Something stings my eyes, and I refuse to believe it’s tears. “Why?”
“Because you’re the strongest person I know.”
I don’t allow myself to think about my next action.
I rise up on my tiptoes and seal my lips to his. I kiss him as deeply as he’s touching me.
Fuck people.
He’s the only one who’s visible in the crowd.
Even if things between us started for the wrong reasons.
26
Ronan
“Are you going to reply or should I show up and fuck up your peace?” Cole’s bored voice recites the text I was supposed to send to Teal two weeks ago but ended up sending in my fucker friends’ group chat.
“I never thought I would say this” — Aiden clutches my shoulder — “but I’m proud of you.”
“Answer…please?” Cole reads on. He’s sitting on the sofa, leaning on a hand and clutching his phone.
Aiden releases me with distaste. “I won’t get behind that, so no, not proud of you.”
“Fuck you.” I motion at Cole. “And you.” Then I point behind me at Xan, who’s going through his texts. “And you too.”
“What?” the latter protests. “I haven’t said anything.”
“You were about to, so that’s a fuck you in advance.”
I throw my weight next to Cole. We’re having a small gathering at the Meet Up after the game. The other players are either drinking or trying to convince girls to shag them.
Loud music thumps from the walls. It would’ve been better in my house — just saying.
But, oh well. Not only would the mighty Earl Edric rip me a new one, Mum would be disappointed, and I would never do that.
Parties at the Meet Up can be fun, except you don’t find places to shag and stuff. Not that I’m interested in that — or maybe I am; depends on whether or not Teal shows up.
I’ve been watching the entrance like a fucking creep for the past hour or so. She was at the game with Elsa and Kim earlier. Kim has forgotten all about me now that Xander is back. She used to call my name, but now his repulsive number nineteen is all she cares about.
Teal was more interested in her phone than me — I know because every time I raised my head, she was engrossed in that fucking thing. Next time, that phone and I are having a word.
I can’t believe I’m jealous of a phone.
Wait. Jealous? No. I don’t do jealousy. The feeling is beneath me and would never exist in my vocabulary — especially not for Teal.
My phone vibrates and I pull it out faster than a junkie in need of his next pill. The name of the sender on the screen makes me grip the phone harder.
It’s definitely not the text I’ve been waiting for.
Eduard: Edric says he’ll have a family gathering to announce something. Do you have any idea what it is?
I don’t, and even if I did, that fucker wouldn’t get anything from me.
Dear old Dad has been acting a bit weird lately. I thought the time he spends with Mum is because he has a control freak diploma from the eighteenth century, but Lars has been saying annoying shit lately.
“Pay attention.”
“Young lord, you are being blinded by that girl and losing focus.”
“Did I mention that you should pay attention?”
When I told him to be more specific or to fuck off, he chose the latter, huffing like a damsel in distress.
Fucking Lars. I’m going to corner him one of these days or steal his little black book and have a look.
What does he want me to pay attention to? His lordship being a control freak or Mum calling him her love when he’s actually her tormentor?
And Lars is wrong — I’m not blinded by Teal. I stare at my phone after making Eduard’s message disappear. Why the fuck isn’t she texting me?
“Green is on her way.” Xan grins like an idiot.
“Elsa, too.” Aiden takes a drink of his soda. He never drinks, like ever. He and Cole say it diminishes their logic, and they’re the type of fuckers who need all their neurons to plot chaos.
“Teal?” Cole asks.
“No clue. I’m not the clingy type.” I grin. “I do know Silver is somewhere upstairs though.”
She’s not. I haven’t seen her tonight, but egging him on is my favourite pastime. People pay money for this type of entertainment.
Cole’s gaze slides from his book to me then back as if I don’t exist, but if I managed to draw his attention from his book, it means this shit is working.
“Not the clingy type? I beg to differ.” Xander scrolls through his phone then flashes one of the texts they weren’t supposed to see in a million years.
Ronan: Remember when I said you always have to answer my texts? Well, maybe I haven’t said those exact words, but they’re out there now so you might as well do it. Call me. I want to hear your voice.
I release a long sigh. “Okay, what do I have to do for you to erase those texts from your phones?”
“I can’t be bought, Astor.” Aiden takes another sip of his drink.
“You mean after the stunt of burning my book?” Cole appears to be contemplative. “How about…never?”
Vindictive fucker.
“Are you kidding?” Xan laughs. “I’m already making these into framed prints and keeping them for future reference.”
My best option, for now, is to steal their phones and flush them down the toilet. That is if they don’t keep shit in the cloud. Whoever invented that — I hate you.
Elsa and Kim come in, both wearing jeans and tank tops. I stop breathing, holding it in for long seconds before I let it go.
I feel her before even seeing her. She’s in the middle, wearing a long black T-shirt-like dress that stops under her knees. The writing for today is ‘If karma doesn’t hit you, I fucking will.’
She’s bloody crazy, and her crazy is becoming my kink. I shouldn’t care about kink — or think about it — but Teal is turning everything against me.
In a good way.
In the best way imaginable.
Her hair is loose as usual, making her face appear smaller and her frame tinier. Her white trainers stop at her ankles.
Her black eyes aren’t smothered with that dark makeup she usually hides behind. She’s a bit demure today, appearing more compliant, and for some reason, that makes me apprehensive.
All disasters start with a change. Like that night.
I shake my head, pushing that idea away.
Her gaze roams around the room, and it takes her exactly three seconds to find me. The moment her eyes lock onto mine, it’s like the entire world has hushed into the background. There are no sounds, no colours, and no scents.
There’s only her, the girl with odd preferences and a fucking attitude.
But she’s also the girl who deeply cares but doesn’t know how to show it. The girl who keeps checking on Mum and asking me about her favourites because she wants her happy.
The girl who turns into a compliant submissive in bed but is a tigress outside of it.
I’m about to go to her. I don’t know what I’ll do, probably kidnap her to somewhere no one can find us or interrupt us.
Before I can move, some loser from the rugby team intercepts her. Elsa and Kim are already by Aiden and Xan’s sides, kissing like they’re in a low-budget porn.