Page 23 of Always You

LIZA:WANT ME TO BE YOUR PERSONAL CHEERLEADER?

No.

Fuck no.

I don’t take people to my fights other than Jason, but most of the time I go by myself. It’s a business transaction for me and nothing more. The last thing I need is some bunny-hopping girl begging for my attention while I’m trying to knock people out.

Though, her question does spark an idea.

The tips of my fingers hover above my screen to reply, when the roaring engine of my truck makes me look up, and excitement across stretches my face. My bad mood disappears that tiny girl parks my big-ass truck in the driveway like a badass. The last few weeks, she’s been the only one who can really make me smile; my light in the dark tunnel that is my life. I walk over to my truck, leaning in the open window on the passenger side.

“Hey.” She looks gorgeous as ever in her blue jeans and a simple white t-shirt, her blonde strands framing the swell of her breasts.

Her eyes narrow at me as she cocks her head, lips pursing.

“You had another fight?”

I swear, I can’t hide anything from this girl. She can read me like a fucking children’s book, quickly and without any effort. She notices the smallest change in my mood and it’s as terrifying as it is comforting that she knows me this well after just a matter of weeks.

A sweet smile ruffles my lips, hoping she’ll drop it while I open the door.

“Hunt.” She glares when I reach for the contact and pull the key from the ignition, using it as an excuse to be closer to her. Her flowery shampoo is intoxicating, and I breathe in deeply as I close my eyes. When the key is in my hand, I look up, rest my gaze on her innocent face, resisting the itch to brush my thumb over the soft brown freckles on her cheek.

“I got you something.” I open the glove box, pulling out the book I stuffed there yesterday.

Her eyes narrow with a little amusement. “You’re deflecting.”

“I know.” I lift up the book in front of her face, and her jaw drops, her green eyes wide like the most gorgeous marbles you’ll ever see.

“Hunt!” She stares at my smirk, then flicks her eyes back to the book and gently takes it from my hands. “You got me the new Aubrey Carrington book?”

The gratitude in her expression melts my heart while pride straightens my shoulder.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she adds.

“It’s no big deal. I saw it when I walked past the bookstore yesterday.”

A smile splits her face, her teeth sinking into her lower lip. “Thank you. I love it.”

The look she’s aiming at me has my pulse galloping and running straight toward the drug that’s Charlotte Roux, as I already wonder how I can replicate that smile once more.

“Now…” She tilts her head accusingly.Shit.Thought I saved myself out of that one. “Your mom giving you a hard time again?”

“Yeah,” I finally admit with a tight voice, letting my head hang above the center console.

“’Bout what?”

I softly snicker, straightening my back to bring up my arms, leaning them against the top of the car.

“About you.” A frown forms on her face, and I send her an apologetic look. It was a first, my mom being bothered by whoever I hang out with, but fuck me, it quickly had my anger reach a boiling point and walking out the door. My mother can have an opinion on any other girl, but not Charlotte. She can keep Charlotte’s name out of her mouth.

“What about me?” Her lips part in shock, though a curious glint bounces through her expression. A grunt of confliction rumbles into the truck. I don’t want to hurt her feelings, but I also don’t want to lie. Not to her.

“She basically called me an idiot for giving you my truck all the time, when we’ve been friends for less than a month. Then she started ranting about me being stupid and always hanging around with low-life bimbos.” I carefully watch her features, expecting her to freak out on me. But to my surprise, her lips are vigorously pressed to hold back a laugh. Her eyes spark with joy, and I let out my pent-up breath in relief.

“I’m a bimbo now?”

“No.” I playfully roll my eyes. “I told her you were anything but a bimbo. That you weren’t like that. That you’re my friend.” My voice lowers with the last sentence, as if I’ll be caught in a lie any second now. “Then she was all like, ‘I wouldn’t know, because I’ve never met the girl.’ And after that, it all went downhill.”

---