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But mostly I did it in the hopes of seeing Della again. Earlier at the diner, there was tension between us and I was curious to see if it was real. When I’d first walked into the apartment, the tension was there in full force, until she saw Evie’s face.
I had every intention of making sure the guys forgot about the damn bet until she got on her judgmental high horse. I’ve been judged wrongly before and it never bothered me. Marcus and Rhett are the ones with the screw lists. They’re the manwhores responsible for our nickname, Screw Crew. I’m no saint but I have nothing on those two. As for the twins, Jaxson and Logan, they’re not huge on dating. Jaxson keeps busy between college and being a personal trainer, where Logan is the quiet one in the group.
As for me, all my focus is on finishing my degree. Once I’ve graduated, I’ll start working at Indie Ink Publishers. Dad said I have to start at the bottom. I understand why. That’s the best way for me to learn everything about the company and the people working there. When I take over from Dad, I want it to be beca
use I deserve it.
On the drive back to the house I share with the guys, my mind goes back to the little spitfire. Even dressed in just a shirt and panties, she handled me like a boss. I have to admire her for standing up for Evie. But fuck, I’ll never hurt a woman.
I’m sure as hell going to have some fun with Della.
Chapter 2
Della
“You’ve got it all wrong,” Evie says. “Carter only brought me home. He’s not the one that hit me. Carter will never hurt me.”
Oh shit!
What the hell have I done?
I swing back to the door, and when I see that Carter has already left, an awful feeling settles in the pit of my stomach.
“That blonde bitch slapped me because I got into to a fight with Rhett,” she explains. “I really don’t understand why he likes those types of girls.”
I close the door and walk to the kitchen. I open the fridge and look for something cold. There’s not much so I grab a bottle of water. I wrap a dishcloth around it as I walk back to the living room.
I press it lightly to Evie’s cheek. “Just hold it there. It will help with the swelling.”
I sit down next to her and sigh. I drop my head back and let out another miserable sigh.
“I accused Carter of hitting you,” I whisper. “Dammit, I’m going to have to apologize.”
Evie gives my hand a squeeze. “Thank you for looking out for me.”
I worry my bottom lip with my teeth. When I make eye contact with Evie, there’s only pity.
“Damn, I’ve screwed up badly, haven’t I?”
She nods, dropping the water bottle to her lap.
“Carter’s not the kind of guy you insult and get away with it. He’s the heartless one in the group.”
“Heartless?” I ask. “He made sure you got home safe.”
“Only because I have this love-hate thing going with Rhett. Those four guys are Carter’s family. He’ll do anything for them. I’ve known him for three years and he still keeps me at a safe distance.”
“So you’re telling me not to apologize? I’m not afraid of admitting when I’m wrong.”
Evie turns her body towards mine and looks me right in the eye.
“You’re only going to waste your time and make things worse. There was this girl who cheated on Jaxson. Carter got her to strip down to her underwear, thinking they were going to have sex. He made her do the walk of shame out of their house in her underwear. Carter doesn’t forgive he gets even. It would be better if you just ignore it all. It’s not like you see him a lot anyway.”
I take the bottle of water from her and open it. I take a few sips, thinking about what she just said. I didn’t take him for the cruel kind. Maybe Evie’s right? It’s not like I see him often. Besides, it’s only a few more months before I have my degree. We’re from different worlds. Once we leave here, I’ll never see Carter again.
Curiosity gets the better of me, and I ask, “Why do you hang out with them? They look like trouble.”
She looks deep in thought when she says, “They’re not trouble, Della. They’re my family. Few people know this, but I had nothing. I was one meal away from starving and living on the street when Rhett found me.” She looks around the apartment. “All of this is because of them. They are paying for my studies, for everything I need.”
