Could it be that easy? Could I just call a meeting and tell them that I’m done? That I won’t tell a soul what I know, and they’ll let me leave.
He chuckles, and I grind my teeth. It’s a trick. “Then that will show that I actually care. Which I don’t.”
“But we all know that you do, Austin. End it with some dignity and pull out of the group. Or let him cheat on you and make you more of a joke than you already are.” He kisses my neck, and I pull it away from him the best I can with his body pinning me to the lockers. “You’ve got until Sunday,” he whispers and then he licks up my neck to my ear, before pulling away.
I suck in breath after breath while my heart races as I watch him walk down the hallway. He places his hands in the pockets of his jeans, whistling a merry tune.
I fist my hands down by my side, trying to calm my racing heart. This bastard is not gonna play me. I’m so tired of them thinking that they can push me around. Bully me. Fucking blackmail me.
I pull my cell out of my back pocket and send a quick text to Cole.
Me: Dinner tomorrow night @ 6. My house.
Then I put it away and storm off to class. I know exactly what I need to do. It’s a simple answer. It just took Kellan in my face to realize it.
_________________________________
I’m just putting the dessert in the fridge when I hear the doorbell ring. I open it up to see Becky and Deke standing before me. She looks unhappy, and he looks pissed.
I feel bad for them. She’s been mad at him since Sunday. After Cole dropped me off at my house, she had called me. To my surprise, Deke told her what was going on. She was mad at him for even doing these stupid dares. But when she spoke to me, she cried. She told me that she couldn’t imagine her life without him and what if someone had dared him to sleep with someone else. She wasn’t sure if he would pick her over the boys’ stupid group. That was when I realized if Deke was questionable, then there was no doubt about what side Cole would choose.
He’ll fuck Kaitlin!
I’m just some girl Cole blackmailed. Deke loves Becky.
“You look gorgeous,” I say, pulling her in for a hug.
“So do you.” She hugs me and then pulls away, giving me a fake smile.
“Deke.” I greet him.
He nods.
I loop my arm in hers, and we make our way into the kitchen. “You cooked all of this?” Becky asks wide-eyed, looking over the table.
I cooked my favorite meal, Italian stuffed shells with garlic parmesan cheese bombs, along with tiramisu cupcakes for dessert. “Yep. I hope you’re hungry. There’s dessert in the fridge.”
She goes to open her mouth, but the doorbell rings again. “Deke, will you get that?” I ask and turn my back to him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
COLE
I square my shoulders as the door opens, and I’m not surprised to see Deke opening it. His SUV is outside, after all. Yesterday while in fifth period, I read Austin’s text out loud to him and Becky. She immediately told me to reply that they would come too. Deke wasn’t happy, but he didn’t argue.
I go to enter, but he steps outside, making me take a step back. “You better have a plan to fix this shit.”
“Deke …”
“This is getting in my way now, Cole. And if you don’t do something, I’m going to kill Kellan myself.” Then he spins around and walks inside, slamming the door shut behind him.
I shove it open and storm inside. But I come to a stop when I enter the kitchen. Deke and Becky aren’t present, but Austin stands over at the counter. Her back facing me. Her hair is down in big curls, and she has a black dress on that stops mid-thigh. It makes me instantly hard.
I walk over to her, and she stiffens when I pull her hair off her shoulder. I lean down, kissing her delicate neck. “Hello, sweetheart,” I say softly.
I’ve got to kiss ass! There’s no way around it.
She turns around in my arms and looks up at me. She’s not smiling, but she doesn’t look like she wants to tear my head off. So things are getting better already. Then she leans up and gently kisses my lips. I can’t stop myself; I slide my hands in her soft hair and demand more from her. And she gives it. Her arms wrap around my neck, and her mouth opens for me. I press her back into the counter and moan into her mouth. Fuck Kellan! He isn’t gonna fuck up my plans with Austin. She is the one I want to destroy.