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Neil’s mouth opens and closes a few times, but no sound comes out for a good minute before he finally says, “Good.”
“Come on.” I loop my hand in Neil’s elbow, guiding him along. “Let’s grab a drink.”
Neil doesn’t protest, and we’re already next to the drink area when he says, “Um. Okay.”
I pick up a red plastic cup and pass it to Neil. Just as he lifts it to his mouth, Cade snatches it from him, and looks directly at me. “What the fuck are you doing?”
“Offering my friend a drink.” My innocent smile doesn’t diminish his suspicion in the least.
“He’s not your friend. What the fuck is in it? Poison?”
I grab the cup from him, downing the sweet, green-dyed liquid before I toss the cup aside then reach for another and pass it to Neil. “Wildcat punch. You really shouldn’t be so controlling, Cade. Maybe it’s time to speak with a professional about those trust issues.” Cade doesn’t reply as Neil eyes the newly offered drink in his hand. I hold one up to Cade, but he doesn’t accept it. “Why’d you come if you don’t want to celebrate?”
He doesn’t get the opportunity to respond before someone lets out a whooping sound behind us, an arm drapes over my shoulder, and Topher grabs the drink I’m holding out to Cade and downs it in one gulp.
“Yeah, man. Let’s celebrate! State here we come!” Topher holds out his balled-up fist, but Cade doesn’t oblige in the bro move that is Topher’s go-to. “Are you just gonna leave me hanging like that?” Topher teases, but I note it’s Topher’s arm draped over my shoulder that has Cade’s attention. Perfect.
“Come on, Cade. We’re all on the same team now.” His eyes flick to mine. “At least, I know the team I’m cheering for.” The tension in him doesn’t ease at my words. Instead, he zones in on Topher.
“I don’t give a fuck whose team I’m on, I’ll always protect my friend.”
Of course Cade is still worried about protecting the nerd from harm. The meaning is clear when I hear Neil quietly mutter, “That won’t be necessary. Right, Topher.”
Topher removes his arm from my shoulders and fastens it over Neil’s as he gives him a friendly pat. “That’s right. Wildcats have to look out for each other. You’re on my team, bud.”
Cade lets out a cynical snicker. “We’ll see.”
“Okay. So now that we’ve buried all the bullshit, let’s have a good time before our souls are imprisoned until graduation.” I raise another drink to Cade, but he remains unmoving.
With his gaze locked on me, he mutters, “Too late.”
“Your loss.” I bring the cup to my smiling lips, eyeing him over the rim as I down the drink. Neil follows suit and chugs the contents of his cup, so I hand him another, then guide him back to where I was perched up next to the stone mausoleum. Topher and a few of his buddies join us, and of course Cade follows like a pathetic lost puppy. If anything, I’ll give him one thing—he protects who he cares about. Too bad I’ll never be on that roster.
“Morgan!” Ava shouts as she and Savannah make their way over. Ava wraps me in a tight hug. “I missed you so much!”
Because I hadn’t just seen her yesterday. Even if it had been a month, I doubt either of us actually missed the other. We’re more friends out of obligation than necessity. And in her case, I find it’s best to keep your friends close and your enemies closer, which is why she holds the title of best friend.
It takes her only a few seconds before she lays eyes on the two additions to the group. “Hm. Didn’t realize we were doing charity work tonight.”
“Be nice,” I tell Ava, almost tripping over the ironic phrase coming out of my mouth as I move next to Neil. “He’s hanging with me, so if you don’t like it, you can find somewhere else to be.”
Ava lets out a snicker because she knows no matter how crazy I sound, she can’t—and won’t—go against me. “Whatever you say.” Her sarcastic tone doesn’t bother me in the least, but her eyes giving a blatant assessment of Cade does more than it should. He’s mine to toy with, not hers.
Moving beside Cade, I snake a hand around his waist, finding the hem of his shirt as I slide my hand under the material, my palm smoothing across his taut muscles before I grip his side with my fingernails, his body responding instantly and immediately as I add, “I want to say it because Cade gave me a much-needed ride today.”
I hear a few mutters around us, but I make a point to look up at Cade, who’s not making a move to eliminate my touch from his skin, by the way. I can’t tell if he’s angry or shocked or both. But one thing’s obvious by his strained expression. I’m getting to him. And I’m just getting started.
6
CADE
I don’t know her game. But I know she’s playing one because there’s nothing nice about Morgan—except her body. And I should know since the image of her near nakedness is still vivid in my mind. Her goddamn tight dress, if you could call the small piece of fabric that, isn’t doing much to help get her bare ass out of my head even if it is covering more than the damn bra and thong had. The only thing neither can conceal is her evil soul. And the smile she flashes me when she spots me checking her out reiterates nothing but misery is beneath the polished surface.
“Dude, why didn’t you tell me about Morgan freakin’ King being your newfriend?” Neil leans against the monument beside me and my guess is it’s to hold him up more than anything.
“There’s nothing to tell.” I look to my actual friend, who has yet another cup in his hand filled to the brim. “Maybe we should head out.”
“Why? We’re having such a good time. I told you this year will be different.” He swings his hand holding the cup around, and liquid splashes out of it. Good thing too, because the more he spills the less he’ll drink. And he’s had way more than enough. Especially for someone who doesn’t indulge often.
