The Bet (North Woods University 1)

“You’re a cheater, a fucking cheater…” Sebastian’s angry voice fills my ears, and I hurry to see what is going on. As soon as I enter the living room, I find Remmy grinning like a fool at his brother. They’re playing on the Xbox. As soon as Remmy notices me, he bounds from the couch and over to me.

“What’s wrong, Jules?” His eyes bleed into mine, and concern etches into his features. His hands reach for me, pulling me into his chest like he knows what I need, probably because he always knows what I need. Tears start to fall from my eyes without hesitation.

“I’m going to bed, Seb,” Remmy announces.

“Is she okay?” Sebastian’s tone tells me he too is worried. It isn’t often I come over here crying or after ten pm.

“She will be,” Remmy answers, and picks me up like a small child, carrying me down the hall and into his bedroom. I feel so safe in his arms, not that I wasn’t safe at home, my parents never hurt me, but their fighting was constant, and it wracked every nerve ending in my body. As soon as we’re alone in his bedroom with the door closed, he places me on the bed. I can hear him rustling around, probably looking for PJs or something.

“What happened?” he asks a moment later.

I bite my bottom lip and wonder if I should really tell him. He’s my best friend, yes, but he’s always teasing me and making fun of me. He would probably just call me a baby, tell me to grow a thicker skin.

When I don’t answer him, he turns on the bedside lamp, a soft glow of light blankets us and my cheeks heat when I see that he’s taken off his shirt and slipped into a pair of flannel sleep pants. My eyes roam over his body, his muscles are toned, more definite. He’s changed so much over the last two years and I would be lying if I said I didn’t notice it.

There were many times I wanted his hands on me, in much different ways.

“Jules, what the hell happened?” he asks again, this time with more urgency.

“My parents. They’re fighting again. I can’t sleep, and I don’t want to be alone.” I feel the stupid tears stinging my eyes.

“Where’s Jackson?”

I shrug, “I don’t know. He doesn’t want to be home any more than I do. The only difference is he can drive, and I can’t.” My response must suffice enough because he doesn’t say anything else about it.

“Scoot over.” He nudges my PJ covered legs and I do as he says. My heart starts to beat out of my chest as he crawls into the bed and turns off the light.

When he reaches for me and pulls me into his side, a zing pulses through me. Why is this so different tonight? We’ve done this numerous times since we were small kids.

“You’ll never be alone, Jules. Never,” he whispers into my hair and I swear I feel his lips against my forehead. His skin is so warm, and I burrow into his side, wrapping an arm around his middle, relishing in the feeling of his bare warm skin against mine.

“Why’s that?” I whisper back, already knowing his answer.

“Because you’ll always have me,” he whispers.

“Jules? You okay?” Sebastian’s voice finds me through the foggy memory. I gulp, realizing we’re standing in the foyer.

“Jules? You seriously brought her here?” Remington’s deep, very angry voice finds me next and when I lift my gaze from the floor, I see him, standing there, an angry Greek god, with piercing blue eyes and dark brown hair.

He hates me…he hates me because he loved me, and I left.

Chapter Thirteen

Remington

Of course they would fucking do this, Sebastian of all people. She always had him wrapped around her finger. Turning on my heels, I go straight to the fridge for a beer. It damn near killed me not to go to her Saturday. I texted Cally instead asking her if Jules was okay. She told me she was but that she had stayed in her room all day.

I wanted to go over and comfort her, but I didn’t have it in me. I couldn’t give into the reemerging feelings that were trying to take root inside my heart.

“Remington. You will keep your mouth shut, and behave like a gentleman, do you understand me?” My father’s deep voice vibrates through me, clearing the angry fog from my mind. My father was one person I respected, never fought with, and not just because he was my father. I watched him work tirelessly nearly all my life to give us a good upbringing, even when my mother was constantly drunk. He stepped up to be two parents when all he had to do was really be one, and I loved him more than I could ever put into words for that. But that didn’t mean I had to like what was happening here tonight.