She was back with him, right now, inhishotel room. It didn’t take a wild guess what she and her boyfriend were up to. We hadn’t made promises, but somehow, I felt like I had been tricked.
“You look like shit on shit,” Jet remarked as he passed by me, beer in hand.
Well, he looked like he was having a good time. At least one of us was.
Shit on shit. That would be right. It sure felt like it was.
“Get the fuck out,” I grumbled. The last thing I needed was him snooping in my damn business.
“Can’t. In case you forgot, you’re in my place.” He stared at me for quite some time, subdued. “She’s only a girl, man; let it go.”
I threw him a look, one to shut him up, but he wasn’t paying attention. “I know there’s been a love-hate thing going on for years—and don’t get me wrong, she’s an awesome girl—but there’s more out there you know; like the ones that really dig you. You don’t want someone who fucks around like that.”
Fucks around like that…
The thing was, there had been no fucking involved. There could’ve been, if I’d really pushed it. There had been instances during our heated, crazy kissing session when I could’ve had her, but since she had told me that she wasn’t ready to go all the way with me, I had respected that. I made sure not to place myself in a situation where I wouldn’t see black and white; just the damn gray. Where everything could get blurry and I wouldn’t think of her wants because I was focusing on my own. I might’ve hated her in the beginning, but I respected her.
Even now, even though the hate in me boiled my blood, I still respected her.
I glanced towards Jet when he lit up his roll of weed, still staring at me like I was a weird circus show. “Give me that,” I demanded, uncaring that I was past rude. I didn’t have to explain myself to him. He was a friend; he knew what I was going through without me laying it out for him.
Jet handed it to me without a word, but with a knowing smirk. Weed was my answer when I was stressed out, which wasn’t all the damn time. I gave a quick glance at the imperfectly rolled stick before I placed it in-between my lips, sucking it with deep enthusiasm as I inhaled the smoke, held it long enough for a deeper effect, then tilted my head upwards and released the smoke through my nostrils and mouth.
The hit was the purest it could get. Cali weed was one of the best I had ever had and my crew knew just where to get the good stuff. It was smooth—expensive—just the way I liked it.
“Want more?”
Fuck yes.“You know I do. Look for that chick that was all over me earlier. I need some tits around,” I murmured, closing my eyes as I took another hit off my joint.
Good weed. Alcohol. Pretty, willing girls. It was the perfect imperfect combination.
Tonight, I was going to savor this bitterness that was fucking with my mind. Only for tonight, though, because tomorrow, when I fucking woke up, Olivia would be dead to me.
Fuck her.
Fuck all the women in the world.
All they did was lie. Who needed liars around? I sure as hell didn’t.
CHAPTER22
Liv
Sayinggoodbye to Liam at LAX airport was trying. His visit had reinstated our feelings for each other, but now that he wasn’t here, I was left to face the outcome of what I had done.
Last night, I spent the night in his room; however I spent the entire time reeling from my heated encounter with Greyson. What he’d said—the things that had spewed out of him—how enraged he had been and how he’d believed what he was saying, they hounded my thoughts.
It had been like poison. It lingered there, taking its time until it could seize me.
For the whole duration, I kept thinking about the “what ifs”. What had been even more disconcerting was the very fact that I wasn’t one to even consider these instances. I always stood on a solid platform, knowing what I wanted and went for it. For me to pause and ponder about what might’ve been wasn’t me.
When I came home, I wasn’t even a bit surprised that Grey’s car wasn’t there. After last night, he’d avoid me like the plague. So for the rest of the day, I spoke to Mom and Brett as if everything was normal.
Monday rolled in and still there was no Grey in school or at home. The same went for the day after.
For the rest of the week, I waited for him to show up, but each day became a letdown. He was skipping school, doing God knew what.
Though Jet and the rest of his crew—men and women alike—were all present, I didn’t have the guts to ask for Grey’s whereabouts.