Page 20 of Shadow and Skulls

“What?!” she screeches.

I laugh at the way her eyebrow cocks high on her forehead and her face turns red on my behalf.

“It doesn’t matter. I never really liked him anyway.”

“Then why have you been dating him for the past year?” She takes Tate from my arms when he starts to fuss, placing him at her breast.

I shrug. “I wanted to be normal, but I see nobody ever really thought I was normal. Everyone at school was only being nice to me because of the twins. This year has sucked.”

“Kelsie,” she scolds gently. “You are normal. You didn’t need to date him to prove that.” Her gaze roams over my shoulder, and her face turns red again. “What the fuck is he doing here?” she hisses.

I follow her gaze. Jason is chatting with my mom and dad on the patio. I jump up, instantly scanning the area for Tank. He’s gone.Thank god. My mom waves me over when my attention returns to the happy trio, and we make eye contact.

“I’ll get rid of him,” Billie Rose says, juggling Tate on her boob as she tries to stand.

“It’s fine. I’ll handle it.” I walk backward as I leave her behind. “Please don’t tell anyone about Jason and me.”

She draws a little x over her heart as I rush up to the patio.

My dad pats Jason on the back. “Have her home by midnight,” he tells him.

“Yes sir,” Jason agrees, saluting him. Then, he grabs me by the hand and starts pulling me away.

“Wait,” I whisper yell to him.

My mom waves us on. “Go on. Have fun.”

When we get around the building, I yank Jason to a stop. “What are you doing here?”

“There’s a party at Matt’s tonight. I thought you’d like to go.”

“Well, you thought wrong.” I cross my arms over my chest.

He drops his head. “I’m sorry. I was an asshole. I was only using Lexi to make you jealous.”

The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and a shiver runs down my spine. I don’t know which man scares me more at the moment. The one hiding in the shadows watching me or the one standing right in front of me.

I grab Jason’s hand and rush to his car. “Fine. Let’s go.”

The minute we get to the “party” I know I’m in trouble. “Where is everyone?”

Jason doesn’t answer me. He just heads up the stairs. When we get inside, there are only a handful of guys and one girl.Lexi.

She gives me a dirty look as the boys start to joke with one another. Matt shoves a beer in my hand. “Drink up, buttercup.”

“I … can you take me back to the warehouse? I’m not feeling very well,” I ask Jason, setting the beer on the counter.

Matt starts laughing. “The party’s just getting started,” he says with a wink. “Why don’t you take her to my room and let her lie down for a bit. I’m sure you’ll get to feeling better.”

“Oh, that’s okay,” I start to say as Jason wraps his arms around my waist, pushing us out of the kitchen and down the hall into a dark room. The only light is from the moonlit window behind a large bed.

“Jason, I’m serious. Take me home.”

He ignores me as he surveys the room. “Seriously, did you have to embarrass me in front of my friends like that? You know what they’re going to expect us to do in here, don’t you?”

When he grabs the bottom of my shirt, I try to yank it out of his hands. “What are you talking about? They don’t care about our sex life, Jason.”

This makes him angry. He forcefully tugs me close to him and pulls my shirt over my head before shoving me to the bed.

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