Present
SHORTLY AFTER I CAME DOWN, a sleepy-eyed Four wandered into the kitchen with Jay D at her side. I gave off two short whistles, and her pup immediately rounded the corner before sitting dutifully at my side. Four stopped short, her confused frown traveling from me to Jay D and back again. I smirked, making her prop her hand on her hip.
“What the hell did you do to my dog?”
I slowly took a sip of my coffee. “I taught him a few tricks. Not my fault you didn’t bother training him.”
Rolling her eyes, she bent low to make eye contact with Jay D. “Come here, baby.”
Jay D simply stared back at her. Patting her thighs, she tried again. Like a good boy, he didn’t budge.
“Why the hell did you turn my dog against me?”
“Have you thought about who might keep him when you hit the road?”
Her brows furrowed, and she was noticeably quiet, telling me she hadn’t thought about it. Four had plans to turn a new leaf and race legally, which meant she’d be on the road a few months out of the year.
Slowly, almost hesitantly, she shook her head. “No.”
“My uncle hasn’t had much time for his own son these past few years. He damn sure won’t give a fuck about a dog, and since your mom’s a basket case…” At her glower, I stopped my train of thought and began running my fingers through Jay D’s fur. “I don’t think they’ll let your bestie keep him in her dorm.”
“I could ask Wren and Lou,” she said.
I rolled my eyes. “Or you could just ask me.”
“Aren’t you heading to Penn in the fall?”
“Yeah, but Unc set me up with an apartment near campus. I move in a few days before the semester starts,” I announced, which earned Four’s frown.
“I thought freshman were required to live on-campus their first year?”
“I have to be assigned to a dorm.” I shrugged. “Doesn’t mean I have to physically be there.”
“But that’s such a waste of money!” she fussed.
“I’m worth billions, kitten. I think I’ll be okay if I blow ten or fifteen grand.”
“There’s one person you forgot about,” she said.
I snorted, knowing she was referring to my cousin. “You could ask your boyfriend, but don’t be surprised if he leaves him on the side of the road and tells you he ran away when you come home.”
“Ever wouldn’t do that.”
“He’s not exactly Jax’s biggest fan. You sure you trust him with your fur baby?”
“Jax?” she echoed.
“Oh, yeah. I renamed him, too. Jax sounds more intimidating, don’t you think?”
I could tell she was fed up with me when she crossed the kitchen and yanked the coffee pot from the holder. “Thanks, but no thanks.”
I shrugged as I stood up and placed my bowl in the sink. “Suit yourself. It’s no skin off my balls.”
She paused from pouring her coffee and squeezed her eyes closed. “It’s nose,” she said after opening them again.
“What?”
“The saying is ‘it’s no skin off my nose.’”
“But that doesn’t make any sense. Who the fuck cares about a nose when balls make babies?”
“Is that why Bee broke yours when you were kids?” she teased. “Because she knew you’d give her beautiful babies one day?” Four’s eyes sparkled at me over her cup as she took a sip of her coffee.
“For your information, Barbette didn’t break my nose. Ever is such a goddamn liar.”
“It wasn’t Ever,” Four corrected. “Tyra told me. Vaughn told her.”
Jesus fucking Christ. My friends were such dicks. “She didn’t break my nose,” I repeated needlessly.
“Seems to me she did since you’re being a little defensive,” Four teased.
“Eat a dick, kitten.” Snapping my fingers, I grinned at her glare. “Or is that part of your relationship still one-sided?” I couldn’t count how many times I’d caught Ever’s head between Four’s legs but never the other way around. Ever was clearly a better man than I could ever be.
I didn’t miss the heat creeping up Four’s neck as she looked away. “That’s none of your business.”
“There’s nothing to be nervous about, kitten. It’s really not that complicated. You just suck and swallow.”
I expected her to get mad and storm away, but instead, she began chewing on her lip, telling me she was thinking.
Holy shit. I didn’t give a fuck how patient Ever was willing to be. I had the feeling he was about to owe me big time. And I’d be damned if I wouldn’t make him pay up.
“What if I’m bad at it?”
I raised a brow because I’d only kissed her once, briefly, but it was enough to tell me she wouldn’t be bad at it at all. If she blew Ever even half as good as she kissed, they’d have no problems.
“What if you’re not?”
“That’s not an answer, Jamie.”
I sighed as I hopped on the counter and held her gaze. “Look, he’s not expecting you to be a pro. In fact, I’m pretty sure that would only piss him off.”
“Why would that make him mad?”
“Because if it were me, I’d be wondering how many dicks you had to suck to get that good.”
“Jamie, that’s ridiculous.”
I shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not.” Reaching behind me, I plucked a banana from the basket of fruit and held it out to Four. “Practice makes perfect.”
Her phone buzzed, so she checked it, ignoring the banana. Peeling back the skin, I ate half in one bite while she typed. When she was finished, she glanced at me and rolled her eyes.
“You had a problem,” I said around a mouthful of banana, “and I’m pretty sure you’ve just found yourself a solution.”
She seemed genuinely confused when she frowned, making it really hard to believe she wasn’t a virgin. “What do you mean?”
“You need someone to take care of your dog, and Ever needs a blow job from his girlfriend.”
“That’s your advice?”
“Nope. K.L.S.S.”
“What does that mean?”
“Keep life simple, stupid.”
Her phone buzzed again, and she glanced at it before pocketing it. “Ever will be here any second,” she announced. “The three of us need to talk and not about blow jobs.”
“Then no can do, princess,” I said, calling her by the pet name Ever had given her. “I’ve got somewhere to be.”
“Can’t you cancel?”
“Nope,” I answered as I hopped down from the counter. I was meeting Jason today for whatever fucking reason. He claimed he had some important information, but I was pretty sure I’d just end up kicking his ass instead. I didn’t like him period, I never have, but I especially didn’t like the way he was always leering at Bee.
“It’s about Barbette,” Four announced, and I hated myself for being tempted.
“Then I really don’t give a fuck.”
“Do you honestly expect me to believe that?” she fussed. When I started for the door without a response, she rushed to block me from leaving. “Let up on her,” Four pleaded. “I know you’re hurting, but her side of y’all’s story is just as valid.”