Page 2 of Vendetta

“Hey, no judgment here. I love a good Cosmo,” Zayn replied, flashing an easy smile.

“So, tell me, Landry, do you make yours with Grey Goose or Belvedere?” Cashton’s mocking voice cut through the conversation.

“Tito’s, actually,” I responded. “And only because I’m allergic to bottom-shelf vodka.”

“Let me guess—you’re also allergic to polyester and anything that hasn’t been prepared in a five-star kitchen?”

I turned sharply to face him, irritation bubbling up. What was this guy’s problem? I’d known him all of five minutes, and it already felt like he had a personal vendetta against me.

“Cash!” Olivia scolded, cutting through the tension before I could deliver a retort. “Why are you being such a dick? I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but tone it down. That was uncalled for.”

Without another word, Cashton abruptly stood, his height towering over the group as he stalked off. What a dick. I hadn’t done anything to him, yet he seemed determined to ruin my day over my drink of choice?

I forced myself to let the thought go and rejoin the conversation, refusing to let Cashton’s sour attitude ruin my first real college party. Instead, I tuned into TJ and Nate’s animated discussion about next week’s away game, while Zayn attempted to coax Bexley into using a beer funnel. When she declined with a shy laugh, he shrugged and demonstrated it himself, much to everyone’s amusement.

This year was supposed to be my fresh start. And so far, I loved this group—well, everyone except mister grumpy-pants, Cashton. But I wasn’t about to let his bad attitude ruin things for me.

Still, I couldn’t completely shake him from my mind. As much as I wanted to let it go, that little voice in my head kept gnawing at the encounter, picking apart every detail. Worse yet, I couldn’t ignore the infuriating warmth pooling low in my stomach whenever my thoughts drifted back to him.

I really needed to get a grip. As frustratingly hot as Cashton was, he was also a complete and utter asshole. And I would be staying as far away from him as possible.

“Heads up!” I lunged forward, managing to bump the ball back over the net before plunging underwater from the effort. A few drinks and the volleyball net strung across the shallow end of the pool had ignited my competitive streak, and it hadn’t taken much convincing to get the group to join in.

Our team consisted of Olivia, Nate, Kaptan, two girls whose names I’d already forgotten, and me. TJ and Zayn had joined the opposing side to even out the boys-to-girls ratio, and we were now locked in a tie-breaker game. I was loving every second of it.

The opposing team sent the ball flying out of bounds, where it landed with a loud thud near a group of girls lounging on the turf. Zayn wasted no time using it as an excuse to saunter over and strike up a conversation, the girls responding with overly eager laughter that echoed above the music.

Taking advantage of the break, I waded over to where Bexley sat poolside, her pale legs dangling into the water. She had opted out of playing, and given how rare social outingsseemed to be for her, I wasn’t surprised. Her face lit up when she saw me approach, grinning as she handed me a drink.

“You weren’t kidding when you said you were competitive!” she teased. “Even the guys are struggling to keep up with you. I’m impressed.”

I shrugged, laughing as I took a sip. “What can I say? Winning is in my blood.”

After our team claimed victory in the final round, we decided to take a break. I excused myself to refill my drink, offering to grab one for anyone else.

As I pushed through the crowd and into the kitchen, I spotted a tall figure at the marble island. His toned back was unmistakable, and so was the energy he carried—Cashton.

His dark hair caught the sunlight as he poured a drink from one of the kegs beneath the counter. Next to him stood a raven-haired girl who was speaking animatedly, though he didn’t seem particularly engaged. His focus remained on the beer in his hand.

Something about the scene made my heart race, though I couldn’t tell if it was annoyance, nerves, or maybe the liquid courage I’d been sipping on all afternoon. Either way, I found myself walking toward him, driven by the lingering tension from earlier.

I needed to know what his deal was. I hated being disliked, especially when I didn’t know why. Maybe it was a character flaw—or maybe it stemmed from something deeper, like the fact that my remaining parent often seemed indifferent to my existence. But that was a rabbit hole I wasn’t about to dive into.

What mattered now was fixing whatever was going on with Cashton. Olivia was one of my closest friends, and if her group was as tight-knit as it seemed, I couldn’t afford to let this weird tension fester.

Before I could second-guess myself, I closed the distance between us, my eyes locking on Cashton and the girl at his side.

“Hey Cashton?”

The moment his eyes locked on mine, a shiver raced down my spine. His eyes were mesmerizing, the brightest green flecked with amber and gold that glinted in the sunlight. But his features hardened instantly, and the anxiety creeping through me only grew.

The girl at his side looked me up and down, sizing me up as if I were competition. I forced the warmest smile I could muster, despite the nerves twisting my stomach.

“Hi, I’m Landry. I’m really sorry to interrupt, but could I speak to Cashton for just a moment? I promise I’ll bring him right back.”

Her expression remained unreadable as she glanced from me to him.

“No.”

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