Page 131 of Destroying Everleigh

I thought my heart couldn’t hurt anymore. I thought I was already too broken to break anymore. But his words had me shattering into a million pieces. My throat was tight, and tears burned my eyes from his callous words.

Despite the war raging within my body, I pulled in a ragged breath through my lungs, doing my best to keep my head held high regardless of the tear that had managed to trickle down the side of my face. “Fine by me.” He stared at me for a long moment, his eyes tracking the lone tear, as if it were the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen. Finally, he jerked a nod and straightened his spine.

Glancing over at Jameson, he gave him a pointed look. “You know what to do.”

Jameson climbed over the center console and took the driver’s seat. “Yep,” he confirmed. It wasn’t until Ashton stepped back and closed my car door that Jameson tore out of the driveway.

Tension mixed with anticipation was thick in the air. They were acting like this was some kind of final battle. Maybe because they knew this was the end. That alone was doing things to my heart I didn’t even want to admit to or dwell on.

Kash took his free hand and gripped my face in a firm hold, turning my head toward him. I was about to ask what the hell he thought he was doing, but his lips were on mine in the next breath. The cold metal of his lip ring pressed against my mouth, and I inhaled his spicy cologne so thoroughly, knowing this was indeed the last time I’d be close enough to smell it. I kissed him back, just like I’d kissed Jameson earlier. This kiss was softer, more urgent, and mixed with words neither of us dared to say.

“Really, asshole?” Jameson snarled from the front seat, glancing in the rearview mirror. Kash huffed out a laugh before pulling away, brushing his thumb along my lower lip.

The ride was silent, and I found myself paying close attention to my surroundings. This wasn’t the way to the university. In fact, I had no idea where they were taking me. The lack of knowledge had dread settling in the pit of my stomach.

“Why aren’t you taking me to their frat house?” I inquired, unable to hide the nervousness from my tone.

They were both silent for a moment, but it was Kash who decided to indulge me. “Apparently, they’re hosting a frat party in the woods tonight. An exclusive one with just members. You’ll go home with him afterwards.”

“Unless…” Jameson trailed off. “You decide to leave him again. We can’t stop you there.” He shot me a look in the mirror, one that told me he hoped I’d do just that.

“Well, I’m certainly not staying with him,” I grumbled. “This entire thing feels pointless.”

Kash nodded, running his fingers through my long hair. “I know. We tried telling Ash that. He’s a stubborn fucker.”

That was the understatement of the damn century. Silence stretched between us as we moved onto some creepy backroad near the country. My grandparents didn’t live far from here actually. Jameson stopped in the middle of the road, trees flanking us on either side. A cold chill swept down my spine and I glanced around in confusion. They were having a party out here? In the middle of nowhere? It was probably a precaution so the cops didn’t get involved, but still…

Jameson raised his phone to his ear, waiting for the other person to pick up. “We’re here.” And then he hung up.

“I don’t want to be here,” I admitted under my breath. It was creepy and far away from my home on the north side. Knowing Lucas, this party would go well into the morning. I haven’t eaten,showered, slept, or anything. Not to mention, school wouldn’t even be an option if this turned out to be a banger. “Something feels off.”

Kash glanced over at me, his unreadable mask snapped firmly in place. “It’s just a party, Little E. It’ll be alright.”

I hesitated, but he was right. I was just being paranoid. We sat in silence for a while and then a figure in a gray hoodie emerged from the tree line. His blonde hair was sticking out all over the place and he looked so unlike himself that I had to do a double take. He seemed fine at school. The dark shadows covered a good portion of his face, giving him a more sinister appearance. A cold chill swept down my spine at the mere sight of him.

Maybe it was my anxiety, but something reallydidfeel off about this. My heart leapt into my throat and my muscles started locking into place from the mere tension alone. It was odd that Lucas would request my presence here of all places, this far away from the university, or away from civilization in general.

“Breathe, Everleigh,” Kash said calmly. “If we thought for even one second that he planned on doing something to you, we wouldn’t be here right now. Just relax.”

I bit my lower lip and nodded. They might have been assholes, but they weren’t monsters. This wasn’t some kind of set-up. That thought gave me some relief. They might have resented me, but they weren’t evil people. Not at heart.

Blowing out a breath, I scooted away from him, allowing his hand to drop from around me. I reached for the door handle with shaky fingers and hauled myself out. The cold air greeted me instantly, kissing along my flesh until a shiver was tearing through me despite the jean jacket I wore.

I spared one last glance at Kash, an ache forming within my chest. And then I slammed the door shut. Lucas assessed me silently, his hands inserted in the pockets of his black slacks.He hadn’t moved an inch since stepping into view, and that realization unsettled me further.

“Come, Everleigh,” he ordered in a bored tone that was equally unlike him.

A shudder rolled through me, and I hesitantly took a step forward, praying that Jameson or Kash would change their mind and stop this. At a snail’s pace, I finally reached Lucas. His gaze darted to the vehicle still lingering in the road and his jaw feathered with annoyance at the fact.

“They don’t care about you,” he said coldly. “If they did, why would they bring you back to me?”

I knew he was right. If they cared about me, they wouldn’t have done half the things they’d done. It still didn’t make me feel any better. In fact, the ache in my chest only amplified.

“I know.”

Lucas glanced over at me in surprise, like he didn’t expect me to believe him. But I think I’d known all along and just hoped I’d been wrong. If anything, this proved it. He reached for me suddenly, causing me to tense. He was unpredictable, something I’ve learned about him recently. His hand curled around my waist, and he tugged me against his warm body. Repulsion zipped through me at the possessiveness he was displaying as if to simply prove a point. His lips found mine in a sloppy kiss and I tried to jerk away, but his other hand was moving to the back of my head to hold me in place.

The sound of the Equinox taking off sent sharp slices of pain tittering through me. They were leaving me. They hated me. They didn’t want me. Nobody did. Not really.

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