by Alla Kar
I take the back road toward the apartment building and drive ten miles per hour. I may be drunk, but I don’t have a death wish. I concentrate with what little focus I have left. The gate guard eyes me as I pull in, and I don’t even bother giving him hell tonight.
I park my truck and let out a breath of fresh air. “Shit,” I mumble, grabbing my keys and opening the door. I stagger outside, and my boot catches on the mat, sending me face first into the door.
“Fuck!” I yell, as I soar to the ground. My entire body is so numb the asphalt doesn’t even feel that bad. I debate even trying to get up. People sleep outside all the time, right?
Then I taste the metallic in my mouth and spit a puddle of blood onto the parking lot. Yep, the night just keeps getting better and better.
I stare at the stars for a while, not even caring that gravel is piercing my skin. When I hear a car door slam, I stagger upward. A couple whispers to each other but avoid eye contact.
The stairs kick my ass so that I’m sweating and gasping for breath by the time I get to the third floor. Using the rail, I stagger up toward room 306. Once I get there, I lean my head against the door and pound on it. “Let me in!” I scream at the door.
Is it hot out here? Fuck. Fisting my shirt, I pull it over my head and let it hang from my fist. Jesus, it’s hot. I fumble with my belt buckle for several seconds before unzipping my pants. It feels like summer in Death Valley.
The door swings open a few seconds later, and Jaden looks out at me. Her pink lips part, and a line creases in her forehead. Her eyes rake down my bruised face and then to my chest. My dick hardens in my pants. Now her eyes are on my unzipped jeans. Shit, she’s pulling at her lip with her teeth.
“Fuck me,” I whisper, reaching out to trail my finger against her lip. She steps back, holding her hand up against the spot I just touched. There go those cheeks again. Bright red, just like the barely there tank top she’s wearing. Red looks good against her skin. God—I must be drunk. This is Adam’s little sister.
“What happened to you?” she says, waving me in. Music plays softly in the background, and something smells fucking good.
The door clicks softly behind her and she turns to look up at me. “You’re bleeding.” She starts to touch my lip but thinks better of it.
Good girl, Jaden.
Her touching me like this, drunk off my ass, will only lead to me stripping her of those clothes and her innocence. She’s got to be a virgin. If those wide doe eyes don’t give her away, nothing will.
“I’m fine,” I say, waving her off. Turning, I see two bowls sitting on the table with ice cream. There are two empty wine glasses sitting beside each one. Is she on a date? “Who are you eating with?”
“We’re just having some ice cream. It’s Will. He’s in the bathroom.”
Will? Eating with Will? Drinking with Will? I scoff and run my fingers through my hair. The overly aggressive side of me says that Will is a fucking dead man, testing the waters in no man’s land. The passive side of me…who the hell am I kidding? There is no passive side of me.
“Right, makes sense. He’s our roommate, after all. Because giving underage girls alcohol is a great thing to do. You’re still a kid,” I say, eyes daring her to argue.
She crosses her arms over her chest. I guess she catches sarcasm easily. “I made dinner for everyone several hours earlier, and he happened to be home first. My brother is studying at the library. And I’m not drinking wine; it’s grape juice from dinner. Not that it’s any of your business.”
It doesn’t matter. Or it wouldn’t, if Will wasn’t trying to get into her pants. “You’re right, it’s none of my business,” I snap. “I’m gonna go shower.”
“Wait,” she says, grabbing my arm. Her fingers are so fucking small and soft against my skin. “Let me wash your cut off. I have some ointment in my room.”
A stray piece of hair falls onto her cheek. Before I think better of it, I tuck it gently behind her ear and slide my fingers down to cup her jaw. She’s not breathing. I love it. I trace the pad of my thumb against her soft lip. “I can take care of myself. You just worry about feeding Will his ice cream, baby,” I whisper close to her mouth.
She bats my hand. “Don’t touch me, Cade.”
Fuck me. Those pink lips saying my name went straight to my dick and made camp. I groan and ease my back against the counter. “Feisty, aren’t you? Do you hit Will when he touches you?”
God, I sound like a fucking pussy. Her eyes widen, and she curls her fists tight against her sides. I lean closer, smelling her flowery scent. “Or do you moan when he does it?” I whisper against her cheek.
“Asshole,” she snaps, shoving me in the chest. I stumble backwards, my back hitting the cabinet behind me. She’s out of the kitchen before I have a chance to say anything more.
“What the hell happened to you?” Will says, walking into the kitchen.
“No baseball practice today?” I ask, grabbing his bowl off the table. He eyes the bowl and lifts an eyebrow.
“Coach canceled. Not that it’s your concern, grease monkey.” He sneers at me.
Smiling, I take another bite from his ice cream. Alcohol and ice cream are not the ideal combination. I hope I don’t regret it later. “This is delicious. But, you’re right. See you tomorrow, bro.”
I scarf down the last bite of ice cream quickly. Tool. I could have slapped the smirk off his face, not that I know why exactly. Sure, Will is always a dickwad, but he doesn’t normally piss me off this badly.
Stashing the bowl in the kitchen, I walk into the bathroom, locking the door behind me. I strip out of my work pants. Freedom. Someone knocks on the door but I don’t answer. I don’t have time for Will’s shit tonight. My fingers lace through the waistband of my underwear when I hear another knock. Groaning, I stay silent, hoping they’ll go away. I don’t have time to talk to anyone. I just want to get in the shower and take care of these stupid cuts. I would fall out of the fucking truck onto the—the door flies open.
Jaden is on her knees. My mouth pops open. “First off, what the fuck? And second, how did you get in here?”
She stands, slides the door closed, and looks up at me. “You wouldn’t answer the door, and I got worried. So, I picked the lock. Now sit down on the toilet so I can clean your cut.”
My mouth is still hanging open, so I slowly close it. She looks uneasy now. Her arms tuck around her chest, and she gnaws on that goddamn lip again. I hold back a growl and lean backwards toward the sink. Sliding my hands against the counter, I lift myself onto the tile, my legs spread wide. She takes a few steps forward until she’s close enough to touch. She looks so fucking small between my legs. Small. Flexible. Portable. Fuckable. Goddamn it, Cade, turn your dick off.
Her eyes dart toward my boxer briefs, but she quickly bends down and starts rummaging through her first-aid kit. “Where did you learn how to pick a lock, Jaden?”
Her back stiffens, but she keeps her eyes on the bag. “I didn’t forget what you said to me earlier. I’m just being nice right now.”
What? Jaden straightens and takes a step forward. Grabbing her elbow, I drag her another step toward me. Her arm brushes my knee, and her body goes rigid. I lean closer to her ear, I’m close enough that my breath brushes her cheek. “I’m ready to be fixed, doctor.” I slowly recline and open my arms.
Jaden narrows her eyes, and then grabs a washcloth from the basket behind her. Holding the cloth underneath the faucet, her dark green eyes never stray from the task at hand. She’s doing a good job at pretending to ignore me, I’ll give her credit.
I keep my smile at bay and sit completely still as she runs the cloth over my lip. It’s warm and stings a bit, but I don’t take my eyes off her. She squirms, and I move closer, leaning into her touch. She’s freaking out, her breath coming faster. She quickly turns, grabs a small ointment bottle, and dabs it on my lip. I dart my tongue out against the medicine. Her eyes watch the quick movement carefully.
My lips turn
up, and her eyes snap to mine.
“Asshole,” she whispers.
Before she can pull away, I grab her waist. It fits into my palm nicely. She’s shaking when I pull her toward me. Her hips press into the inside of my thighs. Grabbing her chin, I lean down. She watches my lips, my face. When my lips touch her ear, I swear to God she moans.
Holy Hell. My dick tightens in my underwear. The entire sentence that was forming on my lips stops.
Damn it, Cade. Right. Focus. “And you’re not just being nice right now, Jaden.” My lips graze her ear. “Because if you were really mad at me, you wouldn’t have come in here with those tight ass yoga pants on. You would have stayed in your room for the rest of the night where you should be. Let’s not start something we can’t finish. It would be a shame to lose my best friend because I want to fuck his little sister until she learns her lesson about testing me,” I whisper, letting my teeth scrape her earlobe.
She stays completely still against me for an entire minute, not moving, just standing. Her scent is making it hard to stay still. My fingers tighten around her waist and the other hand around the edge of the cabinet. Then the door pulls open. Adam is standing on the other side, holding a plate of food and gawking at us.
“What are you two doing?” he asks. “What the hell happened to your lip?”
My eyes dart toward Jaden. She’s tugging on her first-aid kit.
“What’s going on?” Adam demands again.
I focus. “Nothing, man. She was just helping me with my lip. I fell out of my truck and hit my mouth on the door. I was fucking drunk.”
Still am, I think. Am I? Surely. I’d have to be, right? I know hitting on Jade, or just messing around with her would piss Adam off. I don’t want to piss my best-friend off. What in the hell is wrong with me?
He eyes both of us and then shrugs. “This fucking leftover lasagna is the shit, Jaden. I think we’ve found our new cook. What do you think?” Adam leans against the doorframe.
My eyes find hers. She’s blushing and playing with her hair. “I thought it was delicious.” Okay, one more time, just to see her blush.
Her mouth gapes open at me, then snaps shut. “Goodnight,” she says before marching off to her room.
“What’s her problem?”
I jump from the cabinet. “Women.”
Chapter Six
Jaden
“Can I please just switch to another class?”
God, I’m groveling like a child. My advisor is glaring at her computer over her coke-bottle glasses. Her mousy hair is pulled back with a bright purple ’90s hairband. “Ms. Baker, there isn’t anything I can do. You need Intro to Journalism as an elective, and it is offered at another time but not one that fits your schedule. Unless you want to rearrange your entire schedule. But I advise against that.” She blows her bangs up, placing her interlaced fingers on the desk.
I have to get out of that class. It may just be a semester, but I’d do anything to avoid Satan for a semester.
“What if I change my major?”
Mrs. Kate’s mouth opens and the shock on her face is plain as day. Shame hits me like a hammer to the chest and I drop my eyes down to my lap. How pathetic am I? I would change my entire plan to avoid her. The fear she’s created inside of me was slowly going to take full control of my life. It’d already almost happened before but something pulled me through it.
I didn’t want to change my major because I’d always wanted to go into journalism. Taking a huge breath, I lift my gaze to Mrs. Kate and give her a weak smile. “Never mind. I don’t want to do that. I’ll be okay.”
Mrs. Kate frowns and shakes her head. “I’m so sorry, Jaden. Is there a certain reason you don’t want to take this class? The professor? Or a student?” She’s asking with hopeful eyes. But I can’t tell her. It won’t do any good, just like in high school. I have no proof and know no one who could vouch for me.
“No ma’am, there isn’t any problem. Thank you for your help.” I grab my bag and head out the door. My classes are over for the day, they actually went okayish. I didn’t get stuck with Selena again, and no one asked me if I was ready to hook up.
I take a seat at a picnic table close to the curb by the cafeteria and wait for Adam to pick me up. We have to stop by the store because Adam begged me this morning to fix spaghetti for dinner tonight. Because we all know dinner went so well last night. Ugh. And I only agreed if Adam promised not to beg me to cook every day. He did, but I have my doubts.
A couple of runners jog past me. I catch a glimpse of the guy, and he looks like Cade.
Damn it, even when I purposely try not to think about him, I do. This guy isn’t as tall as Cade, and his hair is longer. Cade’s hair fits him, short and clean cut, even though he’s covered in tattoos. It would be hot if he wasn’t an arrogant asshole. “Let’s not start something we can’t finish. It would be a shame to lose my best friend because I want to fuck his little sister until she learns her lesson about testing me.” Like he just automatically assumes I enjoy the flirting.
Familiar laughter jolts me out of my daze. I tense and ease my hood over my head. Hopefully she won’t see me.
“Yep, I’d know that ugly jacket anywhere. That’s her,” I hear.
No. Not now. Please. Standing, I lean over the picnic table and look for my brother. No sign of him.
I head toward the bookstore. It’s a few hundred yards, but it feels like miles. I don’t look back to see if she is following me. I just keep my head forward and quicken my step.
When I hear the rocks cracking underneath someone’s weight, I walk even faster.
Then I feel cold liquid pour over my scalp, drenching me from head to toe. Before I can think, I hear loud laughter and feet slapping against the pavement. My eyes burn, and my white shirt soaks up the red color.
Tears sting my eyes, and I tear off my hood. Two boys in football uniforms run the opposite direction. I recognize one of them as the guy with Selena in class, and the other I’ve never seen before.
They meet Selena underneath a tree a few blocks away, and they laugh hysterically as I look through blurry eyes at them.
All my memories begin to bang against my head at once. Before I can burst out into a pathetic sob, I grab my bag and push through a group of staring students.
It doesn’t even feel like I’m breathing. The long walk to my apartment doesn’t even faze me. The sun is shining but not drying my clothes. I’m halfway to our apartment when someone pulls up next to me. “Get in, Jaden.”
I flinch at the sound of his voice. I do not want to be around him right now. Not like this. Not while I’ve been crying my eyes out, and while I’m covered in crap.
“Leave me alone.”
I hear a low grumble, and then I’m walking alone again. How could this happen to me? I apologized; it was an accident. Why is she still tormenting me!
Strong arms wrap underneath my knees, then I’m being thrown over Cade’s shoulder. “Let me down!” I slam my hands against his ass and swing my feet in the air.
“Kick and scream all you want, baby. I’m used to screaming woman,” he says, before throwing me into his pickup.
I sit up and go straight for the door, but he’s already around the truck and pulling me back in. “No you don’t, sweetie. No you don’t. Sit that pretty little ass down.” He buckles me in and immediately starts his truck.
Catching my breath, I curl my knees against my chest. “This is kidnapping,” I hiss through my teeth.
He snorts and gives me a smart-ass grin “You’re not a kid, and we live in the same place. It’s not kidnapping if I’m taking you home, Jade.”
“You said I was a child last night,” I bite out. I don’t know where it came from or even that it bothered me. It shouldn’t. I am a child compared to them. I’m eighteen, and they’re twenty-two, twenty-three. Hell, I don’t even know.
He chuckles. “I didn’t realize you were so worried about what I thought.”
“I’m not,” I sn
ap out.
“Right,” Cade says. I hear the smile in his voice. “So, you want to tell me why you’re covered in red stuff? Or do you want me to guess? Because I’m having a hard time coming up with anything.”
Kool-Aid? Gatorade. I think its Gatorade. It wouldn’t be the first time I’d been drenched like this. My high school football team had tossed leftover Gatorade from their game on me before. “Don’t worry about it.”
He drums his fingers against the steering wheel and relaxes into his seat. It’s an old pickup, leather seats but really taken care of. “Cafeteria accident?”
Gritting my teeth, I grip my jeans and feel the liquid roll down my legs. “I was walking by the football team and one of the players dumped it on me. He’s in one of my classes. I think he thought I was someone else or thought it would be cute to do it.”
Cade taps his chin and gives me a long sideways glance. “It was probably John Adams. The freshman quarterback that’s supposed to blow all of our minds this year. I’ll have to ask him about it.”
Shit. Then he’ll think I make up stupid stories. “Why don’t we just drop it, please?”
“So, it was a lie,” Cade says, running his fingers through his hair. “I’ll give you this one. You did do a good job with my lip last night.”
My eyes automatically turn toward his lip. There is a small cut on the side but barely noticeable. Then I see his tattoo sticking out from underneath his work shirt. When I glance up, he’s watching me watch him with an amused smile on his face.
Damn him.
I turn to the window. My phone buzzes, and I see Adam’s face pop up. “Shit,” I mumble before answering. “Hey, Adam.”
“Where in the hell are you, Jade? Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Cade is giving me a ride.”
He huffs harshly into the phone. “You could have told me.”
“I know…I know. I had an accident.”
“You started your period?”
“No, not that kind. Just spilled something on myself.”
