Chapter 8
Blaise’s POV
“Okay, let’s see what we’ve got.” Ronnie rubs his hands together, eye alight with excitement as Tiago puts the pizzas down on the
table.
Seated beside Ronnie on the couch, Allie looks up from her phone and says, “I ordered a Margarita, a Neptune, and enough fries to feed an army.”
“How did you manage to escape your ball and chain anyway?” Luke asks her as he drags the footrest over and plops down.
Seated in the only armchair in the room, I chuckle when Allie preem
It’s not like my stepbrother gives a shit about her. Not really. But she sure loves it when my friends pretend he does.
Why is he even with her when she cheats on him on the regular?
On the other hand, it’s easy to figure out why Allie set her eyes on him; he’s popular and has that bad–boy vibe that makes girls drop their panties.
Let’s just say, she’s not the first girl in our town to think she can change him, and she won’t be the last.
Why am I even thinking about this?
When Ronnie reaches for the pizza, Tiago slaps his hand and says, “Quita de ahí!”
Ronnie pretends to be hurt. “Dude, not fair. I wasn’t born in Spain like you.”
They banter back and forth, and Allie joins in, too, while Mia grabs us each a slice of pizza.
She sits back down on my lap, tucks her legs up beneath her, and watches me inhale my food. I’m never one to say no to something
to eat.
“I don’t know where you put it all,” she points out, taking such a small bite that I’m sure even a mouse would be unimpressed.
Tiago looks over. Somehow, he got Ronnie in a chokehold, their food forgotten. “It’s all the football he did in high school. When are the tryouts?”
Oh, that.
As if I don’t have enough on my plate, I have to try out for a spot on the football team. Guess who’s their QB?
Cole.
Of–fucking–course.
Before I can muster a response, the door flies open, and Cole and Samson enter the living room.
When you speak of the devil.
My mood instantly sours.
The look I give Mia says, “You told me he wouldn’t be here.”
1/2
Chapter 8
“I didn’t know, I promise,” she whispers as I grip the armrest with whitening knuckles.
He’s everywhere. I can’t even have an evening with my friends without him crashing.
Dressed in black combat pants and a hoodie, he saunters across the room as though he owns the place.
“Pizza,” Samson exclaims. “Hell yes!”
Elbow on the armrest, I rub my lips. Why the fuck is he here? Allie usually resorts to bribery to get him to show up to spend time with her friends.
As Mia plays with the wayward strands of hair at my nape, I try my hardest not to look in their direction, but it’s proving harder than breathing underwater or surviving a fall from the Empire State Building.
Cole drops onto the couch and pulls Allie onto his lap, his smile dark and devilish.
“Fries, anyone?” Samson asks around a mouthful, holding out the container.
“Just…help yourself,” Tiago says, and Samson dives in, oblivious to the sarcasm in Tiago’s voice.
“I promise, I didn’t know,” Mia whispers again when I show no sign of relaxing my tense shoulders.
I’ll wake up with a sore neck at this rate.
“Why are you here?” I bite out, directing the question at the asshole across the room who stops sucking his girlfriend’s face.
It takes him forever to slide his eyes in my direction, and when he finally does, I swear there’s a glint of something wicked in those dark depths. His nostrils flare, and then he smirks, but it lacks humor. It’s cold, just like his fucking heart. “Dad wants us to bond, remember? Thought I’d make an effort.”
“He’s not your dad.” I’m so fucking triggered that it’s difficult to breathe with him in the room. His presence sucks out the oxygen as his eyes burn brighter.
“Blaise…” There’s a warning in Mia’s voice, but I’m done with her. Done with this. She has defended him for the last fucking time.
Shoving her off my lap, I shoot to my feet and walk out, slamming the door behind me. As I stalk down the hallway toward the bathroom, my hands drag down my face.
Why the hell am I so wound up? I don’t even know.
After splashing ice–cold water on my face and spending an eternity bracing my hands against the sink while staring into the mirror, I push off and walk out.
Chapter Comments
Visitor
hmm. it’s getting hot in there
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