Jase glances at me, his eyes smoldering with rage, then he fixes a look of warning on Jessica, “Don’t fucking go there.”
Jessica’s chin trembles, and she’s dangerously close to tears. “But things were so good with us until Mila wormed her way between us.”
Jase’s expression darkens, and he looks downright scary as he growls, “Careful, Jessica.”
A tear spills over her cheek, and she turns her eyes to me. “Are you happy now? See what you did?”
I feel Jade tense next to me.
I stare at Jessica, and instead of feeling shame from all the rumors, anger begins to bubble in my chest. “Enlighten me. What did I do?”
She takes a step closer to me, but Jase’s hand darts up between us, and he pushes her back, and it has Jessica screaming at him, “Don’t you see what she’s doing? Since the so-called attack, you’ve been glued to her side. She’s freaking playing you. Everyone on campus knows this. How can you be so blind?”
A week ago, her words would have reduced me to nothing, but after this weekend, I raise my chin and say, “Fuck you, Jessica. You’re a vile person.”
Her frantic gaze sweeps back to me. “Fuck you, bitch. How can you walk around pretending to be all traumatized just for a little attention from Jase? You’re the laughing stock of Trinity.”
Jase turns his back to Jessica, grumbling, “God help me.” His eyes land on Jade. “I can’t fucking hit a girl. Help me out.”
Before I can grab hold of my cousin, she darts forward, and then a sickening punch connects with Jessica’s face. She staggers backward, then falls on her butt. Jade follows Jessica to the ground and straddling her, she begins to deliver one blow after the other.
Finally, I manage to move forward, but then Jase wraps his arms around my waist, and he pulls me back to his chest. I glance over my shoulder at him. “We have to stop Jade!”
He shakes his head hard. “No.”
Watching Jade hit Jessica has me covering my mouth with shock. I’ve only seen my cousin lose control like that once before, and it wasn’t pretty.
Fallon finally pulls Jade from Jessica, and she struggles to keep hold of her as Jade keeps fighting against her grip. “I’m not done!” Jade screams.
I break free from Jase and rush to my cousin, and once I wrap my arms around her, she begins to still. Her breaths explode over her lips, and her entire body is wound tight.
I frame her face and lock eyes with her. “Calm down, Jade. You made your point.”
She sucks in deep breaths and finally relaxes enough that I feel comfortable with letting go of her.
I turn to where Jessica is sobbing as she spits blood from her mouth.
Jase glares down at her, no pity anywhere on his furious features. “Someone clean up this fucking mess.” His gaze snaps to Fallon. “And make sure she never sets foot here again.”
Fallon nods, then Jase grabs hold of my hand and drags me after him.
All the adrenaline from the fight still has my heart hammering in my chest, and I only manage to catch my breath when Jase pulls me into his room and slams the door shut behind us.
His whole body is wound tense as he turns to stare at me, and it makes me swallow hard. Then he snaps, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Confused, I stare at him. “What?”
“About the fucking rumors, Mila!” Having his rage directed at me feels like I’m facing off with a grizzly bear.
But I stand my ground as I answer, “Because your mom told me it would happen and to just ignore them.”
A look of exasperation crosses his features, and he shakes his head. “You should’ve come to me with this.” He moves forward and framing my face with his hands, his eyes burn down on me. “From now on, you tell me the second you hear anyone talk about you.”
I nod quickly, then ask, “Was that what the fight with Jessica was about?”
Jase draws in a deep breath, and he seems to calm down a little. “Yeah, Nate told me Jessica kept encouraging Justin to date you. According to Nate, she made Justin believe you were in love with him. And then I overheard her talking shit to her friends.”
I bring my hands to his wrists and softly say, “It doesn’t matter.”
“Everything about you matters.” And then his mouth is on mine, and his kiss is so wild all I can do is hang on to him.
Jase wraps an arm around my waist, and he pulls me into him as he tilts his head to get a better angle. His teeth and lips take turns working my mouth into a passionate frenzy.
The hypnotizing effect Jase has on me is powerful. He clouds my mind and demands every sense to focus only on him.