19. Griffin
T he last couple of weeks have been hell on earth.
He claimed her as his girlfriend, his fucking girlfriend, and now I have to what?
Just sit back and fucking watch. What kind of fucking torture is that?
I mean, you’d think I’d be used to the torture by this point, I’ve endured it from her for years now, but this is different.
The past was filled with possibility, the thought that one day she would be mine, ours even, but now she’s fucking his, and it’s changed everything.
Everest has spent almost every night in her dorm room, knowing no one will come looking for him there, and honestly I’m glad.
I can’t be around the two of them, pretending that all of this is okay when it fucking isn’t.
And it’s not because of their relationship, I don’t give a fuck how taboo it might seem to some people, I know they are meant to be together, but it isn’t just supposed to be him and her.
It’s supposed to be the four of us, we’re bonded in a way people can’t understand, won’t understand, so I don’t see why that miserable prick can’t just pull his head out of his ass and see that.
They are keeping their relationship locked down in public, not wanting the backlash of any drama, and I can’t say I blame them.
Not that either of them care what anyone on campus thinks, but given how small this town is, it could easily get back to their parents, and to Archer.
So they’re a couple, without announcing they’re a couple, and they know we won’t say anything to anyone, but still, it’s killing me slowly.
Aurora is trying her best to keep the peace, she’s keeping Ever settled and calm for once, but still her eyes seek out Harden and I.
She has spent the last two weekends at the house, in his room , has been front row at our games, and isn’t acting any differently than she once did.
She is still my best friend, Rora, and I’m still fucking pining after her.
It’s my birthday this weekend, and the guys are throwing me a huge party at the house.
Both of them keep asking me what I want, but the only thing I want is her.
I know Bishop has invited the two sorority houses and a bunch of girls from his classes, hoping to take my mind off things, but how could it?
I have wanted my best friend’s sister since the moment I fucking met her, and yeah, my feelings and reasonings might have changed as we’ve gone from kids to adults, but I still fucking want her.
No, I need her, and I’d rather set fire to myself than have to spend my birthday not being able to have her.
When my last class of the day finally finishes, I realize I haven’t paid attention to a thing the teacher said, and much to my dismay, the only person I know in here is Everest’s ex-bedmate.
I reluctantly slink over to Holly, who watches me approach with a vicious smile, no doubt expecting me to say anything but what I’m about to.
“Can I borrow your notes?” I ask, not bothering with any pleasantries, and her stare narrows a little, before a gleam enters her eyes.
“That depends,” she purrs, making a show of packing away all her stuff, as if she has all the time in the world.
“On what?” I ask, in no mood to deal with her shit, but we have a test next week and I need those fucking notes. I don’t have a super memory like fucking Everest.
“On whether I’m invited to your birthday party,” she replies sweetly, and now it’s my turn to narrow my eyes.
“You don’t even like me, why the fuck would you want an invite?” I start, before trailing off when I realize why, sighing deeply.
“A little birdy told me that your best friend has been sneaking into the freshman dorms,” she starts, eyeing me firmly for any morsel of information, and when I don’t respond she pushes on.
“He hasn’t returned my calls or texts in weeks, Griffin, where has he been?
” she asks, and I almost feel bad for how desperate she sounds for the answer.
“He’s been busy,” I shrug, not wanting to drop my best friend in the shit, and she scoffs.
“Am I invited or not?” she asks, gripping her fingers round her class notebook, and I sigh.
“Yeah, sure, fine, whatever,” I reply, and she hands over the notebook with a fake smile.
“Then I’ll see you this weekend,” she coos, brushing up against me as she leaves, and I have to fight not to shove her away from me, as I follow her from the room.
My plan is to head to the gym and work out before going home to study, but as I make it outside I spot a familiar flash of honey blond hair, scurrying into the library building across the quad.
On instinct I follow, it was always our rule, mine and the guys, we see her somewhere alone, we go watch her back and keep her safe, simple.
Except now I’m the danger stalking after her, I’m the one she needs to be worried about, because I’m not just going to roll over and accept that she’s taken.
No, now it’s time to push the boundaries and add a new player to the game.
When I push into the library it’s quiet, a low chatter coming from the span of three floors, but overall peaceful, as my eyes scan the area in search of her.
I do a slow walk around the main floor and come up empty, same again on the next floor.
It isn’t until I hit the third that I spy her, tucked away in the far corner, sitting at a table alone.
I make a beeline straight for her, admiring how organized her books look spread out on the table, as she flicks through her notebook looking for a blank page.
“Working hard, sweetheart?” I ask, throwing myself into the chair opposite her, startling her completely.
“Griffin,” she gasps, her stare scanning behind me, as if she expects someone else to be with me, and it stings more than it should. “What are you doing here?” she adds in question, and for the first time ever I register that she seems nervous to talk to me.
It’s only then I realize that this is the first time we have been alone in over a year, since Everest not only exiled her, but claimed her too.
Things may feel the same, but they’re different, whether we want them to be or not.
I know there is only one way to play this, so I toss my bag onto the table and start pulling out my own books.
“Just here to study, same as you,” I tell her, smiling innocently, laying out all my stuff, and she watches me cautiously, before finally focusing back on her notebook.
We’ve sat and studied like this together at least a hundred times, it’s not out of the ordinary, yet somehow it feels different.
Everything feels different between us these days, and it isn’t just the year we spent apart, though I’m sure it plays a part, it’s everything.
We’re no longer hiding behind our friendship, all our intentions are clear, even fucking Harden’s, who is pretending he doesn’t have a stake in all this.
We know what we all want, and we know there is only one person standing in our way.
We work in silence for about an hour, both of us stealing not so casual looks at one another.
Mine are filled with heat and the memory of her drunken lips against my own, and though hers are filled with confusion, I can still see the lust there, no matter how hard she tries to hide it.
When she catches me watching her for maybe the tenth time, she stands abruptly, almost knocking her chair over, and I smirk thinking she is throwing in the towel.
“Done for the day?” I ask as soon as she moves, and she pauses, cocking her head slightly in confusion.
“No, I just need to grab a book,” she states, and now I’m confused, because it’s getting late, and not only has Everest not called her or come to find her, but she seems to be in no rush to leave.
That thought has me pushing out of my own chair.
“I’m surprised you’re still here, I thought Ever would have you caged in your dorm, rejoicing in swiping that pesky V card of yours,” I muse, following after her into the stacks, and she cuts me a deadly glare over her shoulder.
“Well considering I’m still holding on to my pesky V card, I guess I have free reign,” she snaps back, and I almost stumble at her admission, as she comes to a stop, studying the books on the shelf in front of her.
“He hasn’t fucked you yet?” I ask in complete surprise, and she scoffs at my crass question, and I realize I just said that without an ounce of decorum, but I think I may be in a state of shock.
I’ve watched Everest Monroe pine over his sister for a fucking decade, and now he has her, but isn’t fucking her? Hell, I don’t even have her and have thought about fucking her a thousand times over, so what the fuck is going on?
Aurora only rolls her eyes. “No, Griffin, he hasn’t fucked me yet,” she replies, flicking her stare from the book to me and shrugging. “He said there is no need to rush it.”
I can tell she is as confused about that as I am, and I wish I could curse him out for it, but I actually understand the moody asshole more than I care to admit.
Of course he doesn’t want to rush it, she isn’t just some random girl he wants to hook up with, she’s everything, and he knows it.
Hell, he’s known it for ten fucking years.
“Fuck. That prick really is the best of us,” I grumble, throwing my head back, knowing that despite his healthy roster of experience, he doesn’t want to push her. Which means this thing between them is more important to him than I could have ever imagined.
“Why? If it were you, would you have fucked me by now?” she asks casually, and my eyes snap back to hers to find her watching me carefully.
That perfect mouth that kissed me has a wicked fucking side and I am dying to explore it.
“Don’t ask me shit like that, sweetheart,” I warn, as she reaches up to the top shelf to grab a book.
“Why?” she asks, standing on her tip toes to try and get it, and when we both realize she can’t reach it herself, I crowd into her back and grab it for her.
“Because you know the answer,” I dare to whisper, pulling the book down, and she turns against me, her entire body melting into mine.
“Do I?” Her eyes search mine and I see it then, the heat, the want, the same look that I’m sure is mirrored in mine, and despite my loyalties, I can’t help but press her against the bookcase completely, caging her in.
“I’d take you any way I could fucking get you,” I tell her truthfully, still feeling the imprint of her kiss against my lips, and she smiles softly.
“Everest is waiting for you to fight for me,” she replies, and her words have the wheels in my head turning completely.
“Is that so?” I grunt, gripping her by the hips and pulling her against me, letting her feel exactly what she does to me. “And tell me, sweetheart, how would your boyfriend feel if I kissed you right now?”
One of her hands fists my shirt in anticipation, as she shrugs slowly. “Why don’t you kiss me and find out.”
And for the second time since this space between us evaporated, I think only two words.
Fuck it.
I slam my lips to hers, kissing her possessively, as if she’s mine, as if she doesn’t belong to my best friend, and she kisses me back even harder. It’s like that night of the engagement party all over again, there is no one else, just me and her, and a perfect fucking kiss.
My mouth devours hers, owning her completely, and she tastes so fucking good that it pulls a groan from the back of my throat.
How many times have I thought about claiming her mouth, about taking our friendship and ruining it forever.
Last time could be blamed on the alcohol, a drunken mistake, but this is different, this is a decision we’ve made with our inhibitions fully intact, and I’ve never been happier.
She tastes like a perfect fucking summer’s day that I never want to end.
My hands trail up and down her body, exploring every part of her, until I reach down, hoist her up and she wraps her legs around me, pressing her further into the bookcase.
I groan when my hard cock aligns with her center, pulling a moan from her, and fuck it’s the best sound I’ve ever fucking heard.
I don’t even care where we are anymore, I’d rather burn this library to the fucking ground than pull away from her, but karma really is a fucking asshole.
“Shit, sorry,” someone huffs, startling us apart, and we turn to find a wide-eyed girl blushing furiously as she takes us in, before rushing from the aisle.
Aurora and I share a look before we both burst out laughing, her legs still wrapped around me, and I don’t want to let her go.
Her stare holds mine and I lean down, dropping one more kiss against her lips, knowing our moment is over, before resting my head against hers, attempting to catch my breath.
“That was so much better sober,” I breathe, and she laughs, the sound lighting me up inside, so much so that I know I need to push her away.
Dropping her legs down gently, I take a step back, and she eyes me with confusion.
“Where are you going?” she asks breathlessly, straightening her skirt back to normal, but still looking like she wants to pick up where we left off, and it takes everything in me to back away from her.
“I’m gonna go tell my best friend I kissed his girl. Again,” I tell her honestly, making her eyes widen, before I add, “Then I’m going to jerk off about it. Again .”
Then I turn on my heel, grab my stuff from the table, and leave without another word.
What’s another busted lip after a kiss like that?