“Expecting someone?” I snap, equally annoyed we have to stop, and bothered someone else but me dares to knock on her door. Granted, I don’t knock, but that’s beside the point.
“No,” she declares, while another bang echoes inside the room.
I shove off the bed and rush into the bathroom to snatch my boxers. In a few strides, I’m across the room, ripping a baggy T-shirt out of one of her drawers and flinging it at her.
“Put this on.”
I storm to the door and swing it open with enough force, I’m surprised it stays on its hinges, only to find my cousin in front of me—dark hair a mess and eyes red-rimmed.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I bark, charging at Jacob, wrapping my hand around his throat, and slamming him into the wall.
“The guys... told me you’re... h-here.” His voice strains against my hold, breath stinking of vodka. “I wanted to say—” My grip tightens, cutting his words short. “I didn’t—” he chokes out, before my fist finds his stomach, and he grunts out in pain.
“You didn’t what, moron? Know this would happen? Guess what? Actions have consequences. Welcome to the real world!” I roar, and the desire to pummel his face is overwhelming.
“Don’t!” Summer puts her palm over my forearm. “His remorse brought him here. Nothing you do will hurt him more than his guilt already does.”
“I’m . . . s-sorry,” Jacob chokes out.
Summer’s words don’t stop my fist from flying out, but instead of hitting my cousin’s face, I punch the wall next to him. He doesn’t fight back. He just looks... disappointed. That I didn’t hit him? Is that what he came here for? To punish himself using my rage?
I release him, letting him slump onto the ground. GrabbingSummer’s wrist, I drag her along with me when I hear him cough out the same words again, this time with her name at the end.
“I’m sorry, Summer.”
She halts before swiveling to face him. Is he apologizing for attacking her? I still can’t believe he did that after what happened to Maddy.
Summer is not exactly the soft-hearted kind. A simple “sorry” won’t suffice to make her forgive, but then again, she beat him up, so maybe that will.
“Go home, Jacob! You’re fighting enemies that don’t exist and leaving death in your wake. Is this what you want?”
Dragging her inside the room, I slam the door in Jacob’s face. He should be grateful she’s here; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been heading home in one piece.
Summer wraps her arms around my neck, her gentle touch and sweet scent chasing away those demons that keep whispering of all the ways I should’ve rearranged my cousin’s face.
“I need to take care of the shitstorm from last night,” I sigh, unwilling to do what I said.
Summer tries to back away, but I can’t make myself let go.
“I have clean clothes for you.”
“How?” If she dares to offer me leftovers from an ex, I’ll have a lot more than my bloodied clothes to burn.
“I...borrowedsome of yours last time I was in your room.” She smiles. “In case you ever needed a spare set. Though I didn’t exactly picture your clothes being soaked in blood to be the reason... or maybe I did.” She’s babbling. And I grin like a fuckin’ fool.
A blush creeps on her cheeks, and she turns to hide it as she opens a drawer and takes out a pair of my boxers, a T-shirt, and jeans.
I put them on while she brings the bloodied ones from the bathroom.
“I can burn these. One less thing for you to worry about.”
My girlfriend would help me cover up a murder? I’m prettysure she would’ve chopped the body up and dumped it herself if I asked.
Talk about a relationship milestone.
I push the clothes from her hands, letting them fall to the ground, pulling her into my arms again.
“You’re in for a surprise tonight.”
