Page 13 of Survival

My heart swelled. I’d missed him so much.

It was when we got back to his house that my stomach sank.

I was dying for time with Jet. Just him, and that time we’d just spent alone in my room hadn’t felt like nearly enough after he’d been away. But as soon as we’d walked back to his house, he was inviting his cousin.

“I still don’t see why we had to come outtonight. Surely, your friends know we’re knackered from the trip,” Niccomplained as we pulled into the gravel parking lot at Breaker Ridge.

Lord, give me patience.I looked up to the roof of Jet’s car as I rolled my eyes. I honestly didn’t know how Jet was keeping a straight face.

“Because Tucker and Izzy are having a hard day, and we want to help them keep their minds off things,” he explainedagainas he searched the parking lot for an empty space.

“Shouldn’t the dance be distracting enough? Why do they need you?”

“Just trust me, they do. Plus, it’s the end of spring break, and I haven’t been out with Annie yet. You didn’thaveto come,” Jet added at his cousin’s scowl.

“There’s Tucker’s truck,” I cut in before anything worse could come out of my mouth, pointing out the window to the lifted Chevy parked near the front doors.

“Looks like they got here pretty early, then. I’m shocked,” Jet said with a grin as he continued down the rows of cars.

“No kidding.” I grinned back. “I wonder how Tucker managed it.”

“Threw her in his truck as is?”

“Threatened her favorite pair of dancing heels is more like it.”

I caught Nic rolling his eyes in the rearview mirror and had to bite my tongue to not jump down his ass. He’d been in a shitty mood since I’d met him at the airport, and his attitude was really starting to grate on my nerves. I looked down at the diamonds on my finger and willed my patience to hold out. This was the first of Jet’s extended family I’d ever met, and I didnotwant it to go to shit. Itwas possible there was more going on, but hell, meeting Nic was definitely going worse than I’d ever pictured it.

Jet pulled into an open space towards the back of the old, wooden building and glanced between us. “Y’all ready?”

Nic grunted. I just bit my lip harder. Really, why had he come?

Jet pulled his seat forward so Nic could get out from the back and then ran around to my side to get the door. I smiled, but then my head whipped around in surprise when Nic cursed.

“Argh. Would something a little larger have been out of the question?” he snapped, gripping the back of his head with an angry glare at the Mustang.

“I thought Europeanslikedsmall cars,” I snapped before Jet gave my elbow a soft squeeze, trying to ease my tension, and I clenched my teeth shut again.

“Don’t diss the car, bro.” Jet’s fingers slid down my arm to take my hand, guiding me towards the doors. I felt Nic’s eyes on our backs for several seconds before he followed.

A current pop song was blaring from the speakers when we stepped inside, and Nic’s brow rose, taking in the scene, while I started searching the crowd for our friends.

“So, what do you think? Is it what you expected?” Jet asked, looking over at his cousin.

Nic shook his head slightly as his eyes moved around the room. “I didn’t really know what to think. It’s definitely different from the clubs back home.”

“It’s not exactly a club, but yeah, I’ll bet,” I commented, still searching the crowd as a country song started toplay, and Jet chuckled at the look on Nic’s face with the sudden, seamless change of dance style.

“I guess you don’t really listen to country music over in London, huh?”

“No, I’d say not.” His nose scrunched slightly in disgust. “Is that a bar over there?” he asked, already walking off.

“Well, that was abrupt.” I frowned.

Jet shrugged and wrapped an arm around my waist. “Do you want to dance?”

Bracing myself on his shoulder, I searched the crowd on my tiptoes. “I was trying to find Izzy and Tucker, but it’s so damn crowded in here tonight.”

“I’m sure they’re dancing, sweetheart.”

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