Ground Rules

Chapter Seven

Cole

I didn’t like it.I didn’t fucking like the way she looked tonight. Beautiful blonde hair falling flawlessly down her back. Tight jeans with holes in the knees that you could only buy at a fashion-savvy store paired with a tiny, blue—school pride, baby—crop-top shirt that showed off her flat belly. She looked fucking good. She looked hot and confident, and if she was trying to hide from Ryan, this was not the way to do it. Everyone was staring at her.

Granted, most of the girls were dressed the same, but there was a light around Mazey. There always had been. Back in high school, she was like this sweet little angel that no one dared to touch—because of me—but wanted to in every single way. They all wanted a taste of sweet, little Mazey, Cole’s little plaything that lived in his backyard.

Only now, she wasn’t my little plaything, and she didn’t live in my backyard.

I shifted my gaze away from Mazey and her small group of friends as they chatted away in the kitchen and searched for Ryan.

I’d been watching him closely and counting the number of girls he’d brought into the house since last week. It was physically making me ill with the fact that I still had no clue why Mazey was here at Noany Bay and what it had to do with Ryan. I’d even searched on IG, and I hated social media.

Ryan had his back turned to the girls in the kitchen, too busy watching the less-than-entertaining strip beer pong game that was occurring in the living room. The couches were pushed to the far wall, and a long table with cups filled the middle. Clothing was spewed around everywhere, and girls with way too much tequila in their systems were laughing about nothing in their bras and panties.

I cracked my neck, pushing myself farther into the wall, and found Mazey again. She hadn’t looked at me once, and it was driving me absolutely nuts. What was worse was that she was looking at Ryan every few seconds, it seemed. What the fuck?

My heart perked when I saw her whisper something into her friend's ear and shake her head no. She began making her way through the party, and it felt as if my soul was chasing after hers. I stood straight and made my way toward her like I was a stalker, not making eye contact with a single person because I was too afraid I’d lose sight of her.

“Mazey,” I called out, passing by the beer pong table.

Her back stiffened, and my eyes immediately traveled down to her tight ass.A breath got lodged in my throat, but I quickly recovered as her short strides picked up, and she darted up the stairs.

Some chick near the bathroom called out, “Hey! You’re not allowed up there unless you’re with one of the guys. Get in the line like the rest of us.”

Mazey’s blue eyes widened as attention flung to her, and I was quick to save the day. “She’s with me,” I answered cooly, staring the girl dead in the face. Call out Mazey again. I dare you.

And there I went, acting all caveman when it came to her.

The girl flicked her hair over her shoulder and turned away from my scowl, and as soon as I rounded the steps, I found Mazey running up them.

“Mazey, wait up!” I shouted.

One guess as to if she waited for me. I sighed with irritation and ran after her. She stopped in the middle of the hallway as soon as I stepped onto the landing, and she flung around so quickly her light hair whizzed across her face. “Why did you say my name?!”

I didn’t even blink as she charged toward me. “Because I wanted you to stop, obviously.”

Her little button nose scrunched, and her hands flew to her hips. “You yelled my name right behind Ryan!”

My brows creased, and I felt blood rush to a place that only anger festered in. “And why does that matter, Mazey?”

Her hands flew up quickly, and her cheeks heated. “It’s none of your business, Cole! You can’t just act all protective of me now, after two years of not speaking!”

I took a step closer and lowered my voice. “I’ve always been protective of you, Mazey.”

“No! No, you haven’t.”

My eyes fell to her trembling lip, and panic rushed through me. No. I was quick to say, “You’re right,” before grabbing onto her hand and pulling her to my bedroom.“I didn’t protect you when it was the most important.” Her palm shook against mine, and I couldn’t breathe.

The second we were inside my bedroom, I shut the door and flipped on the light. Mazey’s hand left mine, and her moment of weakness was gone. Her mighty little chin was pulled up high, and the tears in her eyes were long gone. “That wasn’t what I was referring to.” Her thick lashes fluttered as she glanced at my bed. “I just meant that you were jealous back in high school. You weren’t protective. You were selfish. You didn’t want anyone else to touch me.”

I stepped forward. “You’re right.” My lungs ached to breathe her in, but I tried my hardest to keep a safe distance. “I was a coward. Too afraid to stand up to my parents. Too afraid to disappoint them with my decision to be with someone they didn’t approve of, and too afraid of rejection to try it anyway, knowing your parents hated me.”

Her loud breaths full of hurt—or maybe something else—echoed around my room. Each step I took toward her, she would take one back. “Mazey,” I said, my voice straining. “Please tell me why you’re here. Why are you fucking hiding from a guy like Ryan?”

“Cole...” My name was like an earthquake coming from her. I wasn’t certain, but she looked like she was trembling.

Seconds turned to minutes as she stood beside my bed, staring down at the bundled-up covers. What the fuck was going on? My patience was running thin, and the longer I thought about Ryan, the more frustrated I grew. Was I jealous? Concerned? Both? “Mazey. Tell me what is going on.”