Page 28 of Rewrite Our Story

I decide to try and wait him out. Maybe he’ll take off angry and leave me and Brendan to it.

He does no such thing. We’re in a battle of wits, and poor Brendan is just a spectator.

“Now,” Cade snaps. The tone of his voice has Brendan leaving my side and getting back on his ATV.

I walk up to Cade’s ATV, leaning over it to bring my face close to his. “You had no right. We’ll talk about this later.”

He laughs. It’s dark and twisted, the sound doing funny things to me. “Hehas no right being alone with you.”

Rage courses through my body. “You don’t get to decide that.”

Cade’s eyes darken. They flick to my lips for a moment before he looks over to Brendan waiting at the ATV. “You know what,” he says mockingly, “it kind of looks like I do.”

Letting out an annoyed sigh, I pull my helmet back on. There’s no point in arguing if Brendan is going to listen to Cade.

But I’ll make sure to say something about it later. He’s not getting off this easily. If he’s going to be a jealous asshole, then I’m going to give him even more of a reason to be.

16

MARE - AGE NINETEEN

A slight rustlingsound outside the tent pulled me from my sleep. I look to see if maybe it was just Pippa coming to bed for the night. I find her fast asleep on the other side of the tent, her forearm covering her eyes.

I pull the blanket up to my chin. I’d gone to bed early, too upset with Cade to enjoy what was supposed to be my birthday celebration. After he’d ruined the moment between Brendan and me, he’d gone right back to not talking to me.

He stopped ignoring me at least. He didn’t grace me with another word, but he did glare at me the entire night. Even when his on and off again girlfriend, Rhiannon, tried to get his attention, he’d barely looked at her. He’d barely looked at anything but me or the labels he kept tearing off his beer bottles. The only time he pretended that I existed was when I tried to spend alone time with Brendan. If I evenlookedin Brendan’s direction, Cade would find a way to stop it like a damn guard dog.

I let him scowl and throw a temper tantrum. I was throwing one of my own. Words spun through my head all night as I’d planned what I’d say to him the first time we were alone. He can’t ignore me until he sees me try to give my attention to somebody else. It was a shame we’re in the presence of our friend group for tonight. I didn’t want to hash it out for all of them to see.

I’d still gone to bed angry. Pippa had been shocked I’d wanted to go to bed so early, but I told her I’d be ready to keep up with the celebrations tomorrow.

When another rustling sound comes from outside the tent, I figure people must still be up and having fun. At least someone on this little trip is having a good time for my birthday.

The tent zipper moving and getting pulled open catches my attention. I sit up immediately, watching it warily. At first I panic thinking it’s a bear, or a serial killer, but when Cade’s face pops through the opening, I let out a sigh of relief.

For a second.

Then anger courses through my veins at what he pulled earlier.

I open my mouth to tell him exactly how I feel, even with Pippa sleeping soundly right next to me. Before any sound comes out, he puts a finger to his lips.

“Come here,” he mouths.

I narrow my eyes at him. My mouthed “no”in response is clear as day.

“Goldie,” he responds silently.

I shake my head at him.

He doesn’t get to ignore me, get mad at me for spending time with someone else, refuse to speak to me, and then wake me up because he feels like it.

His eyes soften. “Please,” he mouths.

I’m so fucked. One simple word and the anger dissipates enough from my body to have me crawling out of my sleeping bag and leaving the tent.

I say nothing as Cade quietly zips the tent back up as I shove on my boots.

“What do you want?” I whisper, stepping away from the group of tents so no one hears us.

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