Page 47 of Hate To Love You

“Ashton fucking Davis. He needs to be dealt with.”

“Because of what happened with Gwen?” Holland asks. I know they’re all confused as fuck about what’s going on between Gwen and me, and honestly so am I. I can feel the tension between us every time we’re together. I can see the ways I affect her when I’m close, and I know she’s struggling just like me.

I don’t know if she’ll ever give in though. She’s fucking stubborn as hell, and she won’t admit defeat. And the worst defeat for her would be accepting that she wants me just as much as I want her.

“That, and Logan,” this makes their eyes shoot up.

“What about Logan?” Pat asks, already more defensive. Even though I don’t get along with my brother much, he’s still one of us, and we look out for our own. The guys would take a bullet for him just as soon as they’d take one for me.

“You know that comment Logan made at the Halloween party? About Adrianna cheating on him,” Pat and Holland nod, Mason looks confused since he was off doing God knows what during the conversation. “Davis was the guy Adrianna cheated with.”

Holland lets out a woosh of air as Pat rakes a hand through his jet-black hair. Mason leans forward, resting his chin on his had.

“Shit, man,” Holland comments. Yeah, tell me about it.

“So, when are we beating his ass?” Mason asks. This kid is always ready to fuck someone up. I don’t know if it’s because of the way he grew up, or just because he enjoys the adrenaline high.

Mason’s dad, Holland’s uncle, is worse than mine. He’s abusive and mean. Mason never really talks about his dad, and everything I know about him came from Holland. Apparently, Mason’s dad would beat him if he ever did the slightest thing wrong. He wouldn’t even give him a chance to explain.

Holland says him and Ellie haven’t seen their uncle in years. Their parents wouldn’t allow it. Their uncle is their dad’s brother, and apparently, he’s always been ruthless. I feel bad for Mason, growing up with a father like that. But I guess we all have shitty fathers, don’t we.

We have to think this through. We can’t just show up to his place guns blazing. We can’t get caught either, or Dean Ashby’s gonna have my ass, and so will my father.

We have to be careful, calculated, smart.

“Tonight. We’ll do it tonight. I just… I don’t know how to do this without getting caught,” I say honestly.

“That’s not gonna be a problem,” Holland’s confident voice says. My eyebrow cocks, wondering where he’s going with this.

“What do you mean?”

Holland shrugs. “Davis always goes to the gym late on Wednesdays. I know because I’m usually there too,” he explains casually, like we aren’t discussing jumping a guy. “We wear masks, and we meet him in the parking lot. He’ll never see it coming, and he won’t be able to prove it was us if he decides to squeal.”

I’ve never been more thankful for Holland in my life. That’s perfect. It’s secluded, he’ll be alone, and he won’t know it was us. Sure, he’ll assume, but like Holland said, he won’t be able to prove it.

“Alright. Remember, we’re not trying to kill the guy. We’re in and we’re out. Don’t let emotions control your fists,” Pat says, looking directly at me. I scowl at him, but I know he’s right, he always is. The practical one, the strategic one, the one that has a plan for everything. That’s one thing that hasn’t changed since we were kids.

“I got it,” I mumble.

Mason claps his hands before rubbing them together and slapping them on his thighs.

“Great, let’s go,” he says excitedly, rising from his chair.

Holland shoots his cousin a glare. I don’t know how Holland is more mature than his older cousin, but someone needed the brains in that family.

“He doesn’t get to the gym until around nine thirty. We’ll get there as he’s leaving. Less time for error. Pump the fucking breaks, dude,” Holland chastises. Mason rolls his eyes and sits back in the chair.

“You guys are no fun,” he mumbles under his breath.

I have so much to think about right now, and my stress levels are high as hell. Thinking about my mother, my father, the project with Gwen that’s due in two days.

The thought of not having a reason to see or spend time with Gwen anymore makes my stomach clench. I’m not ready to be done yet.

When this whole thing started, I couldn’t wait for the three weeks to be over. I couldn’t stand the way she defied me, the way she argued and challenged me at every turn, the way she looked at me with contempt.

But now, I think I kind of like it. I like being challenged, I like that she doesn’t let me do or say whatever I want, I like the way her face scrunches up when she’s angry and she’s holding herself back from punching me in the face.

Gwen has slowly crept her way into my life, making me crave her touch, her kiss, the feeling of her soft skin on mine, the way she says my name.

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