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Under Her Heel 5
Keava
Theydidn’trecognizeme! I can’t decide if that is a good or bad thing. Was our time as friends so immemorable that I faded out of their memories while they tormented mine? Or have I really changed so much that they can’t see past those changes? In the end, they will remember me. I will make sure of it.
Shaking my head, I grab the two duffle bags from the trunk and load them onto my shoulders, then grab a suitcase, too. I have to stop dwelling on my revenge to the point that I lose time. What if I was off in revenge land and Whore Barbie was around? God only knows what she would do to me in her desire to see me out on the streets. Not that I would tell her this is my only hope to not have to return to my mom.
“Hey! Let me help you with those!” a male voice calls out, and I stop, thanking God that there are still some men who understand what being a gentleman is about. Turning to see who yelled, it’s all I can do to not let my jaw drop. He must be a couple of inches over six feet, with a runner’s lean body. Dark chocolate brown, curly hair reminds me of a brillo pad, while he has gorgeous honey-brown eyes. I could spend hours counting the little flecks of gold that brighten his eyes. Eyes that are now crinkling with laugh lines, forcing me to follow his Grecian nose to a wide mouth that is grinning at me.
Shit! Nothing like getting caught staring at a hot stranger.
“You have something, right here.” He leans in and swipes his finger across the corner of my mouth making my face heat. “Just kidding. I’m Jeremy.” He sticks his hand out to shake mine, causing me to readjust the bags to free up my right hand.
“Keava. Thanks for offering to help me. I still have to go get groceries after unpacking.” I shrug my shoulder to push the strap of the duffel bag higher before it falls to my elbow.
Jeremy leans against my car, ankles crossed like he has all the time in the day and I take back my thoughts about him being a gentleman. What an ass making me stand here with these bags weighing me down! “So, what sport do you play?”
“Sport?” My brow wrinkles and I try to figure out why he’s asking me that.
“Yes, sport. This is college housing for academic excellence athletes. So, what do you play? Me, basketball and track.” He grins at me, waiting for an answer.
“Oh! I’m not an athlete. I’m the house monitor.” For some reason telling him that makes me feel…bad. I can almost watch him shut down from a friendly guy who’s interested in… something. To a guy who sees you as less than nothing.
“Oh. Um.” He looks around the small lot and then down at his watch. “Wow! I didn’t realize the time. Um, if you leave the bags, iIll make sure someone carries them in for you. But I have to get to practice.” Before I can even blink, he is hoofing it down the street towards campus.
“Chivalry, gentlemen, manners. All things that assholes need to learn. Is a house monitor below him?” I grumble, dragging the heavy suitcase across the yard, the wheels digging into the soft ground. Yanking the suitcase, I’m suddenly helicoptering like a t-rex with tiny arms as I fall face-first into the steps, not able to even put my hands out to catch myself. “Shit! Ow! Fuck life!”
Tears spill down my cheeks and I don’t move. Why? Why can’t I ever do something without getting hurt! Why do I always make everything into a big ordeal?
“Are you okay?” A door slams and then another. I don’t move, don’t want to see them, have them see me like this. A warm hand touches my shoulder. “Hey! Let’s get these bags off you and see what’s up.”
Gentle hands lift the bags off me and I’m not sure if it is Jace or Brax helping me. I just know that I would rather die than be seen as weak.
The spicy smell of Brut aftershave has me trying not to laugh at the memory of Jace’s first time using it. He had gotten it for Christmas that last year and I swear he dumped half the bottle on himself. You could smell him coming a mile away and if you were too close, your eyes watered.
You would think the pungent odor of sweat would be a turn-off, but somehow it entwines with the Brut and comes out as pure male.
“Here! Let me help you.” Jace’s warm arms pull me into his chest as he scoops me off the ground and holds me to his chest. It’s all I can do not to bury my nose in the soft spot behind his ear, to be able to breathe in his smell. No matter how angry I am, I can’t help myself.
“I can walk,” I whisper as I push away from temptation. I need to remember my plan, why I can’t soften to them.
“Not happening. At least not until we get you inside and see what damage you did.” Jace looks down at me, a quizzical look on his face. “At least you didn’t cut your face, but you’ll have some pretty gnarly bruises.”
Not liking his scrutiny, or being so close to someone I am supposed to hate, I try again. “Look! I’m not skin and bones like the girls you are used to. I have to be getting heavy. I’m sure I can make it to my room and clean–”
“Oh, my God! What happened?” Mindy comes flying down the stairs, causing me to close my eyes and wish that I could disappear. I hate being the center of attention and Mindy is the type who will flitter around, drawing attention as she tries to be helpful. “Bring Keava into the kitchen! I’ll get some ice.”
Jace stops dead, his eyes boring into me. “Keava?”’
Biting my lip, I nod. There is no sense denying it, they would figure it out tomorrow when we had the house meeting.
“I told you!” Brax crows, then looks down at me with a scowl before making his way into the kitchen with my bags.
“Hey! Leave those in the mudroom. I’ll take them in.”
“Not happening, sugar. You should remember that.” His voice carries back to me as Jace starts moving again. I do remember, I remember too much. The afternoons riding our bikes to the old train tracks where the bridge is long gone. Sitting in the sun, just talking, being kids. Rainy days curled up under blankets watching Top Gun for the 900th day. Them trying to teach me soccer and realizing that I have two left feet and zero spatial awareness. Them carrying my bag the second we met at the end of our driveways, one of them always treating me like their princess, until that last day that ruined it all.
Pushing at Jace’s chest, I try to get out of his arms as the telltale prickle of tears has me frantic to get on my own. “Put me down, Jace! I can walk to my room and take care of myself. I’m a big girl now, I’ve been saving my own ass for some time now.”
