Just as Mr. Crawford drives them off, I see a Jeep rolling in with Viola in the passenger seat, the windows down. She’s looking at me and shaking her head with a knowing grin.
“Fuck you,” she reads the words on the window. “Classy.”
Viola’s friend leans forward and grins. “Love the custom paint job.”
“You two are relentless,” I groan.
“Hope you don’t mind riding bitch,” she says, leaning an arm over the window.
“You’re enjoying this way too much,” I say, shaking my head and pushing off the Challenger. Grabbing my briefcase, I open the door and slide in.
“More than you know,” she beams. “Travis, you remember my friend, Courtney?” She waves a hand between us.
“Yeah, of course.” I have no fucking clue.
“He better! I’m unforgettable, Viola.” She spins the steering wheel and squeals the tires as she circles out of the parking lot. Viola laughs as she hangs on for dear life, and soon, I’m wondering if I should’ve just taken a cab home instead.
“I just need to grab my air compressor back at the house,” I shout over the wind and music. “Then a ride back.”
“Hmm…I don’t know, pretty boy. That’s going to cost you,” Courtney teases. I can see her smart-ass grin in the rearview mirror.
“And what’s that, sweet cheeks? A ride in the King’s Stallion?” I ask.
Viola’s jaw drops, but quickly clamps it shut when she realizes I can see her reflection.
Courtney laughs. “Sorry, I don’t do sloppy seconds!” Her hair blows in my face as we take a sharp corner.
“Oh my God,” I hear Viola, her cheeks reddening as she turns her head away.
Wait. Does that mean Viola told her about us last night?
“Well, it wouldn't besloppy—” I start to defend, but she holds her hand up and stops me.
Before I can continue, Viola whips her head and cuts me off. “Seriously? Right in front of me?”
“What?” I’m genuinely confused.
She rolls her eyes. “Some things never change,” she groans, looking away, but I hear her loud and clear.
“Have you looked in a mirror lately, Princess?” I challenge, and her shoulders tense. “Aside from your tits getting bigger, you haven't changed a bit. You're the same little prissy know-it-all you were when you were ten years old.”
Courtney snorts, holding in her laughter. Viola shoots daggers at me, biting her tongue.
I smile until we’re back at the house and am reminded why we’re even here. That bitch, Alyssa.
After grabbing my air compressor from the garage, I set it in the Jeep then slide into the back seat.
“You sure you don't need anything else, pretty boy?” Courtney asks, eyeing me from the rearview mirror as she jerks the Jeep into drive.
“No, that's it,” I reply, buckling in. Viola chuckles from her seat, still looking away from me as if I've missed some inside joke or something. “What's funny?”
“Aside from this whole situation?” Viola cracks, her shoulders shaking from laughter.
Sighing, I sit back against the leather seats. “Yeah, hilarious.” I know I have no one to blame but myself, but hell, Alyssa didn't give me the psychopath vibe when we started hooking up. I suppose karma would come back to bite me in the ass, eventually. Nailing the CEO’s daughter isn't exactly on my list of great accomplishments, but fuck, you'd think her pussy was made of diamonds by the way she's treating me now.
“Aw, don't be so harsh, Lola.” Courtney shoots me a look of pity in the mirror. “It's not easy being a walking, talking eye candy machine. It’s probably a lot of pressure to be hot and perfect twenty-four seven.” The way the corner of her lips tilts up tells me she's mocking me. I know I deserve it, but that doesn't mean I want it rubbed in my face right now.
“Oh, trust me,” Viola begins before I have a chance to defend myself. “He's perfected his whole act of being a god. Back in high school, he managed to dateevery oneof my friends. He thinks he's a master of getting any girl he wants. Don't feel sorry for him.” She speaks as if I'm not right in the car with them. Her voice is filled with disgust and anger. Damn, Viola’s hatred runs deep.