Ruthless Heart

by Eve L Mitchell

  Jett’s hand covered mine, plucking my hand off his arm and dropping it like it personally offended him. “Who were you with?”

  “When?”

  He looked over my shoulder, jerking his head towards the stairs. “Boyfriend?”

  “Shane?” I looked towards the stairs. “No.”

  “Fuck buddy?”

  My head snapped back at him in disbelief. “No, what is wrong with you?”

  “Got drugged, fucked a girl, got suspended from football.” Jett said it so matter-of-factly without a flinch, but I did at the brutality of his words. “What’s wrong with you?”

  Asshole. “Got wasted, fucked a guy, got threatened.” I could play his game even if I didn’t match his coldness.

  Jett smirked as he leaned forward, and this time I didn’t move away from him. “Who said it was a threat?” With a low chuckle as he saw my face pale, he went into the room, closing the door firmly behind him.

  As I hurried down the stairs, I was not at all surprised to see Gray standing at the foot of the stairs, blocking anyone from going up. His eyes met mine, and I looked away as he stepped aside, and I rushed back to the main room.

  They said there was safety in numbers? Well, I needed numbers, because I did not feel safe. Quinn had unsettled me with her little speech earlier, Gray looked menacing, and Jett...well, he confused me. Because while he completely intimidated me, he also made my pulse throb in anticipation any time I was near him. Our hook-up in his bathroom still made no sense to me. I mean, we went from freezing to hot to cold again within the space of twenty-four hours. Twenty-four hours? Twenty-four seconds felt more like it.

  “Did you see who are here?” Mia asked me quietly as she handed me a beer.

  “Hard to miss,” I replied as I purposefully turned my back on the Devils who I could see.

  “We can go, we don’t need to stay,” she assured me with a quick smile. I looked at Alex, who had been talking to someone else. With a fist bump to the guy, he turned back to Mia, his arm slipping around her waist. I said nothing, but I noted Mia wasn’t stepping out of his touch.

  “I’m not running from him.”

  “Who’s him?” Alex had heard my comment as the music dipped into the next song. “Did you ditch Shane?” he asked me curiously as he looked around the room.

  “No, I was in the bathroom, and he said he’d meet me down here.” Over a week of knowing Jett Santo, and I’d become a habitual liar.

  “There he is,” Mia said as she pointed over to Shane, who was talking to Wade and Bea. Finally, the numbers I needed to stay away from shithead and crew.

  “My girl!” Wade greeted me with a hug, which I returned before hugging Bea. “This place is packed, music’s shit though. I’ll be back. Why don’t you all head outside, get us some air.” With a kiss to Bea’s cheek, he went off in search of whoever was in charge of music.

  “How are you, Ava?” Bea asked me with a smile as she watched Wade make his way through the crowd before we moved our little group outside, and Wade was right; it was better, not as noisy but still crowded.

  “Good thanks.” Another lie. “How are you? I love your outfit.” Bea had on a tight black pencil skirt, butterfly clasp elastic belt, and a red and white gingham short-sleeved top with a sweetheart neckline and tiny red heart buttons. It was perfectly retro and fit her slender figure like a glove.

  “I made this top in class, and I’m telling you, Ava, I thought I’d given myself at least a half inch more room than I have. These girls are ready to greet the world if I’m not careful!”

  With a glance down at the cleavage on display, I laughed. “No dancing for you,” I agreed with a wink.

  As Bea told me what else she had been making, I could feel him behind me. Self-consciously I looked over my shoulder quickly, and there he was. Leaning against a low wall in the yard, a bottle of beer in his hand, listening to Quinn, who was standing close to him but not touching. Were they together? Because if I’d hooked up with her boyfriend, well, I kind of understood her dislike of me.

  Jett’s eyes flicked my way and held. Jesus. He was intense.

  “Ava!”

  The loud shout in my ear made me jump. “What?” I turned back to look at Mia, who was shaking my arm.

  “Ava, look!”

  Turning my head in the direction of her stare, my jaw dropped open. Dante Spence had just come into the yard through a side gate.

  “Oh fuck,” I gasped. He looked as flawless as always with thick light blond hair that was in a low fade, square jaw, and perfect white smile. He was slightly smaller in height than Jett, his six one height nothing to complain about. His shoulders weren’t as broad, and he was a slimmer frame. Jett had more bulk, which was surprising for his QB status, especially as he used his feet as much as his arm. Dante stayed within the safety of the pocket more, but as a result, he had a slightly better throwing arm.

  “You need to talk to him this time,” Mia urged me. “Not about football, but about girl things.”

  “Periods?” I blurted, and Bea burst out laughing.

  “No, you lunatic,” Mia scolded me. She quickly checked for Shane, who had migrated to a group where Wade had stopped to talk on his way to join us, with Alex following. “We’ll distract Shane. This could be your chance, Ava,” she added excitedly.

  Bea glanced at Shane and then me. “You collecting a harem, Ava?” she teased.

  “Yeah, that’s me, the collector.” I noted that Dante was with his friend, Dustin Slater, and I saw Dustin see Mia at the same time as I saw Dustin. “Eh, Mee, you may need the distraction,” I warned her.

  Dustin was the wide receiver for the Lions, and with agile footwork, he was weaving through the crowd to Mia like he ran his routes to the end zone, with speed and precision.

  “Red, I was hoping to see you,” he greeted, and Mia’s smile could have lit the backyard. Dante was three steps behind Dustin, and I saw him recognise me at the same time as I saw the Devils move into my line of sight, and the only word to describe them was murderous.

  “Hey,” Dante said as he reached forward and gave me an awkward hug.

  Dante Spence hugged me. Willingly. Without provocation. Like he wanted to. Why didn’t this make me as happy as it should?

  “Hi, Dante.” My voice squeaked, but he didn’t notice.

  “Did you see the game today?” he asked me, and for the first time in his college football career, I hadn’t. Because I’d been watching the Saints. Because I knew Jett would be watching, alone.

  “Mm-hmm.” Lie lie lie. Was I ever going to tell the truth again?

  “So,” Dante teased, his smile easy, “hit me with my stats.”

  “Yeah, Ava, tell me Dante’s stats from today’s game.”

  Whoever I pissed off, whoever I hurt, I’m sorry. This is not karma. I do not deserve this. I am a good person. Please, will you fuck off?

  “Santo?” Dante lost his easy smile.

  “You look surprised to see me.” Jett’s voice had no friendliness. “But why? I’m at a party in my college campus. Why wouldn’t I be here?”

  “You didn’t play today,” Dante answered as two more of his team arrived behind him. “Heard you were injured.”

  “Heard wrong,” Jett answered tersely.

  Dante and he held a long stare off, and I had absolutely no idea how I was in the middle of this.

  “The party seems big enough for both of us,” Dustin said with a forced casualness, and the two grunts from each quarterback could be heard over the music, which I was sure had been lowered.

  “Good game you had,” Ash said to Dustin, reaffirming my belief Ash was the only decent Santo there was.

  “Yeah, everything was coming my way today,” Dustin told him. “Saw your catch in the end zone, good footwork.”

  “Thanks,” Ash replied, and then they were silent again.

  “I bet you know all the stats today,” Dustin said with a knowing smile at me. “C’mon, tell us who had the better passing rate.”<
br />
  “Uh,” I stumbled. I had all the attention, and I never in a million years wanted it. “For your game?”

  Dante frowned. “Yeah, although remember that night you told me all the stats for that weekend? That was impressive.”

  I could feel Jett as he moved beside me. A hand touched my lower back, and I tensed. “How do you know, Ava?” Jett asked as his hand pressed into my back, his fingers twisting into my top, and I knew it was to stop me from bolting.

  “Huge Lions fan, aren’t you, girl?” Dustin had no idea he was making this worse for me.

  “I’m more a lover of the game itself,” I croaked out.

  “Lions for the win?” Gray growled.

  Prick.

  “Oh man,” Dustin laughed. “Did you see that shit on Twitter?” He laughed loudly. “Dude, you were a genius with the trash talking,” he said to Jett. “Our upcoming game’s got so much hype around it. We already obliterated every other team this week in the press.”

  I noted that Dante didn’t seem to be impressed at his wide receiver’s easy friendship with the opposition, and then my panicked brain remembered that Dustin had gone to the same high school as the Santos.

  “Got to play to the crowd,” Ash spoke for Jett, who was still in a stare off with Dante.

  Dustin looked around the party. Many were staring at the small group that I was still the centre of, but most were partying like normal people on a Saturday at a college party. “My kid sister’s boyfriend is here. We agreed to detour on the way home and pick him up.”

  “All of you?” Gray asked as he looked over the four players.

  “Well.” Dante looked at me. “I came hoping to see you.”

  “You did?” Jett spoke before I had a chance to. I felt him turn slightly into me, and I knew my cheeks were on fire. “Why?”

  “Don’t.” The plea was out before I could stop myself. Fingers tightened on my top, digging into my flesh.

  “Don’t?”

  “Girl, did you switch teams on us?” Dustin asked with a wide-eyed look as he clutched his chest in mock horror. His teammates laughed, and I was grateful for the attempt at the easing of the tension. Dante didn’t laugh.

  “She more than switched,” Gray said with a smirk as he took a swig of his beer. I felt Jett’s chuckle, and I looked over at Mia, who looked as helpless as I felt as I stood there caught in between the two larger-than-life egos. “We’ve all heard how much she switched.”

  Bastard.

  “Your stats today, I’m sure you know,” I said suddenly to Dante before any other Santo could make a dig at my night with Jett. “Best player of the game, although Dustin definitely brought his A game. You’ll need to be quicker though next week, Slater; the Saints linebacker Brown was on fire today.” I turned my attention back to Dante. “And you? You better hope that pocket protects you. Woods is on point. He had four sacks today alone. Saints defence may just be enough to win it.”

  Dante gave me a good-natured smile. “That your take? Saints going to take down the Lions?”

  “Defence wins championships,” I answered blithely. “Offence can only take you so far.” Those fingers were going to leave a bruise on my back if he dug in any tighter.

  “Offence takes it to the end zone,” Jett answered me before he spoke to Dustin. “Well, we shouldn’t hold you up on your search for...whoever.”

  Dante held his stare and then turned his attention back to me. “Can we talk?”

  “No.”

  I blinked. With a small shake of my head as if to clear the fog, I looked up at Jett. “I believe he was talking to me.”

  Jett glanced down at me, and I swallowed as his cold mask slipped, revealing his anger. Jaaaysus Lord.

  “I was,” Dante said. “Talking to you, that is.”

  “She’ll talk to you if you can tell me her name.” Mia stepped forward, and my jaw dropped open along with Dante’s. His lack of response only frustrated her more. “Seriously, dude, how many times has it been now?”

  “Mia!” I protested as I looked at her with a clear what the fuck look.

  Jett was grinning like he’d already received the Heisman Trophy. “Shh now,” he hushed me. “We’re all waiting, Spence. Impress us.”

  Was my whole entire existence just for his entertainment?

  Dante stood silent until it became uncomfortable for him, never mind me. He looked furious, and with a grunt, he spun on his heel and barged through the backyard to go inside, with his teammates following him.

  Dustin looked at me in apology. “Sorry, Ava.” He sounded sincere, and I could only jerk my head once in a nod. “Red, don’t be a stranger,” he said to Mia with a wink, completely ignoring the fact that Alex had glued himself to Mia’s side. “See you on the field, guys.”

  When they were in the house, Jett’s fingers loosened, and I wrenched myself free of his hold.

  “So, how often do you hang out with the competition?” Jett asked me coldly.

  “They’re not competition to me.”

  “Is that right?” His tone was deceptively calm.

  “That’s right,” I snapped back angrily.

  “And that, my friends, is what we call motive.” Gray snorted. “We’re out.” Tapping Jett on the shoulder, he turned away.

  Jett stood for a moment longer. His left hand stroked his chin before his fingers ran over his lips and down his chin as he considered me thoughtfully. “Pity.” He and Ash followed Gray.

  “What did he mean?” Alex asked in the quiet that followed.

  “It means nothing,” I answered softly. Nothing good anyway.

  Getting ready for bed after brushing my teeth and gargling my mouthwash, I felt slightly sorry for myself on how the night had ended for me. Not long after the Devils had left us outside, I’d felt exhausted and made my way home. Mia and Bea were happy to stay, Alex was trying to convince Mia musicians were more fun than footballers, and things with Shane were slightly awkward after Jett’s manhandling of me. I knew everyone was thinking of the “blonde” Jett had been looking for and the rumours circulating about me, and I knew that they were eventually going to ask if I was her.

  I hadn’t wanted to answer any questions in regards to the bizarre encounter with the Alabama guys, and Mia had been tight-lipped when I questioned her about her outburst towards Dante.

  Overall, the night had lost the fun factor for me, and I knew the more my friends had to drink, the more questions I’d have to avoid. Home had been the more desirable option. Climbing into bed, I lay on my back, staring at the ceiling. Being an obvious glutton for punishment, I had stalked Dante’s Facebook and felt happy there was no mention of awkward parties on their rival’s campus.

  Gray’s less than subtle accusation of motive pissed me off. They still thought I had drugged Jett, and I was of a mind to no longer defend myself to the assholes. They didn’t believe me. Me knowing Dante worsened my case, but did his lack of knowing me in some way help me? Or did it make me look even more suspect?

  I could hear Quinn now, whispering into Jett’s ear about me doing it for attention. In my head, I punched her.

  “You can’t lie here and worry about this,” I told the room. “Go to sleep, it won’t be as bad in the morning.” Advice my mom gave me all the time. Nothing was as bad as it seemed after a good night’s sleep.

  Closing my eyes, I listened to my mom, eventually drifting off to sleep.

  The thud of something being kicked woke me. Blearily, I lifted my head and peered into the dark.

  “Mia?”

  “You wish.”

  “Jett?” I bolted upright, sleep forgotten as I leaned over and flicked my sidelight on. There he sat at my desk, in his armour of black clothing, hair messy, and his boots on my floor. “How?” I stuttered. “Why are you here? How did you get in here?”

  “Not important,” he said as he studied me. “How long have you known Spence?”

  “No.” I was out of bed, hands on hips, ready to do battle. “Get out of my bedro
om!”

  Jett looked around lazily, taking in the pale walls, the three shelves of textbooks, the bed, the desk and the small closet. “No,” he mocked me.

  “This is insanity, this is illegal,” I told him. “You broke into my apartment.”

  “Did I?” He cocked his head as he looked at me. “I say you let me in.”

  “I say you’re full of shit.”

  “See how it works?” Jett’s gaze travelled over me slowly, and I felt the goose bumps as he did so. “I say you drugged me.”

  “I say I didn’t.”

  Jett’s eyes fixated on my chest, causing my nipples to harden, and I hastily crossed my arms. His slow smile caused my tummy to somersault. “I say I may fuck you again.”

  My throat closed. “I say not likely.”

  He was on his feet and in front of me in one stride. A hand cupped my chin, tilting my head back as he stared down at me, his face clear of emotion. “I say you drop to your knees and suck my dick.”

  “I say you kiss my ass.”

  He smirked, and seeing that familiar expression almost relaxed me until I was spun and my pyjama shorts were tugged down. Fluidly, I was bent over, and my cry of alarm was swallowed by my cry of pain when the bastard bit my ass. “Ow, you fuck!”

  His lips and tongue soothed the bite, causing my core to heat, before he bit the other cheek, causing me to cry out again before he soothed the bite again. His lips moved over my ass, and my head was reeling from his touch. His hand skimmed the inside of my thigh before it lightly traced over my pussy.

  “So wet,” he murmured as he bit my ass cheek again, and his fingers ran through my folds. “Did I do this to you that night?” he asked me as his thumb rubbed over my clit. “Did I eat this pussy until you screamed for me?”

  Yes. “I...” I gasped when his tongue replaced his thumb. “Oh Jesus,” I groaned as he ate me out, my legs spreading to give him room. His tongue was merciless, like him. As he licked me, his fingers stretched me open before his tongue dipped inside me. “Shit.” It felt so good. My cry of protest when he stopped stroking me would have embarrassed me, but Jett flipped me around, and pushing me onto the bed into a sitting position, his hands grabbed my thighs and pulled me to the edge where he got on his knees and buried his head between my thighs. I could say nothing as my hands curled into his hair, feeling his breath against my most sensitive area before he licked and sucked me until I was begging him not to stop. Not this time, he couldn’t leave me like this again.