I had been a bit drunk when I did THAT a few nights ago. And then I had been too lazy to change it back.
I shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. “Well, yeah. Because I am your main chick. All the other girls are just your side chicks.”
Maddox opened his mouth and then shut it, falling silent. He blinked and then just shook his head.
I gave him a cheesy smile. Maybe I was more than just tipsy.
“It’s okay, though. You can fuck around with them. At the end of the day, you come back home to me. And I know I’m better,” I muttered around another mouthful of popcorn, sending him my best smile.
He growled and the sensitive area between my legs clenched. Shit, this was bad.
Abort mission, abort mission.
Maddox ran his fingers though his wet hair, exhaling sharply. “For fuck’s sake, woman! My only side chicks are your other personalities. And there are like twenty-five of them.”
I paused midchew. Ouuh-kaay.
He showed me his hand, ticking off each list with his fingers. “Grumpy Lila. Lazy Lila. Pouty Lila. Funny Lila. Lila when she’s sleep-deprived. Sugar high Lila, like right now. On her period Lila. Normal Lila.”
My mouth opened then closed. My lips parted again, trying to say something. When I found nothing to say, quite speechless, I stuffed another fist of popcorn in my mouth and chewed in mock aggression.
“Do you want me to go on?” He paused, giving me a blank look as if daring me to argue with his claims.
I had no legit argument, and I had lost this round.
“Whatever,” I mumbled. “Go shower. You stink.”
“You're impossible.” Maddox shook his head with a slight curl of his lips. He walked back into the bathroom.
“You love me,” I yelled loud enough for him to hear even with the door separating us.
“YOU ARE A PAIN IN MY ASS.”
“You still love me, though,” I whispered, once I heard the shower turn on, with the silliest grin on my face. I knew he did because if he didn’t… we wouldn’t have lasted this long as a friend.
29
Maddox
As I walked out of my class, my phone pinged with a message. It was from Bianca. R u coming over tonight?
Did I want to? No. I’d rather be home with Lila, watching some stupid Korean series with her, which most of the time were cliché and too cheesy for my taste. Riley was obsessed with anything Korean: K-POP and K-Dramas. She made Lila watch one of the shows once and then…BAM, Lila was now a K-Drama obsessed, too. We were currently watching some period/historical drama called Scarlet Heart Ryeo.
I had to admit, though, that shit was good.
So, did I want to go over at Bianca’s tonight? No, I didn’t. Bianca was too…clingy. I didn’t even go on any dates with her. We fucked a few times, and she declared herself my girlfriend.
I didn’t correct her. She was now going around the campus, telling everyone she was Maddox Coulter’s girlfriend – flaunting our relationship status in everyone’s face. Including Lila’s.
Lila would just roll her eyes and subtly put her hand in my back pocket, which would make me smirk because, damn it, Lila sure knew how to push all these girls’ buttons. They were jealous of Lila and my best friend? She firmly believed none of these girls were ever good enough for me.
So, Bianca, my girlfriend?
Ha.
More like recent fuck buddy – but okay, I’d humor her. For a while.
I typed out a one-word response. Yes.
After all, it was Friday. Lila and Landon were supposed to have date night.
My jaw clenched at the thought, and my teeth gnashed together. Why couldn’t Lila see he wasn’t the man for her? There was something off about him, and apparently, I was the only one who could see that. I didn’t like him, period. Why? I didn’t know.
I just didn’t want him anywhere near my Lila.
“Yo, Maddox!” Turning around toward the voice, I saw Jaxon jogging over. He was Harvard’s linebacker, one tough motherfucker. He was a beast on the field.
His dark skin glistened with a sheen of sweat, and he flexed his neck left and right. “Can I crash over at your place tonight… and the rest of the week?” His brown eyes pleaded with me.
“Let me guess, Rory kicked you out? Again.”
Jaxon grimaced. “She’s pissed because she found a lipstick mark on the collar of my shirt. Told her I didn’t mess around with any bitches,” he sighed, rubbing a hand over his tired face. “It was before the game when I was hugged by one of the cheerleaders, but Rory doesn’t believe me. I’m no cheater, man. But she’s driving me fucking crazy.”
Jaxon was faithful to his girlfriend of five years. They were high school sweethearts and shit, but Rory was one fucked-up bitch who had major trust issues. I wasn’t about to tell Jaxon that, though, because he’d pummel my face into the ground.
“Yeah, you can crash at my place,” I said. Oh, the drama.
He slapped me on the back and nodded. “Thanks, man. I owe you one.”
“You owe a lot. Pretty sure you live at my place more than yours.”
He grinned. “I’d say you were goddamn lucky you didn’t have to deal with a psycho girlfriend, but I can’t complain. She’s the best thing in my life.”
I didn’t need a girlfriend.
Lila Garcia was already the best thing in my life.
As Jaxon jogged away, my ringtone blasted through the pocket of my black slacks. I held back a growl of annoyance and checked the screen. I picked up the phone after seeing it was Riley calling. “What?”
“Lila has been locked in her room for the last two hours; she won’t come out, and I think she’s crying. That asshole. Landon, it’s him. You need to come because Lila isn’t opening the door for me,” she rattled out in one breath. “Maddox! Are you listening?”
I was already sprinting toward our apartment. “I’m coming,” I growled.
Red, hot anger coursed through my veins, and I swallowed it down, but it grew in my belly. I felt it pounding through my blood, vicious and brutal.
If Landon had caused my Lila any pain… if he hurt her…
I took the stairs two at a time, stumbling in my haste, but I couldn’t find myself to care. The door to her apartment was opened, so I hustled inside. Riley was pacing the length of their living room, worry etched over her face. Colton was leaning against the wall, also looking a bit pensive. That was the only time I had seen the two of them in the same room without being at each other’s throat.
“Maddox,” Riley said, looking relieved at the sight of me.
I walked past her and stood in front of Lila’s bedroom. The door was locked, like Riley said.
“Lila?” I called out, pressing my ear to the door. There was a sound of her sniffling.
She was… crying?
No.
FUCK, NO.
My gut churned as my fist pounded on her door. “Lila, open the door.”
There was no response from her. “Open the fucking door or I’m going to break it down. Trust me, I will.”
“Go away,” she called out weakly.
My heart stuttered. “Lila,” I said, trying to keep my voice gentle. “Baby, open the door. Please.”