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With a curse, he dropped the phone on the table, screen side down, his hands balled into fists so tight his knuckles were bleached white.
“Vaughn?” Uncertainty tinged my voice, drawing his attention.
Expression softening, he tugged me up from my seat and onto his lap. I loved how his rough fingers felt as they stroked over my cheek, down my neck. My pulse rocketed up when his hand lingered around my neck before he dropped it to squeeze my hip. “Sorry, wildfire. This isn’t how I wanted the night to go. I’m going to have to take you back to campus. There’s something I need to deal with.”
Powerless to keep from touching him, I traced my index finger over his brow. His lashes lowered, a rumble vibrating in his chest, warming me despite the chill that went through me at the distance it felt like he was putting between us. This wasn’t rejection, I tried to reassure myself. We were too new for me to expect him to want me to share whatever was bothering him. Or for me to spend the night.
Even if he had been sneaking into my bed every night for weeks—months.
He’d said he was sorry for keeping himself from me, but it felt like he was still doing it.
“I don’t mind staying here while you handle whatever needs your attention,” I offered, unable to hide how hopeful I was.
Please don’t send me away.
I desperately wanted to text Hayat. I needed my best friend to either verbally kick my ass or reassure me I wasn’t some cringe-worthy clinger. I didn’t care which.
Vaughn’s fingers flexed on my hip through the shirt he’d lent me. It hid everything, including the fact that I wasn’t wearing any panties. Mine had been ruined, and I hadn’t tried to look for boxers in his dresser, too much of a chicken in case I found another woman’s underwear.
“Next time,” he said coolly, that forced smile back in place, his eyes still blank.
“Okay,” I said with a smile that was so big, it hurt my face, my heart breaking. “Give me two minutes, and I’ll be ready to go.”
* * *
Confused emotions twisted inside me while I lay in my bed. Alone. It didn’t feel right to be there without Vaughn, especially when my mind was so uncertain of what was going on between us.
Needing my best friend to talk me through all the chaos in my head, I decided to text Hayat. But before I could even start typing, a message from her popped up on the screen.
Hayat: I need to talk to you, but I can’t call.
Hayat: Things got crazy tonight.
Hayat: I fucked up!
Hayat: Everyone knows I’m Havoc.
Surprise cut through some of my misery at the rapidly fired texts.
Me: How TF did that happen?
Hayat: Pissed off a drummer who was also auditioning. He follows Havoc and put it together. He posted a video of my audition.
Me: ARE YOU OKAY?
Hayat: I dunno. But that’s not how I fucked up.
Hayat: Abs!
Hayat: I kissed Kyrie Renchford.
Hayat: Maddie is going to hate me. Right? RIGHT?
Before I could process any of that, she sent me another message that turned everything upside down even more than her kissing a Renchford.
Hayat: I think I like him.
Hayat: FUCK!!!
