I cringe. “Okay, I so didn’t need to hear that.”
Grayson plops down next to me, a little too close for comfort. “Didn’t need to hear what?”
“Carter’s secret fantasies about the Callahan twins,” Jace informs him.
“Both of them?” I shriek.
The sound of Gray’s laugh pulls at my heartstrings. “Tessa would probably screw you for the hell of it, but you definitely don’t have a shot in hell with Delaney.”
“That’s what I said, before his dirty mind took it to places I never wanted to go.”
Carter pops a fry into his mouth with a smile. “A guy can dream.”
Kinsley comes and sits down, with Becca and Paige at her side. The three of them look like something out of Mean Girls, only less pretty. They all take out their juices, reminding me they’re on a “cleanse”—something they tried to get Emma and me to do with them, but we declined. Let one of them pass out during cheer due to lack of food and watch what happens.
“So, Savi,” Kinsley starts, and the nickname sends a wave of anger through me.
I narrow my eyes on her, my expression cold. “Don’t call me that.”
“Why not? Grayson does.” The look on her face tells me she knows exactly what she’s doing, and she’s doing it intentionally.
Faking a sweet smile, I rest my arms on the table. “Grayson has been calling me that since we were five, and while I don’t particularly like it, he gets a certain leeway. You, on the other hand…” I don’t need to finish for her to know what I’m insinuating.
“Whatever.” She rolls her eyes and tries to recover by focusing on something else. “Gray, are you still coming over today? My parents won’t be home until late.”
It’s as if she just plunged a knife straight into my chest, hearing her call him the name reserved just for me. What’s worse is the way he smiles.
“Yeah, I’ll be there.”
I try to ignore the pit in my stomach, but it’s no use. The games he plays, throwing his extracurricular activities with Kinsley in my face on a constant basis, only to show up at my house and stake his claim on me—it’s time they come to an end. Tessa was right. He needs a little dose of jealousy.
IT DOESN’T TAKE LONG for me to get the chance to show him who he’s fucking with. We’re all in third period, working on a project together, when I get up to throw something away. By the time I come back, Grayson has moved from sitting on one of the desks to the chair I was just using.
“Really?” I deadpan. “Where do you expect me to sit?”
He smirks. “I can think of one place.”
Looking down at his lap and back up at me, I know what he’s doing. He’s trying to make a fool out of me. By me sitting on his lap, it would look like I’m okay with him touching me. It would basically send a silent message that he’s the one in control here, and I refuse to do that. Instead, a stroke of genius passes through my mind.
“Oh, good idea.” I tell him and then turn to stand in front of Jace. “May I?”
His eyes widen in surprise, and he moves his hands out of the way. “Be my guest.”
I plant myself right in Jace’s lap, ignoring the way Grayson glares from where he’s sitting. I look at him and smile sweetly, which was probably the wrong thing to do, because it looks like he’s about to blow a fuse.
“Fine, have your fucking seat,” he growls, standing up and going back to sit on the desk.
I shake my head. “No, it’s fine, really. I’m good here.”
We continue to work on the project as I stay where I’m at, much to Grayson’s disapproval. He’s so focused on the way Jace’s hands keep ending up on my thighs or my waist that he doesn’t even notice when Kinsley tries getting his attention.
“Grayson?” She tries for the fifth time.
“What?” He snaps.
She recoils from the tone of his voice, looking surprised that he spoke to her like that. “I need you to sign your name on the sheet.”
He rips the paper from her hands and angrily scribbles his name across it. Meanwhile, Jace starts poking my side, only to realize I’m ticklish. His one arm holds me to his chest as his other hand attacks.
“Stop!” I squirm, and judging by the way he throws his head back and bites his lip, he’s enjoying this a little more than originally intended. “Oh my God, you’re such a pig.”
He chuckles. “Well, what do you expect? I’ve got the hottest girl I know on my lap, moving her ass back and forth.”
Going to stand up, he tightens his hold on me to keep me in place. I can feel Grayson’s stare burning into us, and while a part of me is concerned for Jace’s wellbeing, another part is enjoying having the upper hand for once. He gets to experience what he’s made me feel for the last few weeks.
Moving his mouth as close to my ear as he can, Jace whispers, “He’s not going to kill me, is he? He kinda looks like he’s going to kill me.”
Sure enough, I look at Grayson, only to see him already staring back at me—and if looks could kill…
I chuckle and shake my head. “I don’t think so.” Keeping my eyes on him for another moment, I hum. “But maybe hire a bodyguard to be safe.”
CLASS LETS OUT, AND Jace gives me a hug before going to fourth period, promising we’ll pick back up where we left off. It’s obvious he’s just helping me make Grayson jealous, but it’s working, so I have no complaints.
I go to my locker to switch out my books when a deep and angry voice echoes into my ear.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
Turning around, I find Grayson no less than six inches from me. I feign innocence and give him a sweet smile. “I have no idea what you mean.”
“Cut the shit, Savannah. You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
I’m eating this up as I play the part. “Oh, you mean with Jace? I don’t know. I think I might give him a chance. He’s sweet, and hot as hell. Haven’t you noticed?”
He punches the locker next to my head and gets in my face. A part of me starts to wonder if maybe I took it too far, but then I remember all the times he flirted with Kinsley in front of me. And Lord only knows what they’ve done behind closed doors.
“Doesn’t feel good, does it?” I cross my arms over my chest.
He shakes his head and takes a step back, a devious smile spreading across his face. “Tell Delaney you don’t need a ride home today.”
“What? Why?”
“Because you’re coming with me.” He brings his lips to my ear, and his warm breath causes me to shiver. “I’m going to fuck the thoughts of Jace right out of you. By the time I’m done, the only name you’ll remember is mine.”
18
Grayson
By the end of the day, I’m on edge with the need to get Savannah out of here and back to my house. I already know my mom isn’t home, having left to spend the weekend visiting my Aunt Lauren. She offered to wait for me so I could go with her, but I declined. I have more pressing matters here.