Page 34 of Selfless

Nick looks at Ryder for confirmation, but he just licks his lips and then gives him a wink.

“Really?” I snap, turning to face Ryder. He just smiles at me, and I turn away from him. “Nick.” He starts shaking his head real quickly and then wipes his lips with the back of his hand.

“You kissed your brother,” he says with disgust.

“We do more than just kiss,” Ryder says with a cocky smile on his face.

He gasps at his words. “Nick, he’s joking …” I say, taking a step toward him, and he takes a step back with his hands raised.

“I know what I saw,” he argues.

“Nick, don’t …”

“Goodbye, Nick,” Ryder says, interrupting me and raising his right hand to wave. Without another word, he turns and runs off into the crowd.

I spin around to face him. “What the hell is wrong with you?” I demand. He just laughs as he walks over to the bag of food Nick dropped. “I’m serious, Ryder.”

He picks it up. “Hungry?” he asks with a smile.

I narrow my eyes at him and place my hands on my hips. “I’m no longer hungry,” I respond flatly.

His eyes drop to my legs, and he licks his lips. “I’m all of a sudden starving.”

“Well, you’re going to starve to death,” I spit out and then walk out of the alleyway and onto the sidewalk. I look him up and down with disgust as I pass him, and he smirks at me.

“I’m not gonna play fair,” he warns me.

I come to a stop and slowly turn to face him. My eyes catch sight of the bracelet in his hand and then go back to his eyes. “I’m not going to play at all,” I say and give him my back once again.

“Did you know that my sister is dating my best friend?” he demands over the crowd.

I come to another stop and sigh. I turn back around once again and face him. “Yes,” I say, simply refusing to lie to him.

He takes a step back and runs a hand through his spiked hair. “How could you …?” He stops himself then takes a deep breath and lets it out. “How could you not tell me?”

I take a step toward him and narrow my eyes. “How could I not tell you?” I repeat. “You haven’t spoken to me for a week. When would I have had the chance to tell you?” I demand.

“So you’re saying you’ve only known for a week?” he asks, eyeing me skeptically.

I look away from him and bite my lower lip. “Thought so,” he says with a snort. “Everyone is keeping secrets from me,” he adds.

My head snaps back to look at him. “Maybe if you hadn’t shut everyone out—”

“You wanna know why I shut everyone out?” he demands. “It’s ‘cause all they ever wanted to do was discuss you. And I couldn’t stand it anymore,” he shouts.

“Then why are you here?” I shout back. “If you can’t stand the thought of me, why the hell did you ruin my date …?”

“Because I love you!” he shouts, fisting his hands down by his side.

I hate the way my body instantly hums at those words. And my chest tightens at the lie. I want it to be true so badly, but he’s trying to manipulate me. He doesn’t love me; if he did, he would have told me that when I called him the other night. But I hate the way my heart beats faster, wishing it was true.

I take a step back, shaking my head. “I don’t need to hear this.” This time when I walk off, he doesn’t try to stop me.

CHAPTER EIGHT

RYDER

I beat on the door again. I’ve been standing outside the girls’ apartment for over ten minutes and no answer. I pull out my cell and dial my sister’s number. It rings several times and then eventually goes to voicemail. So I call Jaycent’s. I know that fucker is in there. He answers on the third ring.

---