by Tijan
Mason and I were eyeing each other. At Ethan’s question, we both had the same thought. Just like that, we were on the same team, and I gave him a nod. I fucking loved my brother. I went for Ethan’s head, Mason went for his feet. We threw him to the ground. Grabbing the last two balloons, both filled with milk, I passed one to Mason and hit Ethan with mine.
Mason lifted his arm, ready to hit him, and flashed a grin.
Fuck. I caught it too late.
He smashed the last one against my head. I was dripping in cold milk now. I groaned and shook my head. “I should’ve seen that coming.”
Mason laughed. “You’re opening a prank war?”
“No, no, no.” I’d forgotten how good he was at those. “You got me back. Even?”
Sam was waiting at the top of the hill. Her hands were on her hips. She had dried off, but she continued to frown at us. I lifted a hand. “You coming over or not?”
“Not. I’m in the middle of my run.” She glanced over. “Mason?”
He laughed and waved for her to go. “I’ll finish my run later. Is that okay?”
“Yeah. Yeah.”
I frowned when she turned and ran off. “This was meant to be a joke.”
Mason went over and grabbed my bag. “Don’t worry about her. Quinn came over to the house last night with some of those Elite snobs. She won’t admit it, but I think a few of the girls got under her skin. You know how they are.”
I grunted. I did.
Ethan was shaking his head, wiping all the water off of him. “I heard Quinn’s having a party tonight.”
“Which ones?”
Ethan frowned. “Didn’t know there was more than one Quinn.”
“No.” I looked at Mason. “Which girls?”
Mason held my gaze and narrowed his eyes. He knew what I was thinking. “The one banging Mark, your ex, and that other one that’s their bitch. You figuring we should make an appearance?”
“I’m figuring how could we not? Since they’re such great friends to Sam. Maybe we should extend the same courtesy to them?”
“Quinn hates you,” Ethan told me.
I shot him a dark look. “I’m aware and that makes this even better.” A plan was already forming in my head. I flashed them a grin. “I’ll make sure Kris dresses extra sexy tonight.”
Mason chuckled. “Sam won’t go.”
“Sam doesn’t have to know about it.”
We shared a dark look. We hadn’t raised hell in a long time.
Ethan shook his head. “I have no idea what you’re planning, but I’m in.”
“What are you thinking?”
All three of us turned for the Jeep as I said to my brother, “I don’t know, but I will by the time we get there.”
“Sounds good to me.”
And like that, we already had our evening plans. I was looking forward to it.
*
Kris had been gone when I got home, but I hadn’t expected her to stick around. Helen had been in rare form. She came out of her office when I came in, saw the state I’d been in, and went back into the office. I had headed over to Sam’s an hour afterwards and only returned home to shower and change. The light under the office door was still on, but I shrugged. Our mom was a workaholic. To each her own.
“Yo.”
I glanced up, saw Mason in the doorway, and shoved my shirt over my head. “Hey,” I murmured back as I fastened my pants, then grabbed my wallet and phone. I checked it. No text from Kris.
“We picking your girl up?”
“Um.” Shit. Was she mad at me? I sighed. “Maybe we should stop over, just in case.” Mason lifted an eyebrow. I knew that look and warned him, “Don’t start.”
He held a hand up. “No problem.” Then he backed out and let me lead the way to the frontdoor. I had taken three steps before he said, “You know what your problem is with your relationship?”
I groaned. I should’ve known. “Not now, Mason.”
“Communication.” He was so damn smug. “You need to communicate everything.”
Stopping outside the office, I gave him a dark look before opening the door. To him, I said, “Like you and Sam wrote the PREPARE ENRICH manual.” To our mom, I said, “Going out. Love you.”
“Hi, Mom.”
She wheeled her chair so she could see us better around the computer. “Where are you guys going?”
Mason and I said at the same time, “Party.”
Mason flashed a grin. “Don’t wait up, Helen Dearest.”
She rolled her eyes. “I hate that name. Your girlfriend didn’t do herself any favors when she coined that nickname.”
Mason and I shared a smile. I said, “She didn’t. That came from Malinda. Sam just picked it up.”
Her eyes narrowed and she pursed her lips. “That’s good to know. Thank you.”
I frowned. Our mom always tried to be intimidating, but she couldn’t scare a ghost. Helen was harmless. She might’ve been a stuck-up bitch to everyone else, but she didn’t go after anyone like we did. Although, that never stopped her from insinuating it.
We were leaving when she called after us, “Logan, dear?”
“Yeah?”
“If you insist on having your girlfriend sleep over, she will not be allowed to be here unsupervised. You don’t know what she might do or what she might steal from my home. Please remain in the home if she is present from now on?”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t give me that snooty look, Mom. I can still make your life hell. I’ve got one year left. Remember?” I wagged my eyebrows at her.
She stiffened. “Are you threatening your own mother?”
“Pranks, Helen Dearest.” Mason started laughing from behind me. I ignored him. “Pranks, all glorious, scary as shit pranks, Helen Dearest.” I started to leave, but turned back once again. “You still have nightmares about spiders, mom?”
She paled. “You wouldn’t dare…”
I started laughing and we left. I would dare. I sooo would and Helen Dearest now knew it.
As we got into the Escalade, Mason said, “Twenty bucks says she’s going to put a padlock on her door tonight.”
I rolled my eyes, then gunned the engine and headed down the street. “Whatever. I’m so tired of her bullshit. Kris can’t be around unsupervised my ass. My own girlfriend can’t be at the house alone. Who does she think she is?”
“She said the same to me about Sam.”
“She did?”
He nodded, his facial features stiffening. “It didn’t go over well.”
“What’d you do?”
He gave me a half-grin. “I moved out. Why do you think I’m at Sam’s and keep most of my stuff at Dad’s still?”
“You do?”
He nodded.
“I didn’t know that.”
“Mom’s a bitch. That’s just who she is. And she does think she’s better than Kris. She thinks she’s better than Sam. She thinks she’s better than everyone.” He shrugged. “That’s just how she is, take it or leave it. She won’t change.”
I knew what he was saying. I’d always known, but she hadn’t really been around when I was dating Tate. She had moved out a year before the divorce was final and our dad never cared. I sighed, turned the car into Kris’ neighborhood. Her uncle and aunt lived in a small condo. It wasn’t the high-end neighborhood we came from, but I never cared. I knew she did, which is why I had Mason stay in the car. If I’d have to deal with her uncle, I would do it alone. The guy was an ass. Mason wouldn’t react well when the guy would be an ass to me. Most parents didn’t scare me. Hell, no parent scared me, but this one did. Every time I was around him, I got the chills. There was something wrong with him and my gut kept me in check. For some reason, I was scared he’d hurt Kris if he was mad at me. It wasn’t right, but Kris wouldn’t tell me about it so I’d been holding my tongue and waiting her out until she did.
When I knocked, though, it wasn’t her creepy uncle who opened the door. Instead, I found myself staring back
at a pair of hostile green eyes.
Fuck.
I stepped back. Starting at her feet, I trailed my gaze up her body. She wore some kick-ass boots and skin-tight jeans that were faded and ripped at the knees. Her legs were the longest I’d ever seen. Holy sheeite. Her waist was trim and her rack was hidden for a moment as she crossed her arms over them, trying to cover them. Nope. Those tense arms only helped to push her rack up and I wet my lips. What a nice rack it was. I wanted them to be my home.
“You done?” Those luscious lips curved in a sneer. “Creep.”
My gaze snapped back to her eyes. Then I felt a punch to my gut. She was beautiful. Well, she was hostile. She seemed no-nonsense and fully able to pull a knife on a guy, but damn, she was gorgeous.
“Hi,” I winced. I sounded like a fucking teenager again. My voice came out hoarse. I cleared it and smirked to cover it up. “I’m Logan. Who are you?”
She’d been hostile, but it lessened. Still. She eyed me like a cautious animal, ready to pounce if she needed to. “I’m Charlie.”
“Of course you are.” I didn’t care who she was. Her name didn’t matter. “And what are you doing here? Are you friends with Kris or something?” I frowned. She didn’t look the type that went to Academy and Kris hadn’t mentioned any other friends, or relatives either, now that I thought about.
“What am I doing here?” She lifted her chin. It was so tiny and perfect. There was a small dimple there, just asking for me to touch it. I could hear it. It was such a cute little voice. Grinning at my own inside joke, I almost missed what she said after that. I raised an eyebrow. “Come again?”
“I said,” her tone cooled even more, “that I’m Kris’ sister and I’m here to take her home.”
Everything went flat after that. Kris. My girlfriend. This girl was her sister.
Well, fuck me.
FALLEN FOURTH DOWN DELETED SCENE
“Mase. Wait up.”
Matteo waved at me from further back. There were a bunch of college students between him and me, but I had to laugh. The offensive lineman stood a full foot taller than everyone else. He weighed three times more than the normal guy as well. As he hurried to catch up, a girl’s eyes widened as he passed her. I couldn’t blame her. His leg was as big as her.
“Hey, man.” I grinned as he drew closer. “Where you heading?”
“Class, man.” He clapped me on the shoulder. “But the library first. Coach said study so we study, right. You?”
“Same.”
“Yeah. Your buddy is there, right? That one that called this morning.” He shook his head. “You should study with us, forget him. He’s friends with Park Sebasstian.”
“Park Sebasstian?”
“Park Sebastian. It’s the name some of the other guys call him. He’s always trying to get in with the football players. If he’s friends with the big dogs, that’s you and me,” he pointed his thumb between us, winking at me, “then he looks good. He looks real good. He was friends with Jamie Satture last year. They were real good buddies until Jamie got hurt and lost his scholarship. He thought Sebastian would help him out since his fraternity has a lot of money, but no way, man. That prick dropped him like a one-night stand. Ignored him for the rest of the year. He’s bad news, dude. I’d stay away from that one.”
He wasn’t telling me anything I didn’t know, but I still hadn’t figured out how to handle my best friend being in that fraternity.
Turning, we started across the campus. The quad was filled with students, and as we walked through the crowd, half of them stopped to watch us while the other half sprinted for their own classes. I was used to the attention. Well, I thought I was. People knew us in Fallen Crest. Store managers gave us free shit all the time. Free food. Free beer. Free girls’ panties. I thought I had a handle on it, but coming to Cain University and being on the football team was a whole different level. My friends were my teammates, except for Nate, and when we were together around others, I never experienced anything like this. Fallen Crest couldn’t compare. Even now, walking with Matteo, I felt like a giant walking among ants as they scurried out of the way. The ones that didn’t were going to head our way. I’d been invited to two parties before Matteo caught up with me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw another girl headed our way. She held a flyer with a determined look on her face.
Matteo saw her too. “Shit, man. I gotta talk to this one. Look at her. Those are puppies under a blanket. Just watch them play with each other.”
I grinned, but wanted no part of that. “I have a girlfriend, so I’ll see you inside.” Then I ducked inside the library. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Matteo eat her up. Her boobs were pressed up from her shirt, and as I watched, she tugged her shorts higher at the same time. As she handed the flyer to him, he caught my gaze and winked. I laughed. His hand came to rest on the small of her back. She paused, then moved closer to him. Some of her friends joined them, but I saw the digits written on the back of the flyer. She slipped him her number right away.
“Mason.”
Nate waved from a back table. When I got closer, my eyes narrowed. He wasn’t alone. Park was there, so were a few other of their fraternity brothers.
“Mason.” Park stood, flashing a grin, and gesturing to an empty chair at the table. “Hey, man. How’s it going?”
“Yeah.” I jerked my head towards the side. “Nate.” Then I headed away from the table. Nate followed. Park was watching. “What the fuck, Nate?”
“What?” His shoulders stiffened.
I rolled my eyes. “Stop dicking around.”
His shoulders dropped. “Come on, Mase. I’m sorry. I was headed out, but Park figured it out.”
“I don’t like him.”
“I know.”
“He knows I don’t like him.”
“I know that too.” Nate frowned, looking over his shoulder at the table. Park hadn’t looked away. “What do you want me to do? He’s in my fraternity. His dad is friends with my dad.”
“What do I want you to do?” I gave him a look. “Are you serious? Drop the whole fucking house.”
“I can’t.”
“You can. You just don’t want to.”
He rolled his eyes and clipped out, “You want me to drop the best fraternity on campus? My dad went there. He wants me to join. I’m supposed to give all those connections up so I can room with you? I would be the only guy not on the football team in the football house.”
I shrugged. “Those guys are better than your friends.”
“They’re better because they don’t mess with you. I’m not a footballer. I wasn’t good enough for the team, remember? I have to put up with douchebags like Park Sebastian so I’m set up for after school.” Nate sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. “Just put up with them, for me. I’m not asking you to be friends with them. I’m asking you to be civil so I don’t get fucked later in life.”
For fuck’s sake.
Nate added, “I’ve helped you a shit ton over the years.”
I shot him a look. “And I haven’t helped you? Asswipe.” I shook my head. I couldn’t believe any of this. “You’re not thinking long-term, Nate. What do you think will happen next year?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Logan and Sam are coming here next year. Logan already hates your buddy there. What do you think he’s going to do when he gets here?”
Nate grew quiet. He was listening, but he was frowning as he did that. I wasn’t sure if that was good or not. I added, “Look, that asshole hasn’t done anything to me yet, but he will. He’s already trying to muscle his way in. I don’t like him. I’m never going to like him. He’s going to do something and what then? You know I won’t take it and you know for sure that Logan already wants to come and take him down. We don’t like guys like that for a reason.”
“Mason, come on. He hasn’t done anything.”
“Mason!” Matteo waved me over from a different table. Two other teammates were with him, along with tw
o girls.
Park was watching their table now. His eyebrows were bunched forward as he was scheming. Then he looked at Nate, at me, and back to the table. Hell no. I knew what plan he was thinking up. Nate wanted me to be civil, but he was being stupid. You can’t be civil with people like this. Park was going to use the connections now. He stood as I started for the table. His mouth opened and I heard, “Why don’t we join tab—”
“No.” I cut him off, then cast Nate a look. “I’m sorry, Nate.”
He swore.
Park frowned. “What?” His eyes shifted. He knew what I was going to say, but he clapped a hand on Nate’s shoulder and said, “Help me out, Nate. We can move this table over to your best friend’s—”
“I said no.”
Park grew quiet. The rest of his table did too and looked up, now watching the confrontation. From the corner of my eye, I saw Matteo heading over. Our other two teammates came behind me and then Nate cursed, “Are you serious, Mason? I just asked you to be—”
“Yeah. I know. Civil.” I narrowed my eyes, settling on Park. “I’m not a nice guy, Sebasstian. I’m not dumb either. You’re not the first asshole I’ve dealt with, and I doubt you’ll be the last. I’m just going to stop this charade right now. I don’t like you. You’ve known this, but now it’s out and it’s official. Your buddies all know.” I skimmed over them. There was no surprise there, but their gazes skirted to their leader. They were waiting to see what he would do. I wasn’t done. “So now you have a dilemma. You can’t keep trying to force me to be friends with you. If you do, you look pathetic. I’m guessing you have an ego the size of this entire library so you won’t risk looking pathetic. That makes you look weak. So, fuck it. I’m sorry, Nate, but ball’s in your court, Prick.”
“It’s Park.”
“Yeah.” I smirked at him. “I said what I said.” Then I headed to our table. Matteo had already gone back, and as I sat down, he shook his head. A big grin spread over his face, and he said, “That was awesome. You play ruthless on the field, but most guys don’t know how to handle themselves off the field. Not you, man. I’ve never seen anyone handle that asshole like you just did. I’m glad we’re buddies, you and me.”
