Page 24 of Destroying Everleigh

I turned back to my nachos in the meantime, getting my fill before cat-calling the sexy bitch who was wearing a skirt so short you could see her tan lines.

“Do you think Everleigh would care?” I asked. It wasn’t like she ever kissed me or told me she liked me more than a friend. She’d been all about Ashton up until she wasn’t. But a part of me still hoped that back then, it hadn’t been one-sided.

He shrugged. “Who knows. From what Ash was saying after your little temper tantrum in the parking lot, he’s worried he doesn’t even affect her.”

My gaze snapped to his again. That would be a problem indeed. The entire reason we had come here was to make the little bitch suffer for tearing us apart, but if she didn’t care anymore, then most of our tricks would roll off her back. We’d have to get creative if that was the case.

Our conversation was cut short when Ashton slid into the seat in front of us, placing his plate down on the wooden table. His gaze was hard and calculating, like he was a wolf on the hunt. My eyes instinctively darted to his hand where the stick and poke used to be, but you couldn’t even tell now. In its place was a black rose with webs intertwined throughout it, giving ita haunting appearance. Black blood trickled down the petals—a reminder of what once was.

His jaw ticked when his eyes landed on Everleigh, and he stared for a moment longer than was necessary before turning his attention to his food.

We ate in silence for a few moments, but to my complete surprise, our prey walked right up to us, flipping her burgundy curls behind her shoulder. Lucas was beside her, a friendly expression on his face that pissed me off more than I cared to admit. Everleigh stood behind them, using them as a shield, like she’d rather be anywhere else.

The boyfriend looked between us for a moment before settling his gaze on Ash, like they were long-time friends, and I couldn’t help but to arch an accusing eyebrow. “I see you’re settling in well,” the dude said.

Ashton’s lips curled into one of his malicious smirks. “I am. Lucas, meet my two friends. They just transferred.” The way he said it was cold, and unless Lucas was stupid, he’d realize that Ash wasn’t a friend of his at all.

Lucas shifted uncomfortably on the balls of his feet. “Oh. Um. Hi. Are you guys joining the soccer team? My girlfriend—” He turned to motion to Everleigh, but all I saw was red.

“No,” Kash drawled. “We have other plans.”

Sucking in a deep breath to rein in my emotions, I turned to Amber who was looking between us with interest, like she could sense the unspoken tension in the air.

When her gaze landed on me, I shot her a smirk. “You must be Amber. Ash has told us a lot about you,” I lied, glancing over at Everleigh to see her expression. I didn’t miss the way she tensed, a flash of something crossing her features before she masked it again. Bingo Bitch.

“Oh really?” she asked in an experienced sultry tone, like she’d had tons of run-ins with bad boys before us.

I wouldn’t consider usbad. We didn’t do anything illegal aside from drinking, but we were almost twenty-one. But that’s the conclusion most girls came to when they took one look at us. They could be just as superficial as guys could.

“We would offer you a seat, but it looks like you already have plans,” I continued, glancing at the two people flanking her.

Amber’s shoulders tensed, and she turned to look at Everleigh. But her mask was firmly in place, so I didn’t know what the hell she was thinking. Finally, she turned to face us again. “Everleigh has Lucas. She’ll be fine without me for one meal.”

Ashton shot me a look, a thrill flashing in his eyes as they connected with mine. He scooted over to give her room and she sank down beside him, shooting her friend an apologetic look. Everleigh rolled her eyes, placing her hand on Lucas’s shoulder, the stick and poke still there. Even after all this time.

As I looked at Ashton, I was hit with the sudden realization that he was fucking loaded. We didn’t need some dweeb’s help. Not when we had him. It was the most obvious answer to our little frat problem.

“Let’s go sit with Rose and Alex,” she suggested, tugging on him.

He glanced over his shoulder at her and nodded. “Sure, babe. Just one second.”

Babe.

Hearing it directed at her by another dude had my stomach tying into knots. It shouldn’t have bothered me like it did. Even if Ashton was my best friend. Fire filled my veins, dark spots dancing along the edges of my vision.

I couldn’t help myself. I just couldn’t.

Ashton shot me a warning glare, as if he were sensing where my train of thought had gone, but he could relax. I wasn’t about to lay a finger on her.

The words were tumbling out of my mouth before I could even think them through. “Does your boyfriend know how much of a slut you are?” I demanded, narrowing my eyes at Everleigh.

Her lips parted in shock at the callousness, and at the fact I called her out right here in front of not only her boyfriend, but her best friend, too.

Amber looked between us, a stitch between her brows. “What is he talking about?” she asked before her boyfriend could beat her to it.

Lucas shook Everleigh’s hand from his shoulder before moving to wrap a possessive hand around her waist instead, his eyes narrowing at me. “You ever call her that again, and I’ll?—”

“You’ll what?” Ashton taunted. “Tell your rich daddy? I’ve got one of those, too.”

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