Diamonds

by K. A. Linde

  “Only my friends call me Bri.” She swung around and fixed him with a frosty glare that told him he was very far from a friend. “For you, Bryna will do.”

  “Yeah, whatever. You can’t dodge my question, Bri.”

  “I don’t have to answer anything. You might have left the Valley, Pace, but you’re still trash to me,” she spat in his face. “So, stay out of my business and out of my life.”

  She turned on her heel and stalked away. Thankfully, he didn’t follow her. He had been a thorn in her side since he moved in. Not to mention, he was a disgusting pervert who had spent so much time gawking at her when she walked around the house that she started covering up in sweats every time, fearing she would run into him.

  Halfway to the stairs, she heard the voice she had been dreading.

  “There you are, Bryna, dear.”

  Bryna cringed and kept walking. God, I hate my stepmother.

  “Mom, don’t you think it would be nice if I drove Bryna to the game today?” Pace called, stepping out of the kitchen doorway.

  Bryna stopped dead in her tracks. Oh no, he did not just say that!

  “That would be great!” Celia said. “So sweet of you to suggest, Pace.”

  “I’m not going anywhere with you,” Bryna said. Her eyes were icy as she scowled at the pair.

  “Now, Bryna, Pace is being generous,” she said as her son walked over to her.

  He stared at Bryna as if he were the picture of innocence instead of the disgusting pig that he was.

  “Pace wouldn’t know what generous was if it bit him in the ass.”

  “Don’t use that tone of voice with me,” she said crossly.

  Bryna slowly counted to three in her head. She hoped it would calm her down, but it didn’t work. The anger that flooded her every time she thought about this woman in her mother’s place erupted out of her.

  “You are not my mother!”

  Celia covered her mouth at the outburst, but Bryna took the opportunity to climb the remaining stairs and slam the door to her room. She had just had the most incredible night of her life, and now, she had to come back to this bullshit. As soon as she graduated, she was getting the hell out of here.

  She grabbed her cheerleading uniform out of her closet and slid into the tiny gold skirt and red-and-gold cheer top. She pulled her blonde hair into a high ponytail, threw her pom-poms into her cheer bag, and then slung it over her shoulder. She was leaving now. She couldn’t stand to be in this house with that woman for one more minute.

  As she was tying her white shoes, Pace barged into her room.

  “Ever heard of knocking, asshole?”

  “Nope.” He tossed himself face down onto her bed and lay there, watching her.

  “You’re a fucking creep. Stop staring at me like that.” She stood quickly and tugged on her skirt.

  “Like what?” he asked. He rolled over onto his back and stared up at her with the same greedy expression on his face.

  He made her skin crawl.

  She shook her head in disgust. “Why don’t you get the fuck out of my room? I could have been changing.”

  “We’re all family here.”

  “Just because your whore mother married my father doesn’t make us family. It does make your ogling more disgusting though.”

  Pace just kept his eyes locked on hers. He didn’t even have the decency to deny it.

  “I’m getting out of here.”

  “You just got back.”

  “And?” she snapped.

  “Come on, Bri. We’re going to the same place, and we have to be there at the same time. Just let me drive you,” Pace said.

  He stood up, his six-foot-four frame towering over her. Football had padded his arms and shoulders, and standing near him made her feel tiny. She shot him a look that she hoped would make him feel just as small. Then, she left the room.

  He followed her downstairs and cornered her again in the massive garage that housed all her father’s prized luxury cars.

  “God, what do you want?” she screamed.

  “To take you to the game, Bri. Haven’t you been paying attention?” He sounded so calm and controlled.

  All she wanted to do was punch him in the face, but she needed to get it together. She couldn’t let Pace see her flustered.

  “Pace, I don’t know how to make this any clearer.” She balled her hands into fists. “I never want to be in the same place as you if I can ever help it.”

  He started laughing loudly and smiled at her revolted reaction. “It’s so fun to press your buttons, sis.” He winked before walking back inside.

  She was seething.

  If looks could kill, he’d already be dead.

  THROWING HER CHEER BAG into the backseat of her Aston Martin, she slammed the door with a ferocity that would have made her dad furious. She pulled out of the garage and sped over to Harmony.

  Avery and Tara were already supposed to be getting ready at school. Bryna usually strolled in right on time, looking as glamorous as ever, but she had been rushed out of the house and hadn’t had the time to finish off her glamorous look, so she would have to do it in the car. She hadn’t realized that stepping away from her hard shell would make it so hard to draw it back up again. She couldn’t afford to be off her game today.

  Before entering the building, she quickly applied a fresh coat of makeup, readjusted her ponytail, and added the signature red bow. When she went inside, she wanted them to see her as they always had.

  Perfect. Queen.

  Only Jude had noticed what was really stirring inside of her, and she preferred to keep it that way.

  Bryna ignored the surprised stares from the rest of the team as she walked into the building early and straight to the back of the room. She tossed her bag down next to her chair and took a seat.

  Avery and Tara skittered over, their brunette ponytails swishing as they moved.

  “Bri!” Avery cried. “You’re early.”

  “So observant, A,” Bryna responded sarcastically.

  “But, Bri, you’re never early,” Tara peeped.

  “Why are you hovering?”

  Avery and Tara immediately took a step back and started apologizing. Bryna swallowed down her frustration. She placed an amused smile on her face as they tripped over themselves to make it right.

  “It’s fine.” Bryna held up her hand.

  “So, where were you last night?” Avery asked. Her big brown doe eyes expectantly stared at her. “We waited for you at Luxe for, like, ever.”

  “Avery made out with Brian Blackwell,” Tara rushed out.

  Bryna questioningly raised her eyebrows. “You what?”

  Avery flushed. “Tara is exaggerating. It was just one kiss. No big deal. It would never be serious with Brian. He’s an underclassman.”

  “You had your tongue down his throat,” Tara said.

  Bryna turned her attention to Tara. “She knows her place. You can chill with the third degree.”

  Tara backed up another step and looked embarrassed from being called out.

  Bryna’s head was starting to pound. Why do I have to deal with this petty bullshit right now? She should have stayed in Jude’s apartment and skipped the game. That sounded like heaven right about now.

  “So, where were you then?” Avery repeated.

  Bryna smiled up at them. She felt a victory in her hands even before she spoke the words. This was going to tighten the reins that had been slipping through her fingers ever since her father remarried.

  “If you must know, I broke up with Gates last night.”

  Avery and Tara wore equally horrified faces.

  “You did what?” Tara asked.

  She stood and sighed. “I can do better.”

  “Better than Gates Hartman?” Avery asked.

  Do I detect disbelief in my friend’s voice?

  “Don’t you think so?” Bryna fixed them with a glare that made any response other than yes seem unacceptable.

  “Um…yea
h. Yes,” Avery said.

  “Of course,” Tara peeped.

  Bryna nodded in agreement. “I’m over the whole movie-star thing. I’d rather shop around for better merchandise.”

  Avery and Tara slowly bobbed their heads.

  “Wow,” Tara said. “You’re so right. You can do better than that.”

  “I know.”

  They smiled and exchanged glances before heading back to their seats. She knew that, in a matter of minutes, the news would spread to everyone at Harmony. She tried to ignore her already beeping phone and pretended to freshen up until it was time to leave. Just as she’d expected, the whispers behind her back escalated the closer it came to departure.

  Avery and Tara followed behind her as she strolled over to the state-of-the-art travel buses that would take them upstate. Before she reached the cheer bus, Pace stepped in front of them.

  She could hear Avery and Tara oohing and aahing. She was going to have to knock some sense into them if they kept this up.

  First, Brian, and now, Pace? Horrible, horrible taste.

  “Bri, can I speak with you for a minute?” Pace asked.

  She reeled in her original reaction to slap him across the face and call him out in front of everyone in the school. It wouldn’t help her present situation.

  “Sure, Pace. Give us a minute, girls.”

  They scurried onto the bus, leaving her alone with her stepbrother.

  “What do you want?” she asked, dropping the act.

  “You broke up with Gates?”

  “What does it matter to you?”

  “Sounds like some stupid rumor. Is it true?”

  Breathe in. Breathe out. “Good news travels fast. Yes, I broke up with Gates last night. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

  She went to pass him, but he grabbed her arm.

  “Is that why you were out last night?”

  “Pace, if I wanted you to keep tabs on my whereabouts, I’d let you know. Until then, you can go fuck yourself.” She wrenched her arm away from him. “Get out of my way.”

  As she was trying to leave, some of the guys from the football team barreled past them.

  She pointed at his teammates. “You have a bus to catch, Pace.”

  “That’s right. Did you hear about the talent scouts coming to the game tonight?” He paused only briefly and then continued as if he knew she wasn’t going to respond, “Las Vegas State Assistant Coach Matt Cason is supposed to come watch me play.”

  Bryna froze.

  He couldn’t go to LV State.

  Her mother and father had met there. He had played on the national championship football team. Her mother had been a cheerleader. Bryna had to send in her application by January for the freshman class next year. She wouldn’t hear for several months, but she figured she was a shoo-in.

  Pace couldn’t even be considering talking to the coach about the school. She wanted to escape home…not bring it to Vegas with her.

  “LV State is mine,” she growled. “Don’t even fucking think about it, Pace.”

  He smiled a toothy grin, and she stormed away, but not before she saw the challenge in his eyes.

  The football game came and went with a victory led by her slimy stepbrother.

  The weekend passed quickly after that, and Bryna started to grow restless. The last time she had heard from Jude was before he had walked out of his apartment. She knew the typical rule was to wait a couple of days before calling, but after the night they had shared together, how could he wait?

  Three weeks of radio silence later left her stunned and pissed. She cursed herself for allowing the whole thing to mean something to her.

  So what if he understood me? So what if we had an incredible night?

  She had to resign herself to the fact that it had been a one-night stand.

  He wasn’t going to call.

  “I THOUGHT YOU AND GATES BROKE UP,” Avery whined.

  Bryna rolled her baby-blues to the ceiling. Why the hell do I have to keep having this conversation? She and Gates were over. Just because she hadn’t blabbed about it to People magazine didn’t make it any less true.

  “We are,” Bryna snapped.

  “Then, why is he signing autographs outside of school?”

  Bryna jerked her head to the front of the parking lot, and her eyes bulged.

  Fucking hell! What the fuck is he doing here?

  This will not do.

  This will not do at all.

  She reeled in her state of shock. Breaking up with Gates had given her the leverage she needed. She was too good for Gates Hartman.

  But maybe she could spin this. If it looked like he was chasing her…well, all the better.

  “Gates Hartman,” she said idly. She languidly strolled down the stairs and out of Harmony Prep as if seeing her ex-boyfriend outside of the building was an every day occurrence.

  Avery trailed behind her, and she would bet anything that Tara was close by. As Bryna walked forward, the sea of girls in front of Gates parted like she truly was royalty. Too bad Gates wasn’t her Prince Charming. But he would do for now.

  He smiled that gorgeous grin solely for her, and all the girls sighed as they dreamily stared up at him.

  Good luck if they ever thought they would get someone like Gates.

  Dear Lord, he was handsome. No wonder he had won America’s heart on the big screen. That face was downright delicious. She didn’t want to be distracted from her mission, so she purposefully avoided looking at anything but his liquid blue eyes.

  “Hey, Bri,” Gates said completely nonchalant. “You ready to go?”

  She placed a curious smile on her face and planted her hand on one hip. “Where exactly are we going?”

  He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the hood of his fire red Porsche convertible. The look on his face screamed loud and clear: don’t-start-this-shit-with-me.

  She just arched an eyebrow in a silent rebuttal. You started this, and I’m going to finish it.

  “I’ve been gone on set for too long. Came straight here to see my girl.” He straightened and reached a hand out to her. He was so matter-of-fact as if she hadn’t broken up with him while he had been gone and she hadn’t fucked some other guy.

  She looked down at his hand and debated. Honestly, what does he expect me to do? There was no way she was giving into this so easily. She kept her face firmly blank as she returned her eyes to his. “But I haven’t been your girl in three weeks.”

  The crowd shifted awkwardly and looked around at others in disbelief. They were surprised that anyone whether Queen bee or not would turn down Gates Hartman. People gasped and started whispering behind their hands to each other.

  Let this be a lesson.

  Gates appeared oblivious to everyone’s reactions. Though she knew that he was enjoying the attention. He had always been comfortable in front of crowds. “Yeah. Okay, Bri,” he said, disbelievingly. He even rolled his eyes for good measure. “We’re together. You know it’s true. I know it’s true. Everyone else here knows we’re together. That’s not stopping because of a phone call. You’re my girl. Now let’s get out of here.”

  Everyone glanced at her expectantly. She wondered if they thought this had all been a stunt. It wasn’t, but they probably thought so. She had legitimately broken up with Gates for Jude, the asshole who had never called her back. But she wasn’t about to tell them about Jude. In fact, she hadn’t told anyone about Jude. She couldn’t trust anyone with that information. Only Gates knew that she had gone home with someone that night and that was the way it was going to stay. Not that it really mattered anymore since Jude still hadn’t bothered to call.

  With a resigned sigh, she finally placed her hand in his. It wouldn’t matter if she spent time with Gates if there was no one else in her life. Plus, it would look good to leave with him. “Fine. We’ll talk about this later,” she admonished.

  Gates pulled her close, planted a kiss on her temple, and then helped her into the
passenger seat of his convertible. He nodded at the girls still gawking at him, walked around the car, and then hopped over the door into the driver’s seat.

  Show-off.

  They pulled out of the parking lot, and she immediately turned to him in frustration. “That was a dirty trick you pulled.”

  He smirked. “How else was I going to get you to come to my place?”

  “Your place?” she asked. “I am not going to your place.”

  “Oh? We’re already on our way. And it’s for the better, right? Otherwise, I would have had to throw you over my shoulder and tie you to my bed to get you to talk to me,” he said, his blue eyes shining with glee. “Now, I know you would have just hated that. Wouldn’t you have, Bri?”

  She glared at him harder. The goddamn man knew her too well. “Don’t fucking kid yourself, Gates.”

  “Well, you’re coming to my place whether you want to or not. So, you can wipe off that eat-shit look on your face.”

  “Whatever. We’re not even together anymore.”

  “A phone call three weeks ago at four o’clock in the morning isn’t enough to end things with me, Bri. I’m not one of your pets or one of your goddamn followers.”

  She huffed and looked away from him. Her hair whipped all around her head as Gates navigated the traffic into Los Angeles in silence and then pulled into the gated community where he lived.

  Once his car was parked, he guided her straight up to his bedroom and shut the door behind her. She beelined for the bathroom to check out what the convertible had done to her hair. As she’d suspected, she looked like a hot mess. She finger-combed the tangled tresses.

  “Bri,” Gates groaned, leaning against the doorframe.

  “What?” she asked. She definitely needed a brush to fix the rest of the damage.

  “I’ve been gone a long time.” He walked up behind her and slid his hand across her stomach. She shouldered him aside as she worked on her hair some more.

  “And?”

  “Too damn long,” he murmured. He ignored her attempts to dislodge him and kissed along her shoulder.

  “What do you want, Gates?” she snapped.

  He grabbed her by the arm and swung her to face him. “I don’t think you’re listening, babe.”