“I know,” she sighs. “I’ve missed you too, but you could have called me or come by.”
I glance up at her “Do you think…?” I cut myself off, unsure how to even word what I’m trying to say. All I know is that I need her back in my life.
“Yeah,” she says, still able to read me like a map. “We can.”
“Slowly?”
Henley shakes her head as a wide grin spreads across her face. “No way in hell. You’re not getting one foot through the door just to hover in the damn thing. If you’re in, you’re all in. None of this taking it slowly bullshit. We’ve been friends for too long for that crap.”
I let out a relieved sigh. “Oh, thank God,” I say, crashing into her with open arms. “I’ve hated being angry with you.”
“Fuck,” Henley cringes in agony. “Get off me, skank.”
My eyes bug out as I remember her injuries. “Shit.”
I hurry off her, feeling a million times lighter before looking her over. “I think you need a shower. All your blood is matted in your hair.”
“Great.”
I help her up off the couch and down to the bathroom before taking my sweet ass time to get her feeling somewhat human again. After a long shower and clean, unbloodied hair, I help her into some comfortable clothes and before I know it, Jackson is helping me to get her into his car.
She asks to be taken to Noah’s place and after Jackson whines about the idea, we take her there anyway. Neither of us dares to leave her side until we knew that she was safe.
Jackson and I walk back out to his car with his arm over my shoulder. “Are you guys good now?”
“Yeah,” I tell him. “I think we are. We still have a few things to work through, but I think we’re going to be just fine.”
Chapter 16
Jesse
I stand looking out at the track with Kaylah’s back against my chest and my arms securely around her. It’s Friday night and all of Broken Hill High seems to have shown up at the races for a good night.
Everyone is here, well almost everyone. Nate is on his way with Tora but Brooke hasn’t been answering her phone about tonight. That probably has a little something to do with the fact she’s feuding with Tora at the moment, and Maxen being here doesn’t help the situation. The only other person missing is Brylee, but with her away at Yale, we’ve had to get used to hanging out without her. That doesn’t sit well with Tyson though. The more time that passes, the clearer it becomes that he’s feeling something for her, I just wish I knew how deep that ran so I could help him do something about it.
Two cars race around the track and the sound of their engines is deafening, yet the familiar sound of Nate’s Camaro pulling up still manages to drown out the sound of the speeding cars. I look back over my shoulder to see both Tora and Nate stepping out of his Camaro and walking around the front hand in hand.
I catch Tora’s eye and my arms slowly drop from around Kaylah. She looks back up at me wondering what’s going on but as she sees the look in my eye, she lets me go, ignoring my wicked ways and probably just pleased they’re not aimed at her for a change.
Tora blanches, freezing on the spot and instantly starts shaking her head, making a devilish grin spread across my face.
Hook. Line. Sinker. She’s mine.
Tora tries to pull her hand from Nate’s ready to run but he holds on tight, looking away while trying not to smirk at his girlfriend’s bad luck.
I run.
“No,” she screams, but it’s too late. I grab her around the waist and her body is thrown over my shoulder. She squeals for me to put her down, but messing with her is far too much fun. “Put me down, you big turd.”
“No way,” I laugh, slapping her ass and jogging back to the group.
I spin her around for good measure and only put her down when my laughter gets to be too much and I fear I might drop her. Nate joins our group and starts up a conversation with Puck about tonight’s race as the girls chat among themselves.
I pull Kaylah back into my arms, feeling empty without her there when Tora silently raises a brow. I smile at her and wiggle my brow, letting her know everything is alright.
The past week has been shit. Last weekend Kaylah and I had been at a party and after some whore followed me into the bathroom and tried to suck my dick, things went south. I kicked her the fuck out but not before Kaylah stood there watching me with a broken heart, thinking I’d cheated.