Page 62 of Pretty Little Rocker

Turning so I couldn’t see them, I caught Poppy’s gaze and forced myself to relax. “Abi has been my best friend since the day she was born. We’ve been through everything together. I thought it would always be just her and me. But slowly, we added more misfits to our group. We went from the Dynamic Duo to the Terror Trio, and anyone who messed with one of us knew they would get the wrath of the other two. We fought the silent battles side by side, just like we destroyed those who thought they could crush the ones we loved with their stinging words.”

I took another sip, daring to look at Maddie, letting the glitter in my eyes remind her of how Abi and I had once had her back. But I wasn’t so sure she’d ever had ours. She quickly glanced away, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip. To keep it from quivering? Or to stop herself from running her mouth?

Lifting a brow at her in challenge, I turned my back on her again. “No matter what’s happened along the way, it was always—will always—be Abi for me. If I hadn’t already seen how much Vaughn cherishes Abi, I probably would have staked him with a drumstick by now. But I can see it in the way he looks at her, the way his entire face morphs into something that screams ‘I love this girl. I will kill for her. I am going to make it my life’s goal to always make her happy.’ I see it, Vaughn, as I’m sure everyone else here has too. And for that reason alone, I’m going to let you live. But only if you promise not to take my bestie away from me forever.”

Vaughn’s brown eyes met mine, and I saw the promise there, the one that told me I would always be welcome in his home, his life, his world because Abi loved me. I mouthed “Thank you” to him, before lifting my glass. “To some of you, Abi and Vaughn are moving way too fast, but having fallen fast myself, I understand the need to grasp hold of the person—or people—who kidnap your heart and attach themselves to your soul. So I’m going to toast to my best friend and the crazy man who loves her most in the world.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

Ky

Dinner had already been served, and most couples were out on the dance floor, including Maddie’s dad and stepmom. Her brother, Banks, had even taken Avalyn’s hand and twirled her around a few times before she’d run off to play with some of her cousins.

All I could do was sit there, watching Hayat as she sat at the head table, laughing and talking. Flirting with Jamie and Sparks. Touching them because she had the right to. Because she was theirs, and they were hers.

And I was sitting across the room, what felt like a million miles away from the girl I loved, unable to find my voice or the will to get to my feet. Walk over there, tell her I loved her and how sorry I was for being a dick.

Eyes still on her, I saw her stand, take the hand Jamie offered to her, and then boop Sparks on the nose, as if promising him he was next. Grasping her hand, Sparks lifted it to his lips and kissed her palm, saying something that made her throw her head back and laugh. Everyone around her turned at the musical sound.

Beside me, Maddie sighed. Resting her elbows on the table, she propped her face in them. “This was a mistake,” she said after a few moments passed of both of us watching her dance with Jamie. “I can’t believe how big of a bitch I was to Hayat this week. She and Abi were the first friends I made when we moved here from Texas. She welcomed me into her family without hesitation. Before, during, and after everything with Holden, she was the one friend I could count on to always have my back.”

Looking at me, she gave me a grim smile. “Do you know she broke some guy’s nose for calling me a whore? He was one of Holden’s friends and, at the time, a good six inches taller. Not to mention about sixty pounds heavier. And she just drew back and walloped him in the face. Took three surgeries to fix it to something that resembled the original version of his nose, but no one ever called me a whore again. At least not where she could hear them.”

“She’s fierce,” I agreed. “Loves hard. Fights hard. But when she’s done, she doesn’t do anything. Just walks away and shows you how big of a fuckup you are.”

“Yeah,” Maddie nodded. “You’re in love with her?”

“She owns my soul.”

“Then you’re even stupider than I am,” she muttered with a shake of her blond head. “My excuse was I wanted to shove your success in Holden’s and Hadley’s faces. And then tonight, I wanted to make this guy jealous. That’s why I asked you to come with me.”

“You said you wanted to go as friends so we could apologize to Hayat together,” I reminded her.

“Which is true. But not the whole truth.” She turned so she was glowering at me. “I had nefarious reasons, but none of them were meant to hurt Hayat. Although, if I’d thought it through a little more, I would have realized how I went about my revenge would hurt someone important to me. What’s your excuse?”

“I inherited the Renchford dumb-fuck gene?” I offered, making her grin.

“Obviously. But you’re also smarter than that. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have Autumn’s Slumber, and you definitely wouldn’t have had a piece of Hayat’s heart.” She shoved at my arm. “Stop being a dumbass, Ky. Go cut in and talk it out with her.”

I scrubbed my hands over my face in frustration. “Where would I even start?”

“How about with, ‘Hey, sorry I was the world’s dumbest boyfriend, but I realized my mistakes and I was hoping you would find it in your beautiful, generous heart to give me another chance.”

My brows rose skeptically. “And you think she’s just going to forgive me? Take me back and love me?”

Maddie shrugged. “You won’t know unless you ask. Come on, Ky. You’re already admitted to having the Renchford dumb-fuck gene. Don’t tell me you inherited the pussy gene too.”

Realizing she was right, I wouldn’t know unless I tried, I stood and weaved through the other guests to the dance floor. Jamie was showing off, twirling Hayat every other step, making her giggle so sweetly that it was hard not to smile as I watched them. When I was a few feet away from them, Jamie saw my approach, and after a lengthy staredown that promised me a long, painful death if I hurt our girl again, he twirled her one more time.

Right into my arms.

With a squeal, she landed against me, still laughing.

Until she lifted her gaze and met mine. All the light faded from those aquamarine eyes, her body stiffening. She was no longer dancing to the music but standing like a statue against me.

“Hi,” I murmured, carefully placing my hand at her waist and urging her to sway to the music with me. After a long moment, she finally gave in.

“Hey,” she grumbled, looking at something over my shoulder.

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