you-guys thing, so…” Tobin draws out the word.
“So…” Nix spins her hand in the air, urging him to hurry up.
“We bought you concert tickets!” he sings, struggling to open the envelope.
Jed laughs and gently takes it off him, handing us each a ticket for Electric Reverence.
“Oh my gosh!” My eyes bulge. “I love these guys.”
“Right?” Tobin dances on his toes. “And you want to know the best part?”
“It’s in Nolan!” Nix’s head pops up in surprise.
“Yes! The concert is here.”
“Why?” Tyrell asks, peering at the small print on his ticket.
“Because two of the founding members used to go here, and they wanted to do something nostalgic, so they’re performing here at the end of the summer, just before school goes back, and we all have to go. We even paid extra to attend the after-party.”
“No way!” Nix squeals. “We’ll get to meet the band?”
“Yes!” Tobin laughs. “We’ve already booked our flights back from New York, and everyone has to swear they’re going to be there.”
“Of course we will!” Nix laughs, tipping her head back and squealing.
“This is so exciting! Thank you so much!” Skipping across the room, she jumps into Tobin’s arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and flashing us her skimpy underwear as her dress rides up.
Tyrell blinks and quickly looks away while I try not to laugh as Tobin spins her in a circle.
“Thank you.” I get in on the celebrations too, going on my tiptoes to hug Jed.
He wraps his arms around me with a deep laugh. “Of course. We had to find an excuse to see you again.”
“This is going to be so fun!” Nix jumps out of Tobin’s arms and runs over to Jed. “I can’t wait to tell Ricky. He’ll be stoked. Thanks for buying him a ticket too. And after-party passes! You guys are legends.”
“Of course we are.” Jed grins, then kisses the top of her head. “We love you guys and wanted to have something really special to look forward to. We can’t wait for this reunion. It’s going to be epic.”
“So epic!” Nix raises her tickets in the air, darting across the room to obviously put them someplace safe because she returns empty-handed, humming an Electric Reverence song under her breath.
I smile at her, feeling that buzz as Tyrell hands me his ticket and I go tuck them into my nightstand drawer.
Amazing.
And so fun.
I don’t usually like planning ahead, but the idea of reuniting for this concert is such a good one. The band is performing in the football stadium, there’s going to be a massive crowd, and… we’re going to the after-party too. We’ll get to meet the band! So freaking amazing.
These tickets must have cost a ton.
I should seriously offer to pay some money, but they’ll no doubt tell me it’s a gift and refuse my offer.
Those two. I will love them forever.
And I love Ty.
My insides trill as I walk back out to the living room and take my boyfriend’s hand. He holds it all the way down the stairs, then on the drive to the party. I love the way he plays with my fingers, then lifts them to his lips to kiss the tips and my knuckles.
We end up having to park a block away, but I don’t mind the walk. The night air is fresh, the sky clear. Nix is chattering away, her guard completely down as we walk into the house, which is already pumping.
The house is palatial, a three-story monstrosity with odd angles and a mid-century edge.
It was so obviously designed by an architect and must have been the talk of the town when it was first constructed.
Now it looks kind of old and beat-up, probably turned into unofficial student housing years ago.
I wonder how many rooms it has. At least six or seven, surely.
I gaze up at the plethora of lit windows, my lips parting as I drink it in, then walk down the path and into the equivalent of a human beehive. Between the music, chatter, and cacophony of bodies, this place is buzzing.
“You good?” Tyrell murmurs, kissing the tip of my nose before literally getting dragged away from me.
“Ty, buddy, help me out here.” Two big guys who are obviously from the football team sandwich him between them, and he’s pulled into some discussion/argument over two people I have never heard of before. I’m assuming their NFL players by the way they’re talking.
I linger behind him, checking out the crowd as I wait for him to wrap this up.
He looks over his shoulder, throwing me an apologetic wince.
I brush my hand through the air, telling him not to worry about it. “I’ll go find us some drinks.”
Moving away before he can stop me, I head into the throes, steeling myself against bad memories.
That’s not going to happen tonight. Tyrell won’t get drunk.
And besides, this party has a different vibe.
I think. There’s not the same dark edge in this place, and people seem happy-drunk, not dangerous-drunk. There’s a big difference.
Turning sideways, I inch past a group of girls as I head toward the kitchen, but I’m stopped short by a sight I wasn’t expecting.
Nix is storming down the hallway, shoving people aside. Tears are blurring her vision, and she looks about ready to fall apart.
“Nix?” I dash over to her, grabbing her arm to slow her down.
“Let me go!” She wrenches herself out of my grasp, then freezes when she sees it’s me.
“What’s the matter?” I whisper.
“It’s over,” she growls.
“What’s over?”
“He’s cheating on me!”