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She shrugged and flipped her hair off her shoulder. “You.”
“Me?”
“Yep. You. I want a real relationship, one where you take me out on real dates. One where you call me to say goodnight. One where I’m the only person you’re thinking about.”
“And if I say no?”
“Then get ready. I hear they don’t take too kindly to pedophiles in jail.”
“I’m not a…” I ground my teeth together. There was no use talking to her about it. She wanted what she wanted, and I had to do what she was saying. I didn’t care about what happened to me. I could survive in jail. I could start over no problem. But I couldn’t do that to Aria. I couldn’t let her suffer any more than she already had.
“Fine. You have a deal.”
“Good.” She reached over and patted my arm. “I’ll expect a call from you tonight.” She flashed me a smile, one that said she was used to getting precisely what she wanted, and then pushed out of my car.
She may have gotten her own way right now, but there wasn’t a chance in hell I’d allow her to keep it that way. I’d fight to the death for the people I loved, but Willow wasn’t aware of it yet.
She may have won the battle, but I’d never let her win the war.
Chapter Six
ARIA
“So it’s official?” I asked Hope from my desk chair. She was lying on my bed, her arms and legs spread wide while I was trying and failing to do my homework. She’d messaged me an hour ago telling me she needed to come and check out my new digs and tell me something important. Apparently confirming your relationship status was important to her.
“Yeah.” She sighed for what felt like the thousandth time. “He’s just so…dreamy.”
I snorted and spun on my chair to face her fully. “Dreamy? Who are you, and what have you done to my best friend?”
She laughed and pulled herself up into a sitting position. “Shut up.” She grabbed a pillow off my bed and threw it at me, but I successfully managed to avoid it. “You’ll see when you meet him. He’s so rock and roll, and yet sweet and gentle all at the same time.”
“Oh yeah?” I stood and crossed my bedroom to grab a sweater. “And when will I get to meet him?”
She looked down at her cell as I pulled the sweater over my head. “In about thirty minutes. He’s coming to pick me up from here.”
I raised my brows. “Oh. Wow. Okay.”
“What?” Hope asked, standing too. “Do you not want to meet him?”
“No, it’s…” I held my arms out to the side. “I haven’t been given enough time to prepare.”
She rolled her eyes and flopped back down onto my bed. “You’re so funny, har har. I can’t control my laughter.”
I snickered and moved back to my desk. I’d been trying for two hours to do this assignment, but every time I stared at the words in the world history textbook, I couldn’t stop thinking about Cade and what had happened yesterday at the cookout.
I hadn’t been able to look at him as he walked out, knowing things wouldn’t be the same again. I had no doubt Miss Simmons had witnessed too much. Part of me wished I knew what had happened between them when they left, but the protective side of me didn’t. The less I knew, the better. I was going to concentrate on getting through each day and making it to the end.
Someone knocked on the front door, and seconds later it was being flung open, and footsteps pounded up the stai
rs. “Aria?” Belle shouted, and the smile on my face couldn’t be stopped. I’d told her to come to my house today, and we’d make cookies, and it looked like she hadn’t forgotten. “Cookie time!” she shouted as she barged into my bedroom with her arms spread wide.
“Belle! I told you not to run off!” Lola shouted from somewhere downstairs.
“I told you, Mom. Cookies are important.” Belle ambled toward me and rolled her eyes. “She doesn’t understand. Are you ready?”
“I…” I looked down at my homework. There was no way I would get this finished today, not while my mind was occupied with a thousand thoughts. “Yeah.” I stood but halted when a throat cleared.
“And what about me?” Hope asked, her brow raised.
