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I wanted to fast track as if I wasn’t relearning things about Cris, about Mac, and we were all on the same footing once more.
After we got our food, after we returned to the truck to eat, Cris was back to studying me again. Those long, intense perusals before he said, “Not going to break the no heavy talk rule, but I have to say—” He waited until my eyes turned so they were on his. A slow, wolfish grin spread over his face, a brief glimpse of some dark hunger flaring before he leaned over, finishing, “—that I’m goddamn fucking happy we went to find you last night at that bar.”
Oh man.
A lump swelled up in the back of my throat, and I was forced to whisper around it, “Me too.”
His mouth took mine, and it wasn’t long before we were both groaning, and before Cris was pulling back, growling. “Need to fuck you, right about fucking now.”
I agreed, pressing against his side, as he clamped a hand on my leg and we tore out of there, heading for his house.
When we got there, his headlights lit on a person, Jude, who was leaning against the back of another truck in their driveway.
I jerked forward, frowning, but Cris braked suddenly and was out of the truck in a flash, biting out, “I don’t think so.”
He moved so fast.
I only had enough time to yell Cris’ name before he was on Jude, and he slammed him up against the truck. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
“Hey. Whoa.” The door to the front of the house opened and a bunch of guys rushed past me, running up and grabbing Cris. Two pulled him back while another stood in front of Jude. “What’s going on?”
A truck pulled up behind us, parking, and Ryan got out, joining the group. He scanned the group before focusing on Cris. “Dude.”
“I don’t know. We just pulled in and the assface was here.”
“Yeah!” Jude strained against the one guy holding him back, against his one hand. “I’m here because my girlfriend got me kicked out of my band. Mine.”
Cris went still, his eyes narrowing.
The way he was watching Jude, like he wanted to tear his head off.
“She’s not your girlfriend.” Cris started for him again, but his two roommates quickly converged together, blocking him.
Ryan moved to the middle, his head back, studying Cris, and Jude started yelling again. Rotating, moving so fast, just like Cris had, Ryan had Jude against the truck again.
One of the guys moaned. “Not my truck. Please. My baby there.”
Maybe hearing him, probably not, Ryan switched Jude, literally taking his shirt in two hands and throwing him down on the driveway. “You need to go. Now.”
He stalked after him, an entire storm on his face, and Jude saw it, his protest swallowed as he thought better of whatever he was going to say. He scrambled backwards, but he didn’t have enough time to get up. Ryan was there, on him again, and looking like he could commit any acts of violence on the guy. “I don’t give a fuck why you’re here. You will never come back here. You will never talk to anyone that’s here, including my girl. Including Maren. Are you hearing me?”
Another growl burst from the side, and I started to look back, but Cris was past me. He was going for Jude too, except Ryan caught him, standing in his way.
“I want you gone. Wrong day to pick a fight.” That was from Cris, snapping, and raking both of his hands through his hair. He pushed forward again, but Ryan turned all the way, shoving him back. “Stop.”
Cris thrust a hand in the air, in Jude’s direction. “I want him gone. Right the fuck now.”
Jude finally got to his feet, and he started toward them. Then stopped as both Cris and Ryan turned to him, warning scowls on their faces.
My heart was tight right now. Clenched.
That dynamic between the two of them. I loved hanging out with them last year. Loved it so much. I never had a group of friends in high school where I felt accepted. I’d been there on the party scene, but on the fringes. There were core groups, core friends. I’d never been included, until last year with Mackenzie, Ryan, and Cristiano.
I missed so many months, and I missed them with him. I refocused on Jude, seeing he was struggling. He liked to be the epitome of cool, but he wasn’t. Not among these guys. This group was on a different level, or at least Ryan and Cris were. The stakes were higher for them where they either buckled under them or they met the pressure and rose above. So far, they had risen above. Jude was seeing this, eyeing both Cris and Ryan with a look of surprise.
I shook my head, moving toward them. “What did you want to accomplish coming here?”
Cris tensed, while Ryan looked back at me slowly.
