He avoids my gaze, eyes dropped to the ground.
“Just don’t tell him,” he mumbles, voice soft and small.
Something about the way he says those words makes me realize that he’s scared. But I’m not about to pry into his business; we’ve all got our secrets to keep.
“Don’t worry, I won’t,” I say. “I have someplace else to be, Evans. If there isn’t anything else?”
Evans’s face lights up. “Where are you going?”
“To my dad’s.”
He raises a curious brow, expecting me to elaborate.
I don’t know why I feel compelled to give him my life story, but I have a feeling if I don’t, he’ll keep asking me questions.
“My parents are divorced. My mom has been traveling around Brazil screwing random guys while my dad’s getting it on with wife number oops I don’t give a fuck.”
I expect Evans to be baffled by my response, but he just laughs.
“Nice.” He grins widely. “You need a ride? I could sure use the procrastination.”
“You and your dick can fuck off—”
“No, I mean literally drive you.” He tsks, giving my chin a flick with his finger. “You have a dirty mind, Sienna.”
I slow down my pace and hold a hand out in front of him. “Are you serious about giving me a ride? Because I hate to take the bus.”
“Sure.” He sidesteps me, taking the lead this time, and gestures for me to follow him to the parking lot. “Don’t worry. I’ll make it worthwhile.”
We walk together for a couple of minutes, a comfortable silence stretching between us. The sun hangs low in the sky, about to make its descent past the horizon, which means I’m going to be late to dinner. Again. I don’t usually like to be tardy, but it’s hard to be on time to anything when there’s a million things to juggle, like school and work and training Kayden.
When we’re finally in his car, Evans hands me his phone and I punch in my address for navigation. Two minutes later, we roll out of the parking lot. I go for some light, friendly chatter to pass the time during the drive to my dad’s. If Evans is going to be coming around the apartment a lot with Brent, I should at least try to be friends with him.
“So, what do you do?”
“Girls. Boys. Anyone I’m attracted to,” Evans replies smoothly.
“I mean what’s your major.”
“Business,” he says flatly. “Boring stuff, but anything to please my parents. Not like that really matters, anyway, because of, you know, said ‘doing’ of both girls and boys.”
There is a noticeable lack of enthusiasm in his voice.
His response makes me frown. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’m not. At least, I try not to be.” His gaze is solemn when he looks at me. “You’re lucky. At least straight men are the only problems you have to deal with.”
I think about Jax and how polarizing he made me feel.
Our relationship wasn’t perfect, but it certainly was fiery and thrilling. He made me feel good most days, but always managed to level it out with the bad days. I always thought it was worth it, though. Perhaps it wasn’t to Jax.
And then there’s Kayden, in some ways a complete antithesis to my ex-boyfriend. Kayden has a tender heart and a kind spirit—if not a little tainted from the darkness that he seems to carry around with him. And despite him being hot and cold with me, it’s getting much harder for me to stay away.
“A hell of a lot of problems they bring, though.” I give a cold shrug. “Not sure if it’s worth the trouble.”
Evans sends a comforting smile my way. “If it’s any consolation, I think Kayden is worth the trouble.”
“You’re just biased because he’s your friend.”