Out Of Line

by Jen McLaughlin

  Cory laughed. “Well, too late. She’s already mine.”

  The hell I was. We would have a talk about Cory claiming me like that, but not now. Not in front of Finn. I shot a cautious look Finn’s way. He still looked like he was ready to kill Cory, but at least he’d lowered his fist. “Let’s go, Cory.”

  “Not until he tells me that he’ll stop following you around all the time.” Cory pulled free of my hold and stumbled back into the reach of Finn. “Did she tell you she wants to be with me instead? Are you mad she’s mine instead of yours?”

  Finn’s fingers flexed. “Keep talking. Give me a reason to take a swing.”

  “It was only a matter of time until she came to her senses, you know.” Cory smirked. “You might be fun for a while, but that’s all you’ll ever be to her—a fling.”

  I stiffened. I didn’t like this side of Cory. Not one little bit. “Cory, stop it. You’re being nasty. It’s gross.”

  “Oh, excuse me. Should I bow at your feet?” Finn snorted. “Yeah. Keep dreaming, asshole.”

  “Go back to whatever trailer park you crawled out of, and leave us alone.”

  “Cory. Stop it!” I snapped. Finn’s face revealed nothing, but I could feel how Cory’s words affected him as if we were attached to one another. As if when Finn hurt, so did I. “Stop being this way. I don’t like it.”

  “You’d best listen to her.” Finn’s nostrils flared and he advanced on Cory. “I suggest you leave before I forget that Carrie asked me not to kick your pasty white ass, Cody.”

  Cory took a swing at Finn, connecting with his eye. Finn could’ve avoided it easily, I’d seen him do so. But he let Cory hit him. Why? Finn rubbed the spot where Cory had hit him, but not before I saw the blood and the bruise already forming. And then he grinned. Grinned.

  “Game on,” Finn said as he stalked toward Cory.

  Cory paled, but stood his ground. He held up his fists. “Bring it.”

  That’s it. I was leaving now, before I killed them both. Other girls might like being fought over, but I wasn’t one of them. “Finn, no.”

  Finn stopped midstride, his entire body humming with anger and something else I couldn’t quite figure out. He took a step toward me and stopped. He tugged on the back of his head, torturing a poor curl. The look in his eyes haunted me. I’d hurt him. I could see it. Feel it.

  “Leave. Now.”

  Cory smirked and walked right up to Finn. He leaned in and whispered something. Finn’s face turned red, and then the next thing I knew, Cory was on the ground. He clutched his stomach, moaning and rolling around on the stone walkway. “You hit me. You actually hit me.”

  Finn dropped to his knees and hauled Cory up by the shirt, his face inches away from Cory’s. “You ever say anything like that again, I’ll fucking kill you. You hear me?”

  Cory pressed his hand to his stomach. “I’m going to report you to the police.”

  Finn grinned, his eyes glinting maliciously. “Go ahead. Tell them I said hi.” He dropped Cory back to the ground. “Now get the fuck out of here before I change my mind and kick your ass.”

  Cory stumbled to his feet and ran off, not even looking at me. His next stop would probably be reporting Finn to the police, and there would be repercussions from tonight. I closed my eyes and counted to three. “He’s going to call the cops, and you’re going to get arrested.”

  “Fuck him,” Finn said, his voice tight.

  I turned around to face Finn, but he had his back to me and his hands braced against a tree. “Did you hear me?”

  His breath came fast and shallow. “I don’t give a flying fuck what the hell he does.”

  “Well, I do.” I grabbed Finn’s shoulder and yanked. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  He spun on me, his entire body trembling with rage. “What’s wrong with me? Do you actually have to ask me that?”

  “Yeah, I do!” I grabbed his arms and shook him. “You aren’t allowed to fly off the handle like that. You aren’t allowed to draw attention to yourself. You know that. What will my father say about this? What about your dad?”

  He flung me off him. “I don’t give a damn anymore. Not about you. Not about anything.”

  I stumbled back from the force of his words. It would’ve been kinder if he had hit me. “You know what? Go to hell.”

  “Too late. I’m already there.”

  “You have no idea what hell is. Hell is falling for someone for the first time and finding out that everything he ever told you was a lie. That everything you wanted to believe in was all a ruse to get close to you.”

  He swallowed hard and closed his eyes. His hands fell at his sides, limp. “I didn’t lie to you about us. I’ve already told you that a million times, didn’t I?”

  I shoved his shoulders, choking on the huge lump in my throat. Tears filled my eyes, but I blinked them back. I didn’t have time for tears right now. “You’re not allowed to be hurt in this situation. You were the one who did this. You were the one who went and ruined everything.”

  “You think I don’t regret it? Huh?” He ran his hands down his face and let out a strangled growl. “You think I don’t wish I could make it all go away, if only for one more night in your arms?”

  I wanted that too. Only I wanted more than a night. I wanted to go back to what we’d been to each other. No lies. No secrets. “Well, we can’t have that, can we?”

  He dropped his hands to his side. “And I can’t sit here watching you fall in love with someone else. Especially him.”

  “I’m not falling in love with him,” I said, my voice coming out thick. No, I was in love with Finn and had been since the second he walked into my life. There wasn’t room for anyone else in my heart.

  “I quit.”

  “You can’t quit,” I cried. “You promised me that you’d—”

  “I promised to keep you safe. To watch over you.” He slashed his arm through the air. “I didn’t promise to watch you suck face with an asshole like him.”

  I swallowed. “I don’t even like him like that.”

  “I wish you the best of luck with life, but I can’t do this anymore. I care about you too much to stay at the side, watching you move on. I just…can’t.”

  And with that, he turned on his heel and disappeared.

  I wrapped my arms around myself and blinked back tears. He was leaving, and I’d never see him again. I should be happy. Thrilled. Instead, I wanted to chase after him and beg him to stay.

  The next morning, my temper had cooled quite a bit, even if my feelings for Carrie hadn’t. One thing I knew I had to do? I had to tell her I loved her before I left. I had to give it one last shot. If she told me she didn’t give a damn about my feelings, then I’d leave. At least I would know I gave it all I had. I wouldn’t spend my life wondering what would have happened if I’d gotten the balls to tell her I loved her.

  I hadn’t been lying when I told her yesterday she deserved better than me. She did. But no one else would love her as much as I could. No one else could make her feel as good, either. My phone rang and I glanced down. When I saw it was the senator, I sighed and picked it up. “Good morning, sir.”

  “What’s this I hear about you punching Cory Pinkerton? What happened?”

  I rubbed my temples. “Who told you?”

  “The police called the campus, and the campus called me.” The senator sighed. “I’ll get it taken care of, but you better have a damned good reason for punching someone who could very well be a huge contributor to my campaign in the future.”

  I swallowed the curses wanting to escape. “Yeah. Because your campaign is the most important thing here.”

  “Are you insulting me, son?” His tone dropped, and I clenched the phone. “I can just as easily let the cops get their hands on your sorry a
ss. I’m sure your father would be displeased.”

  Minus a huge pension, no doubt.

  “No, sir.” I cleared my throat. “No disrespect.”

  “Good.” I could practically hear the smug grin the senator wore. “Now tell me what happened.”

  I filled him in, but in my version of the story, Carrie had already left and my cover hadn’t been blown. “So, I told him I was a jealous ex, punched him, and told him never to come near her again.”

  “I’ll kill the little brat,” the senator said. “How dare he act that way toward my girl?”

  I clenched my jaw. “I felt the same way, sir.”

  “Good work, son. Keep in the shadows, and don’t be seen.”

  This was the time to tell him I quit. Tell him I couldn’t stay here anymore, but I hung up on him without another word and tossed my phone across the bed. I’d had to make up a story, so now I had to fill Carrie in on the tale I’d told. Time to track her down and fill her in. And while I was at it, I’d tell her I was in love with her too.

  I’d leave after she laughed in my face.

  I lifted my hand to knock on Finn’s door, but it swung open before I could. There he stood, looking breathtakingly gorgeous as always. I had spent an hour out on the water, enjoying the solitude of the ocean. Everyone out there seemed to be trying to escape something. I wanted to escape it all. My life. Cory. My father.

  And most of all…Finn. He was leaving me.

  I didn’t even know how I felt about him anymore. I knew when Finn was around, my heart begged for me to forgive him. To give him another chance. But my head screamed just as loudly, and it called my heart a fool. How could I trust him after everything he’d done? After everything we’d been through?

  I couldn’t. That’s how.

  “Carrie? What are you doing here?”

  I licked my lips and focused on him. I wasn’t sure what I was going to say yet. I probably should have thought that through. “I’m checking in to see if you heard from my dad yet.”

  “He called. He was informed that Cory pressed charges against me.”

  I closed my eyes. I’d been up all night worrying about that. “I told you he would do that. We’ll fix this. I’m sure if I speak to him, tell him who I really am, he’ll—”

  “No.”

  I stiffened. “Why not?”

  “Because you’re not blowing your cover for me.”

  “What if I want to?”

  “I don’t care.” He lifted a brow. “Besides, your father’s taking care of it. I had to fabricate a story so that he wouldn’t know I was outed to you, but he bought it.”

  Wait, if he lied and didn’t tell him about me knowing his identity, did that mean he was staying? Please God, yes. “What did you tell him?”

  Finn quickly relayed the fabricated story, and I nodded. “That was quick thinking.”

  “No, it wasn’t. I was up all night, waiting.” He shrugged. “I couldn’t sleep, anyway.”

  I looked up at him. “Me either.”

  Our gazes latched, and he turned a little bit red. “Look, Carrie, I—”

  “Are you still leaving?” I asked at the same time.

  He broke off. “Do you want me to?”

  “I don’t want you to,” I said slowly, not dropping my gaze. “I want you to stay, but I get it if you can’t.”

  “Can you ever forgive me? For lying?”

  “I do forgive you.” I took a deep breath. All night long, I’d been asking myself this very question. Asking myself if I could ever understand his motivation. It wasn’t until I answered just now that I realized I already had. “I forgive you for it all. I understand why you did what you did.”

  His eyes lit up. “Do you think you can ever… Can we ever…?”

  I wished I could say yes, but he’d hit me where I was weakest. All my life, Dad had been paying people to get close to me. And the first man I fell in love with was one of them. It hurt too much. Brought back too many memories—none of them good.

  He made a choking sound. “You don’t have to answer. I can see it in your eyes.”

  “I’m so sorry,” my voice a mere whisper. It’s all I could manage past my aching throat.

  He swallowed hard. “I love you, will always love you. I’m sorry I killed us before we even had a chance.”

  And with that bombshell, he shut the door in my face.

  Well, there you had it. I’d told her I loved her. Had asked for another chance. She’d said no. Chapter over. End of our story. I’d always known she was smart, and she’d proved it even more by rejecting me. She deserved more than I could give her. Security. Diamonds. A fucking mansion.

  With another man, she could get all those things and more.

  I slammed my fist into the wall, trembling from the force of the frustration and anger and pain storming through me. What had I been thinking, falling for her? What made me think I could find a way to make her forgive me, when I had so clearly fucked up? She didn’t love me. She never would.

  A knock sounded on the door, and I yanked it open. Carrie still stood there. “How dare you?”

  I closed my fist around the knob, ignoring the way my heart leapt at the sight of her. “How dare I what?”

  She shoved my shoulders, and I backed up. “You don’t tell someone you love them and then just leave. What the hell is wrong with you?”

  I rubbed where her hand had impacted with my shoulder and raised a brow. “You might as well sit if you want me to list everything. It could take all day.”

  “Shut up, you idiot. God, you make me so…so…” She made a frustrated sound and covered her face. “Mad.”

  I dropped my hand and held my breath. “Carrie?”

  “Did you mean it?” She lifted her head, her eyes shooting a challenge at me I would gladly accept. Any day. Any time. Anywhere. “Do you really love me? Or are you just trying to trick me into thinking you do?”

  I frowned at her. I wouldn’t dignify that with a response. “What do you think?”

  “Finn.” She advanced on me. “I need to know. I need to hear it.”

  I growled. With one quick step, I had her in my arms and I was kissing her. Kissing her so she would shut the hell up and stop shooting questions at me. Kissing her because if I didn’t, I might die. When she stopped squirming in my arms, and instead clung to me, I broke off the kiss.

  Cupping her cheeks, I met her eyes and said, “I want to be your man. To show you how happy I can make you. I promise you, with all my heart and soul, that I’m not lying about this. I’m not making anything up. Not anymore.”

  “Finn…”

  “I’m falling in love with you, Ginger.” I kissed her nose. “Hell, who am I kidding? I’m already there. I’m not exactly used to this feeling. If you want me to leave, then I’ll go. You can fall for someone who is much more appropriate for you. If you want me to stay, I’ll spend the rest of my life making you happy, or I’ll die trying. Just say the word.”

  “My father’s going to kill you,” she said, tears falling out of her eyes. “Because I love you too.”

  My heart stuttered to a stop, then sped back up to light speed. Beam me up, fucking Scotty. She loved me. “You do?”

  “I do.” She kissed me gently, then shoved me back again. “But if you ever even think about lying to me again, I’ll cut off your balls and shove them so far up your butt you won’t even know they’re missing. Got it?”

  I laughed. “Got it.”

  My phone buzzed in my pocket, and she raised a brow. “Who is that?”

  “Your father, no doubt.” I twisted around to yank it out, holding it down so she could see. No more secrets. Got the problem taken care of. Where is she now? “Hm. I can’t lie, so…” I picked her up and carried her to my bed, fa
lling down on top of her. Then I texted, She’s still in bed.

  Carrie laughed when I showed her what I wrote. “Tell him I’m with three different men, but not to worry. They’re all Ivy League.”

  I growled and nibbled at her throat. “No way. You’re all mine.”

  “No arguments here. Not anymore.” She clung to my shoulders and arched her throat to give me better access. “But he doesn’t know it, and he can’t.”

  I lifted my head. “Why don’t you want to tell him? Is it because you don’t want anyone to know about me? About us?”

  “What? No. No!” She smoothed my hair off my face. “I don’t want your father to lose his pension. He’s always been kind to me, and I need to return the favor. After this year is over, and after your father is done, we’ll tell my father together. Until then, we’ll wait.”

  The fact that she cared enough about Dad’s well-being to lie to her own father only made me fall for her even more. “Are you sure?”

  “Positive as a proton.”

  I laughed and kissed her. My phone buzzed again, and I held it up so she could read. You’ll be returning home with her for winter break. Your father has requested you visit, so I arranged it all.

  Yes, sir.

  I chucked the phone aside and settled in between her legs. “Looks like we’ll be spending Christmas together, Ginger.”

  “Good.” She trailed her fingers down my spine, then over my ass. “I can’t go too long without this.”

  “You’re going to have to if you want us to be a secret.” I lowered my body, nibbling at her shoulder now. “Because when I make you come, you scream, babe.”

  “I do not,” she said haughtily. “I never scream.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  I ran my hand down her stomach, tracing the waistband of her shorts. “I just might have to prove you wrong…”

  I closed my mouth over hers, and she slipped her tongue inside my mouth. I groaned in satisfaction, savoring her taste. Her smell. The way she moved underneath of me, undulating her body and asking for more. More that I’d readily give her. Anything she wanted. The moon. The stars. It would be hers.