Page 6 of His Brave Girl

It no doubt made him feel good to have the hottest girl in school pick him as a partner. Of course, I wanted her to pick me and was going to demand whomever she did pick to trade with me, but when I saw her walk up to John, I backed down. And then I watched as she acted like a clown just to get the kid to laugh and loosen up. Yeah, she’s definitely a keeper. And man, do I want to go over there and stake my claim. But now is not the right time. For now, I’ll have to be patient.

CHAPTER 4

Kyler

Ipull up to her old house, but the Rubicon I saw her climb into isn’t parked in her driveway. Maybe her dad moved. I didn’t really think about it, but it is a possibility. But just as I begin looking up the tax records on my phone, Presley pulls into the driveway. She hops out of her car and comes stomping over.

“What are you doing here, Kyler?”

Doesn’t seem like she’s too happy to see me. A fact that has me biting back a smirk. Here I thought we’d be catching up as old friends, but it looks like I was wrong.

“I’m here to ask you the same thing. How come you moved back, Presley? I thought you were living with your mom.”

Her nostrils flare and a glimmer of something dark shines in her eyes. She doesn’t like the question. I didn’t think it was a hard one. It’s not like I just asked her virginity status.

“I’m eighteen now, so I can live wherever I want.”

Hold up. If I remember correctly, her birthday is January fourth, which means she just celebrated her eighteenth birthday four days ago. In other words, she turned legal and literallyfled from her mom’s the very next day. Something doesn’t seem right about that. My gut’s telling me there’s a reason she hightailed it back here so fast. A reason that may have to do with the “cheating bastard” she was flicking off through her phone earlier.

“You just miss your dad, or is there another reason you came running back as soon as you became legal?”

“I don’t think it’s any of your business, Kyler.” She braces her hands on her hips, squaring off with me. Gone is that bubbly girl who used to tell me everything. But I’m going to change that.

“You used to tell me everything, Pres. Remember?” My voice is soft, wanting her to know she can still trust me with her secrets. We may have grown up since we’ve been apart, but it’s still me. Maybe a few feet taller and hell of a lot stronger, but I’m still the same guy. And I still care about her.

“Yeah, well, we were twelve. I haven’t seen you in in over five years, Kyler.”

“So the fuck what? Nothing’s changed. I still care about you. Never stopped. Now, tell me why you left California, babe.”

She shakes her head with that angry mask she’s wearing firmly in place. I can see the tension rolling through her as she steps up to me, narrowing her brow further.

“You want to know, Kyler? Fine. But I’ll spare you the shitty details and give you the CliffsNotes version. I didn’t move here from California. I haven’t lived there in ages. That was where my mom’s first boyfriend lived. Her second one was in Miami so that was my next stop. Her third boyfriend was in Orlando. Number four was in New York. And number five, the one she decided to marry, at least for now, is in Philly. That’s where I moved here from.”

Damn, that’s a lot of places. Not only that, but that’s a lot of fucking men coming in and out of her life. What the hell was hermom thinking? No wonder Presley’s so pissed. How could she not harbor resentment for being dragged around like a suitcase.

“Now, as for the why I moved… Well, let’s just say I was done living with the bitch who kept me away from my father and lied to the judge every time he tried to get custody of me. So as soon as I knew my dad wouldn’t get arrested for kidnapping and going against the custody order, I left. It’smychoice now who I live with and I’m never living with that bitch again.”

Shit. That wasn’t the answer I was expecting. But it explains a lot. Presley’s smile used to light up the world. She was like a beacon of happiness, a girl whose laughter would brighten the darkest of moods. Now, there’s a dark cloud surrounding her. One so thick and heavy it’s hard to see through. But I know my Pres is still in there, and I’m going to do whatever I can to bring my girl back to life.

“Now, since we’re done with our happy little reunion, you can leave, Kyler.”

Fuck that shit.

I grip her waist and pull her against me. She’s not going to shake me that easily. “Don’t you dare fucking push me away, babe. You’ve avoided me all day and that shit stops now.” If she thinks I can’t deal with whatever baggage she has, she’s wrong. I’ll take on the weight of it all, carry the load of her pain until I have her smiling again. I’ll do whatever it takes to get my best friend back. But whether she kicks or screams, I’m not walking away.

She cocks her chin, giving me a look that has the hairs on my arms raising. “Do you want to fuck me now, Kyler? To get me out of your system? I have ten minutes before I have to leave so you’ll need to make it quick.”

The bone of my jaw feels like it might snap under the tension rolling through me. My hands tighten on her hips. The control I was trying to maintain is about to slip. “Retract your fuckingclaws, babe. And let me just say this.” I lean in, locking her right under my stare. “WhenI fuck you, it’s not going to be a one-time thing.”

It’s now more than obvious the asshole she was flipping off earlier left some gnarly scars, so I can be patient. But eventually, she’s going to learn that I’m not going to hurt her like he did. He’s a fucking idiot for betraying her. Deserves an ass kicking for hurting her. But I’d also like to thank the piece of shit because now I’ll have a chance to show her exactly how she deserves to be treated. Like a fucking queen.

“Wow, that’s a little presumptuous, Kye, don’t you think? I’m not interested in dating anyone. But even if I was, I’d never get involved with a guy who doesn’t do girlfriends.” She casts me a knowing look. “Guys aren’t the only ones who like to talk in the locker room.”

Fuck that. If she thinks I’m going to stand for that answer and let her shut me out, she’s wrong. I grip the back of her neck, getting within an inch from her pretty face. Fuck the bullshit those girls spewed. They don’t have a fucking clue.

“I’ve never had a girlfriend before, because I never found someone worth committing my heart to. Now, you can fight this all you want, but you’re going to learn real fast that you can trust me. And when that day comes, I’m going to make you mine.”

I can’t control myself. Her plump lips are too tempting. I swoop in and press my mouth to hers, stealing our first kiss. My tongue slips right past her lips as she lets out a surprised gasp, and then… it’s like her fire is lit. She meets me head on. Striking my senses down on impact. Kissing me back with a ferocious hunger. Her tongue teasing forward, then retreating, as if she’s playing tag with me. We play a game of push and pull, and the urgency takes hold. The heat racing up my spine.

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