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“And he cares about you. It’s always been you, Kenny. He’d kick my ass for telling you this, but Conner hasn’t looked twice at any girl since we got here.”
The air whooshes from my lungs. Cole is staring at me like I’ve lost my mind, but I’m stuck on the part where Conner hasn’t been with anyone else.
“But... why?” I croak.
It doesn’t make any sense.
He stood by while Warren staked his claim on me, and then he up and left the Heights without looking back.
He left me there... with a monster.
Cole’s stare is back on the road, but I can see his eyes crinkle with confusion.
“Are you really that blind?” he hisses.
“Whatever, Cole.” I huff.
I can tell he wants to say more, but, thankfully, he doesn’t.
By the time we reach my dorm building, I can’t wait to get away from him.
All the emotion I felt in Conner’s arms as he kissed me is gone, poisoned by the pain of our past.
Eight months isn’t even that long ago, but it feels like eons. I’m not the same girl as I was back then. I’m hardened, all jagged edges and hidden scars. Even if Conner does want to pick up where we left off almost a year ago, I can’t.
Because that girl is gone.
“Thanks for the ride,” I say, shouldering the door open.
“Kennedy, wait.” I glance back and his expression hardens. “I know my brother, Kenny, and I know he isn’t going to let you slip through his fingers again.” His cool gaze burns into me. “A word of friendly advice—you need to decide what you want. Because this? What happened last night? Conner isn’t cut out for that life.”
My body vibrates with anger, but I press my lips together, swallowing the barbed words I want to spit at him.
How dare he?
How fucking dare he?
“Goodbye, Cole.” I climb out and slam the door, and I don’t look back as I take off toward the building.
Cole lets me go.
Just like his brother.
After taking a shower and washing away Conner’s scent, I pull on a clean t-shirt and some booty shorts and lie on my bed. He’ll be awake now. He’ll know I left.
But will he understand?
Emotion swells inside of me again. It would be so easy to let myself fall under his spell, to give myself to the boy with eyes the color of the ocean. But I can’t.
I just can’t.
A knock at my door pulls me from my thoughts, and, for a second, I think it’s him. My heart hammers in my chest, disappointment washing over me when I see it’s Hadley.
“You left,” she says around a sad smile.
“I didn’t want to do the awkward morning after.”
“He’s a mess.”
