“I’m not sure yet. Neo always spits vile words and threats at me, but the confidence in his tone this time was a little unnerving.”
I pull her in for a reassuring hug. “Don’t worry about him. Neo might think he hates you, but I can guarantee he hates himself more.”
Her head rests on my shoulder, and when I glance to the left, I see Jagger on the couch—watching us.
ChapterSix
JAGGER
At this point,I think I’d rather be at the party at The Ruins over this shit. Sitting here watching Crew, who’s holding on to Scar, while a dozen chicks prance around in skimpy clothes, all trying to impress their almighty Lawless members—me included. I probably should have jumped up in Crew’s defense during his verbal altercation with Neo, but I wanted to let things play out the way they should.
I knew exactly what Neo was doing when he arranged this little gathering. He wants to make Scar squirm. He’s hungry for her discomfort and he thinks this party would do the trick. Obviously he doesn’t know her at all.
Scar doesn’t give a flying fuck that Crew is one of only three guys here with all these smoking hot babes. What Neo failed to realize is that Scar’s confidence soars right along with her ‘I don't give a fuck’ attitude.If anyone is squirming, it’s Neo. Melody—who is a cheerleader but ditched her own party—is, once again, trying her damnedest to get Neo’s attention. He can’t stand that slut and why he invited her into our home is a mystery I don’t care to try and solve.
Right now, all I’m waiting for is that one moment where Crew lets his guard down and Scar slips out of his hold. I just wanna talk to her. Make sure things are cool after I put my foot in my mouth earlier today. Unfortunately, Crew has attached himself to her like a leech and I don’t see him losing his hold anytime soon.
Neo’s voice comes from behind me and snaps me out of my fixation on Scar. “There’s a dozen chicks here who would willingly open their mouths for your dick, and you’re watching the one you shouldn’t want.”
I tip back my bottle of dark lager and take a small sip, ignoring the shithead chirping in my ear.
“All right,” Neo says with a heavy breath as he drops down beside me on the couch, “you like her. I can see that. So go get her.”
With the rim of the bottle pressed to my lips, I turn my head to look at him. “Come again?”
“I said, go get her. Crew doesn’t own Scar. In fact, I’m not even sure they’ve given themselves a title. She’s open for the taking.”
Is he being serious right now? Crew is supposed to be one of his best friends. Yet, he’s telling me to go after her. Not to mention, he loathes her. “Are you high?”
“No.” He chuckles, but his squinted eyes and the film of pink covering the whites tell me he’s lying. “All right, maybe a little. But, I’m dead fucking serious.”
I move forward, setting my half-full bottle on the table, while giving Neo my full attention. “You hate Scar, so how about you tell me what the fuck you’re up to.”
“Hate’s a strong word, but I’ll go with it. I’m just saying, maybe there’s someone far more devious who I loathe more.”
“Whoa. Are you talking about Crew?”
Neo sinks back into the couch, his eyes full of sinister intentions. “He’s fucking playing us, Jagger.”
This conversation just got interesting. “Playing us, how?”
Neo stares Crew down as he peppers Scar’s neck with kisses, making her squirm and giggle in his arms. “He knows what she did to my sister. But look at him. He has no intention of helping me bring her down. He brought her into this house for his own personal gain.”
I knew that already. Knew Neo was still hell-bent that Scar is the reason Maddie fell. Neo thinks she’s orchestrating this whole stalker thing. We haven’t told Scar about what we found in the tunnels because Neo thinks we’re now two steps ahead of her. The truth is, Neo’s stuck in his own revenge game while Crew is living in la-la land with the girl of his dreams. I’m the only one who knows the truth. Scar isn’t making anything up. Someone is after her, and while these guys are fucking around with their own shit, I’m the one who is making sure she’s safe.
“It’s not her. Someoneisafter her. Maybe even all of us,” I say with complete seriousness.
“Don’t tell me you’re believing this bullshit, too?”
I just shake my head because, without facts, Neo won’t believe a damn thing I say. “Doesn’t matter what I believe.”
“Look, man.” He springs up to a sitting position, his hands on his knees. “Even if Scar isn’t making this shit up and someone really is after her, it doesn't change the fact that Crew’s loyalty has shifted. It shifted the day Maddie fell. His sights are set on Scar and that’s all he fucking cares about. He forgot all about the girl he supposedly loved when she went to sleep and never woke up.”
This is far too personal for Neo. I wanna sympathize with the way he’s feeling. The guy lost his mom and his twin sister, who was his best friend. His dad is absent and only cares about his political status and the perfect picture his family paints for the world to see. Neo lives in his own head, and he only sees what his mind tells him to see.
I’m gonna fix this, though. I’ll get to the truth one way or another. I’ll clear Scar’s name and hopefully, one day, Crew and Neo can repair the damage that was caused from this tragedy.
Neo is right about one thing, though. Crew doesn’t own Scar. Her heart is wide open for the taking. Assuming Crew hasn’t stolen all of it yet.