My thoughts return to earlier, causing my lip to curl up in a sneer. “Oh, trust me,” I answer, giving her a dark look over my shoulder. “We’ve already been reintroduced. Unfortunately.”
“Oh, fuck. I know that look. What’d the bastard do?”
Opening a cabinet next to the stove, I shove a stack of pans inside on the bottom shelf. Situating them, I close it and turn back around to face her. “Basically, he told me that this campus wasn’t big enough for the two of us and that I needed to leave.”
She looks taken aback. “Such a prick!”
I nod. “You have no idea.” The idea of him telling me what to do, coupled with all the things he did to me in high school, cause me to reach a mini-explosive point. Slapping my hands down on the counter, I level Jenna with a glare. “He thinks he freaking owns everything just because his family has money and owns three-fourths of the town. Bullshit!”
“Preach it, sister!” she croons, slapping the countertop just as hard as I did.
“He treated me like shit when we were younger. Had me doing everything for him yet giving me nothing in return. So, fuck him. Golden Oaks Uni is my only hope because they’re the only ones that offer what I need, so he can go … he can go,” I stammer, growling under my breath, “he can go shove his dick in a fence gate for all I care.”
My anger must snap through her better senses because she stops and stares at me. Hard. I’m not acting like a woman who was done dirty by her best friend. I’m acting like a scorned lover with a vendetta.
“You sure he didn’t do anything else? Because whatever he did sounds big,” she murmurs.
Fuck. I knew running off on a tangent like that would provoke Jenna to ask questions. But she doesn’t need to know the sordid details of that night my life went to shit. Maybe I can get by with telling her the bare bones? Worth a try.
“He cheated on me with that Radcliff girl.”
Her eyes widen to the size of saucers. “Cassandra?” I nod, my body temperature elevating even now just thinking about that night. “That fucking bitch! They didn’t start ‘seeing’ each other until a few weeks after winter break was over, but I knew something was up. That low-down, dirty asshole! I never would’ve pegged Hunter as a cheater.”
I nod, swallowing the emotions trying to build in my throat. “Christmas Eve, I showed up at his house to give him his present. He’d been acting weird the last couple days, so I didn’t really think anything of it when he didn’t come over that morning. Anyway, I went, and there they were all cuddled up on the love seat.”
“You’re lying!” she exclaims, mouth falling agape in shock.
“Nope,” I say with a shake of my head. “Her parents were even there, talking up Hunter’s dad like he was the president of the United States. And when I said something about their precarious positions, Hunter called me this name—little con—saying I almost had him fooled.” I shake my head, dumbfounded. “I still have no idea what he was talking about.”
Jenna sadly shakes her head. “Sorry I asked. But damn, that’s a piece of shit thing to do to someone who loves you.”
“Loved. I feel nothing for that asshole anymore.”
No one is supposed to be able to live through their entire world being ripped apart. To feel the person they’re connected with the most sever that tie between them as if their connection meant nothing in the first place.
Hunter did that. He tossed me away like I was yesterday’s garbage, trading me in for someone newer, popular, and prettier. If he didn’t want to be with me anymore, he should have just told me like a man, instead of sneaking around like some coward.
I dig more pots out of the box and put them in their desired location. After finishing, I move onto the next, relishing the work in silence. Jenna doesn’t try to say anything else. She slips off at some point to stay unpacking her things, too.
That’s why I love Jenna. She knows when enough is enough and doesn’t insist on pushing things when you’re not comfortable. There’s a line in the sand, and she respects that.
I just have my doubts that Hunter will do the same.
Actually, I know Hunter won’t respect it. He’s never respected anything in his life.
“Let’s just get our stuff unpacked, then we’ll order in and watch some Criminal Minds!”
Jenna whoops from inside her bedroom, making me smile. “That’s my girl!”
My mind is everywhere on my way out of town. On Cass and her clingy ways. On my boys that I’m supposed to meet up with for a few drinks tonight. And lastly, on the ghost who’s made herself corporal once more.
Did she really think coming back here was going to be as easy as snapping her fingers? Fuck no. This is my town, and I own the people in it. Not her. She gave up that right the moment she left town at my behest. So, fuck her. Fuck the reason she came back here.
Just fuck every God-blessed thing that involves her.
I slam on my brakes, my car nearly sideswiping my brother’s. A smile drifts over my lips when I catch that it’s Owen’s. Shoulda ran right into the motherfucker, I nastily think to myself, shoving my car in park and stepping out. Just for good measure, I stick my key between my fingers and make a lovely engraving of a giant hairy dick with a question mark. He’ll know what it means and who did this, but he won’t do shit about it—fucking pussy.
My feet slap against the pavement as I make my way toward the front door, climbing the steps two at a time.
Earlier, I didn’t get a chance to grab my things. Cassandra had called, inviting me over to her place for a little some-some before we had to be at GOU. Let’s say it took a little longer than planned, and I couldn’t come back for my shit.
Thus, here I am, stepping back into the devil’s den.
Pushing the door open, I slam it behind me and make my way toward the kitchen. When I step through the archway, I come to a complete stop, narrowing my eyes out of habit.
Owen steps back from the fridge, lifting his head. Once he sees it’s me, he rolls his eyes and grabs a Gatorade. Claiming his usual spot against the island, he twists off the cap and takes a huge drink, never once taking his eyes off me.
“Got a staring problem,” I retort in a no-nonsense tone.
For several seconds, he stands in silence, watching me. Then, all of a sudden, he gets pissed off and slams the Gatorade down onto the counter beside him, causing the contents to splash out onto his hand, which he ignores. His fiery attitude is set on me, and I’ve been spoiling for a fight.
“Are you ever going to get over that, Hunt?” he asks, exasperation lingering in his tone. “Fuck, man, it’s been three years already. You got your justice, now give it a rest. She—” He sputters to a stop, seeing the cold, hard look on my face.
Three years? Like that’s enough time to get over a betrayal as deeply engrained as the one he committed. He hasn’t seen justice yet.
Quirking a brow, I regard him with a serious expression. I’d love nothing more than to wring his neck, but dear mother would never approve of her babies fighting. It doesn’t mean I’m not still pissed off, though. And he’d do well to remember—just because I’m younger doesn’t mean I’m weaker.