She rolled her eyes.
“They video called me right after I got it, and I didn’t bother trying to hide it. Was shirtless when I answered.” He shrugged. “Figured I might as well get it done and over with, like ripping the Band-Aid off real fast.”
“They didn’t say anything to me about it.” She wasn’t surprised though. They wouldn’t have wanted to “taint” me with the abomination they’d consider Alex’s tattoos. “I bet they freaked out.”
His smile widened. “That’s an understatement, but what can they say? I’m an adult and pay my own bills.” He was right, but still.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
He looked at her again. “I wanted to surprise you, princess.” His words were sincere. “Wanna see it?” She nodded. He stood and lifted his shirt and turned around.
A shocked gasp left her. The majority of his back was covered in dark, intricate lines. “Holy hell, Alex. That’s a lot of ink.” She glanced up at him.
He dropped his shirt and sat back down. “Honestly?”
She stared at him like he lost his mind.
He chuckled. “It all started when I lost a bet.”
Her eyes got bigger. “You got that because of a bet?” She could hear the incredulous note in her voice.
At least he had the decency to look embarrassed. “Kind of. I wanted it for a while, but I got drunk with my buddies and they dared me.” He shrugged again.
She stared at his chest as if she could still see the ink through the material. “Well, I like it. It’s shocking, but looks really good.”
He grinned and put his hands behind his head, regarding her. She noticed he’d bulked up since the last time she saw him.
“You’ve been working out.” She stated the obvious.
“Yeah. Coach has been busting the guys’ balls on getting bigger and staying in shape, especially since we came to practice hungover on more than one occasion.”
Her phone beeped with an incoming message, and she pulled it out of her pocket and glanced at the screen. A smile formed on her lips when she saw it was from Reese.
She typed out a quick response then put her phone away. Alex watched her intently, as if he could see what she was thinking.
“What?” she asked.
“Don’t ‘what’ me. What was up with that text?”
“What do you mean?” She kept playing dumb.
“You had a look.”
Keira feigned innocence. “What look?”
“The look a girl gets over a guy.” His voice was even but hard, taking on a brotherly sharp edge.
She stayed quiet, and they seemed to have some kind of stare-off. Keira wasn’t going to hide her relationship from Alex and had planned on telling him—was excited even. But the way he watched her made her rethink saying anything right now.
“So you like some guy?” He tried to sound so nonchalant, but she wasn’t buying it. Alex was very protective, always saw her as that typical “little sister” in all ways, so that of course meant he scared off any guy who would show interest in her. Not that any guy actually did, but he’d sure as hell do it if given the chance.
“So, princess, who do I need to put the fear of God into?”
She laughed, but the sound died when she realized Alex was serious. “Stop it, Alex.” Shifting, Keira looked anywhere except at him. “So, football’s going good then?”
“Don’t change the subject, Keira.”
She shook her head and glanced back at him. “I’m not changing anything.” The hard look on his face told her he wouldn’t let this go. So she took a deep breath and decided just to get this over with. “Fine. I am seeing someone, but you don’t need to get all protective or anything.” He lifted a brow at her statement. “He’s a good guy. You’d like him.” She didn’t know that for sure, but despite Alex having gone to BMA and being one of the top football players at the academy, he wasn’t a snobby asshole like the rest of them. He was down to earth. “You have nothing to be worried about.” She laughed awkwardly, not because she didn’t believe or mean those words, but because Alex looked like he was gearing up to greet Reese with a shotgun the first time they meet.
“I’m not supposed to be worried that my little sister is dating someone for the first time?”
She straightened her shoulders. “When have you ever known me to do something that I wasn't absolutely sure of?” She shrugged. “Besides, there was a guy once who liked me. Remember?” God, that was ages ago, but she was trying to prove a point.
He snorted and shook his head. “Letting some tuba playing guy in middle school flirt with you isn’t really a point you’re making, princess.” He was silent for a second before asking, “So, who is he? Anyone I know?”
Her hands were extremely interesting at that moment. Alex wouldn’t know-know Reese, but he still spoke with a lot of people in Black Mountain, and getting a scholarship to BMA was a pretty big deal in this damn town, so chances were he knew of him.
“You don't know him.”
“Keira…” he said in a warning voice.
“Reese Trenton.” She looked into his eyes after she spoke, and she could see he was rolling the name around in his head, as if trying to place it.
“The scholarship dude?”
She nodded.
“The guy with the drunk-as-fuck parents? The one who seems to pick fights at parties and who doesn’t have two nickels to rub together—”
“Alex,” she cut him off with her own warning tone. “Money doesn't equate to a good person.” And she sure as hell wasn't going to tell Alex about Alistor’s party, and that the fight Reese had “picked” was to save her.
He nodded. “I know. I’m just spitting out what I’ve heard people say.” He leaned back on the couch and stared at the TV, but she could tell he wasn’t focused on the game. “I don’t like it, Keira.” He was still looking away from her. “My baby sister is dating someone who is rough around the edges.”
“It doesn’t matter if you like it or not, Alex. I’m a big girl and can make my own decisions. I love that you look out for me, but this is my life.” He looked at her then, not saying anything for long seconds. But then he shook his head in defeat. He knew she was right. “Besides, if I believed every rumor, I would put you in the category of womanizing asshole.” She grinned, but he rolled his eyes.
“Fair enough.” He exhaled and ran a hand over his short, dark-brown hair. “Just promise me something. Be careful, okay?”
“I will,” she said and smiled.
“I’m not against going to prison for killing a guy who hurt you.”
Now it was her turn to roll her eyes. “Don’t worry.” She leaned her head against his shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around her, kissing her on the top of her head. “I know what I’m doing.”
29
“Reese, man, have you seen the pictures of you at Harrison’s party?”
Reese slammed his locker shut and turned around to stare at Nate. “Who the fuck is Harrison?”