The Eastwood Series

by M. E. Clayton

  I slapped my palms against the building on either side of her head, caging her in. “Let’s get something straight, Charlie,” I hissed, regretting every careless choice I’ve ever made. “I don’t give two fucks about any of those girls. Not a fucking one.”

  Her eye narrowed. “Then I can’t see how anything that happened at Henry Wallace’s party is any of your business.”

  I wanted to fucking throttle her.

  I wanted to shake some fucking sense to her, but my conscience wouldn’t let me escape from the fact that this mess was all my fault.

  “No more partying, Charlie,” I decreed, knowing she was going to flip her shit, but even she had to see that her safety was the issue here. What I hadn’t expected, though, was for her entire body to collapse in defeat.

  “Save the speech, Raiden,” she exhaled in a long sigh. “Duke already beat you to it and I happen to agree with him.” My jaw clenched at how she accepted Duke so easily. “It was getting old, anyway.”

  I stood up, freeing her from my confines. “Good,” I told her. “So, now let’s talk about us.” Charlie laughed.

  She honest-to-goodness laughed.

  “Raiden there is no us,” she chuckled, and I hated how her eyes were clear and resolute. “There never was.”

  “That’s not true,” I argued.

  She cocked her head, and remained silent for a beat, but then she said, “Oh, it’s true, Raiden. And, quite frankly, I’m over your games. If you want to call a truce, so we can all still hangout, I’m down. But nothing more than that.”

  “No.” Fuck no. “I’m not going to just let you walk away without explain-”

  “That’s the thing, Raiden,” she said, interrupting me. “I don’t care about your explanations. And, seriously, you don’t owe me any.”

  The first warning bell for class rang, so I told her, “This conversation isn’t over, Charlie.” We weren’t over. “And I mean it.”

  I watched her shrug a shoulder and walk away from me like it was the easiest thing in the world for her to do.

  Chapter 5

  Charlie~

  Today was my birthday, but it was never a day I celebrated. My parents had always thrown me parties until I was old enough to understand how close it was to Thanksgiving, or how it impacted Thanksgiving when my birthday actually fell on that day.

  Once I recognized the issue, I stopped celebrating my birthday. My parents had respected my decision, and while they still got me gifts, we no longer made a big deal of it. I’d open my presents without the fanfare, and we’d focus on Thanksgiving again. A lot of people never understood my viewpoint on it, but it just felt weird making my birthday the focal point when gratefulness for my family and everything we had should be center stage during the holiday. The only downside was a few people at school knew my birthday was today, so I couldn’t stop it from getting out if I wanted to.

  When I got out of my car this morning, I had every intention of waving and walking past Mackenzie and everyone, but Alistair hadn’t given me the chance. He had rushed me before I had even cleared the hood of my car.

  He twirled me around in his arms. “Charlie!” He was one of those people who knew my birthday was today.

  “Put me down, you fool,” I chuckled.

  He placed me on my feet, but the grin he was sporting on his face made him beautiful. “Anything for the birthday girl.”

  I rolled my eyes. “You know I don’t like to celebrate it,” I reminded him.

  He slung his arm around my shoulders. “Tough shit.” I didn’t fight him as he led me to where everyone was hanging out by their cars.

  When we reached the group, Mackenzie stepped out of Samson’s hold long enough to pull me into a hug. “Happy Birthday, Charlie.”

  “It’s your birthday?” Ford asked.

  “Don’t,” Amelia teased. “She doesn’t celebrate it.”

  “Who the hell doesn’t celebrate their birthday?” Duke chimed in.

  I pulled out of Mackenzie’s embrace and looked over at Duke. “I don’t.”

  “Why?” Samson asked, and I figured he must be really curious to ask. Samson was usually quiet. It was like he couldn’t bring himself to cave into anything that might distract him from loving Mackenzie every second of his day.

  “I’d rather focus on the spirit of Thanksgiving and all I am grateful for, than focus on myself.” I felt ridiculous explaining it. “It makes me uncomfortable, so I don’t bother with it.”

  “Well, she might not bother with it, but we do,” Alistair jumped in, and I watched as he pulled out a small box with a bow on it from his backpack.

  My shoulders sagged. “Alistair…” I chided.

  “Your protests have never stopped me before,” he countered.

  “I have your present at home,” Mackenzie added. “Me and Mom are going to stop by for dinner tonight.”

  Amelia grinned. “So am I,” she added.

  I groaned. “That sounds an awful like a party.”

  Amelia laughed. “Hardly,” she drawled out. “Your parents, your aunt, me, and Mackenzie a party does not make.”

  “We’re not invited?” Duke asked and I blinked at the seriousness in his voice.

  “What?”

  “We’re not invited?” he repeated. “We don’t get to buy you something?”

  I hated that I was going to sound like an ungrateful bitch, but I really didn’t want to include them in our small family gathering. There’s no way it wouldn’t look horrible if I invited everyone but Raiden, and I really didn’t want him around for such a personal thing.

  “I’m sorry, Duke, but there’s nothing to invite you to,” I replied. “Amelia’s right. It’s just going to be family.” I glanced over at Amelia and tried to lighten the mood. “I’m not even sure how Amelia wrangled an invite.”

  She laughed. “Your parents love me,” she quirked.

  I turned back towards Alistair and pulled him into a hug. “Thanks, Alistair,” I whispered in his ear. “You’re the best.”

  He hooked his arm in mind and pulled me with him. “See you guys later,” he called, waving at them. When we were almost to the building, he said, “Okay, okay. Open up.”

  I laughed. He was like a kid on Christmas. You’d think the gift was for him. I handed him my backpack and pulled the lid off top. When I peeked inside, my entire chest warmed with love for my friend. Inside was a soccer ball key chain and attached was a silver name plate that read ‘CharlieGirl’.

  I threw my arms around his neck. “Thank you! I love it.”

  “I’m glad,” he replied. “I hate traditional gifts.”

  I grabbed my backpack back and put the box with the key chain inside. When we reached the building, I told Alistair, “I have to run to the restroom really quick. My bra strap is tangle.”

  “Uh, running to the restroom was good enough, Charlie,” he muttered. “Didn’t need to know about the bra.”

  I laughed. “I thought all guys wanted to know about a girl’s unmentionables.” I teased.

  “Lies,” he retorted. “All lies.” With that, we went our separate ways.

  The first warning bell for class rang as soon as I entered the restroom. I quickly readjusted my bra strap and was getting ready to head to class when Cindy Michaels came rushing into the restroom. She saw me just before she almost ran me over.

  “Oh, God. Sorry,” she rushed out. “I wasn’t expecting anyone to be in here.”

  “I just had to fix my bra strap,” I explained.

  She chuckled. “Yeah, I know what you mean. My shirt ripped getting out of my car and I know there’s a safety pin in my bag somewhere.”

  “Well, I gotta get to class.” I turned to head toward the door when she called my name. I turned back to look at her. “Yeah?”

  “What’s going on with you and Raiden Cruz?”

  I got a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, and this moment cemented what I had told Amelia and Mackenzie the other day. Looking at Cindy with her shoul
der-length strawberry blonde hair, sparkling blue eyes, athletic build, and out-going personality, I knew I wasn’t self-assured enough to date someone with a past like Raiden Cruz. I wouldn’t know how not to compare myself with every girl who has ever had a piece of him.

  “Nothing,” I told her truthfully.

  Her pretty face flew into surprise. “Really?”

  I nodded. “Yeah, really.” I shrugged. “His best friend dates my cousin. That’s pretty much all there is to it.”

  Her brows drew down in confusion. “But…the guy was…like…unhinged at lunch.”

  “I think that’s because he is,” I remarked drolly.

  Cindy cocked her head, and it really appeared as if she was trying to figure it out. “But…”

  “Yeah?” The second warning bell rang, signaling that we didn’t have time for this.

  “I just…well…Raiden’s rather stoic most of the time,” she said. “The only time he’s really…passionate about something is when he’s playing football.”

  My voice sounded gruff even to my own ears. “I’m sure you’ve seen him passionate on other occasions, Cindy.”

  She had the decency to blush. “That’s the thing, though,” she grimaced. “Raiden’s…good at what he does, and Lord knows he has the equipment to perform the job, but rumor is he’s all business in the bedroom.”

  “Rumor?”

  Again, she blushed. “At first, I thought it might just be me. You know…like, he just wasn’t that into me. But girls talk, and supposedly he’s like that with everyone.”

  “I gotta get to class, Cindy,” I reminded her. “What’s your point?”

  “I’ve just never seen Raiden Cruz exercise any kind of…intensity off the football field like I did at lunch today.” She gave me a tentative grin. “I think the guy’s in love with you.”

  I laughed.

  I full-on, deep belly laugh.

  “Cindy, you’re way off base,” I told her. “Raiden Cruz is not in love with me. He barely tolerates me, at best.” It was catty, but I said it anyway. “So, you can go back and tell all the girls at Eastwood that Raiden Cruz’s dick is still available to ride whenever they wish.” I turned on her gasped and hurried my ass to class.

  I didn’t have time for this.

  Chapter 6

  Raiden~

  Today was Charlie’s birthday, but she didn’t want it celebrated, and we were clearly not invited to her birthday dinner tonight at her house.

  Just fucking great.

  Watching Alistair give her a present had been torture. Logic hadn’t helped with the feeling either. I knew I shouldn’t feel guilty about not getting her something for her birthday when I hadn’t even known it was her birthday, but not knowing her birthday was up there with not having her phone number. It was another glaring sign of how much she’s remained distant from us. I knew she viewed us as her cousin’s boyfriend’s friends, and that was irksome. I could see Duke making some progress, but even that was a slow-go.

  She also went and sat with her soccer team again today at lunch. I watched her the entire time and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up when I saw her check her phone, then hurry from the table. Mackenzie, Amelia, and Alistair were all sitting with us, so who could she be running off to meet? Logically, I knew she could be meeting anyone, but I had to check for myself.

  Ditching the group, I followed Charlie like a certified creeper, and when I found her, the sight before me felt like a kick to the balls.

  She’d cut her lunch short to meet up with J.C. Grant.

  The same motherfucking J.C. Grant who I pulled her off of the night we kicked Ridgeview’s ass on the football field.

  Logically, I knew they could be meeting for a variety of reasons. They might have a class together they were sharing notes on. He also played for the boys’ soccer team, so it could be soccer related.

  It could be anything, really.

  But the smile on her face bothered me to my core. And when he reached out and tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear, I no longer cared if their little secret meeting was legit or not.

  Charlie fucking Harden was mine.

  My feet had me storming towards them, and when I got close enough, words flew out of my mouth that I had no right saying but couldn’t stop. “How many fucking times am I going to catch you with my girl, Grant?”

  Charlie gasped and J.C. looked stunned. “What?”

  I stepped between them, not caring how pissed Charlie was, and said, “I would have thought I’d made my stance clear the night I caught you dancing with her, J.C.”

  To his credit, he didn’t immediately back down. “As far as I know, Charlie’s single.”

  “I am single,” she piped up from behind me.

  “The fuck you are,” I growled, my eyes still on J.C.

  J.C. smirked. “Sounds like there might be some confusion, Cruz.”

  “On her part,” I agreed. “But not mine. And, J.C., I’d think long and hard about how much farther you want this go to. I have no problem kicking your fucking ass.”

  “Raiden!” Charlie cried out. “Stop it!” She was trying to fight for position, but I had her arm wrapped in my grip, keeping her behind me.

  J.C. reared back. “You plan on fighting every guy who talks to her?”

  I was taller than J.C. by a couple of inches, so I bored down on the asshole. “If that’s what I have to do, then, yes.”

  “You’re being ridiculous!” Charlie was screaming like a goddamn banshee, and I knew I had to wrap this up before someone heard her and came to investigate.

  “You’re call, Grant,” I told him. “Is she worth the ass kicking to you, because she is to me.”

  He took a few seconds to think about it, but only because he didn’t want to look like a complete pussy, I imagine. He finally looked around me and told Charlie, “Hit me up when you got this mess figured out, Charlie.” The fucking dick winked at her. “Happy Birthday.” I stood fuming as he walked away.

  Ten seconds later, I had Charlie in a death grip, dragging her to a more private area. When we reached the library, I pulled her into one of the private study rooms. The doors were glass, so there wasn’t an issue with students using them during their free period or after school. There were seven rooms equipped with computers and research materials for whatever class you needed to study for. I had hauled Charlie into the Science study room, and while anyone who walked by could see us, no one could hear us. The rooms were designed for privacy and were adequately insulated.

  The second I shut the door and turned the lock, Charlie was letting loose. “Have you lost your fucking mind, Raiden?!” she yelled. “Who the fuck does something like that?!”

  “J.C. Grant?” I bit out. “Are you seriously wanting to date that asshole?”

  Her eyes widened. “He is not an asshole,” she argued. “And not that it’s any of your business, we have a lot in common. So, if I wanted to date him, it would make sense.”

  “What do you guys have in common besides soccer?” I demanded.

  Her beautiful, beautiful face contorted in disgust. “Neither of us are rumored to have fucked the entire school,” she shot back.

  I straightened to my full height. “I’ve already told you, I couldn’t care less about any of those girls.”

  “Oh, how charming,” she spat. “You do the most intimate thing you can do with a person, but none of them mean or meant shit to you.”

  My fists in my pockets, I said, “You know, sex and love are not the same thing, Charlie. It’s actually possible to have sex for the sake of sex and there not be any emotions involved.”

  “I know that,” she hissed, truly well and mad. “But that doesn’t take away from the fact that no girl wants to be with someone who has nothing to offer her that he hasn’t offered to everyone else on the fucking planet!”

  “Are you serious?” I growled. “Do you honestly believe that all I’m after is your body?”

  “I don’t know what you’re af
ter,” she tossed back. “But whatever it is, I know I don’t want to be that fool sitting in class, knowing that half the class has been fucked by my boyfriend.”

  “I was single, and it was just sex!” I roared. “Why’s that so fucking hard to accept?!”

  Charlie’s chin came up, and she crossed her arms over her chest. “Okay,” she drawled out. “How about we make a deal, then?”

  I felt the tingles of dread slither down my spine, but I didn’t heed their warning. “What kind of deal?”

  “Give me two months,” she said. “Or…better yet, when we get back from winter break.”

  I copied her stance and crossed my arms over my chest. “For what?” Her brown eyes looked determined, and those tingles were telling me to stop this before it went any further, but I continued to ignore them.

  Her grin looked wicked. “For me to even the score,” she announced. “I’ll start with J.C. because, well, let’s be honest, if anyone deserves my virginity, it’s him for the way you’ve been treating him. But then, I’ll work my way through the boys’ soccer team, and then sprinkle in some basketball players, some football players, and there’s still the baseball players to consider.”

  “Charlie-”

  “As long as I’m just having sex with them, and emotions aren’t involved, you shouldn’t have a problem with that, right?” Charlie looked like she was holding a royal flush. “There’s no reason it should bother you when you’re in the locker room dressing out for practice next to guys who know what I taste like, right? Who know what my skin feels like? Or who know if I’m a screamer or a moaner? Or what my face looks like when I cum? Or-”

  “Charlie, stop,” I barked.

  “-whether I swallow or not? Or, even if I take it up the ass, right? I wonder who’ll get that privilege.”

  I had her slammed up against the wall, fury firing inside every nerve. “Stop. It,” I hissed.

  She didn’t care about my manhandling. She won, and she knew it. “Tell me again how what you’ve done with all those other girls doesn’t matter, Raiden.”