Page 48 of Brutal Days

He filled the doorway, just as tall as me but leaner like Cole. It didn’t make him any less intimidating, and the courtroom reacted and bowed down when he was in it. I got off the bed, shouldered past him, and headed for the kitchen.

Raelyn sat curled on the window seat, a book in hand.

When I stomped in, Dad not far behind, I sneered and issued a bullshit apology. “Sorry for snapping at you, but please mind your own business.”

I immediately went to the garage and my SUV to escape what my dad would do for that one. I wasn’t in the mood for a lecture or whatever ridiculous punishment he planned to enact.

I drove to the field to run drills and work off some of the frustration from the Gia and Skylar situation—and my dad and Raelyn. But when I got there, the marching band was practicing. It was Sunday, and I had no idea if that was typical or a one-off thing.

Instead, I drove past Chicks-N-Wings on the off chance Sky’s car was there. It was, so I parked and went in. It wasn’t hard to spot her waiting on a table that only Gia occupied. Fuck my life, but it was as good as any a time to handle the situation.

With a fake smile pasted on my mouth, I walked to Gia’s table like I was there for her. Skylar approached with food, appearing from the corner of my eye, so I took Gia’s hand and pulled her to her feet. Then I kissed her like she was Skylar and not the poor substitute that didn’t taste or feel like the girl I conjured in my mind. She didn’t kiss like her either.

When I broke the kiss, I kept her hand in mine. “I missed you.” Then I released her and sat in the booth opposite where she retook her seat. Flustered, for once, she didn’t have a thousand things to say, and I enjoyed the silence.

Gia’s cheeks reddened as she continued to sit there, stunned. I flashed a smile while Skylar glared from behind her. When she motioned for me to go to the bathroom, I excused myself from a still-mute Gia.

In the bathroom hallway, I closed the distance to Sky while her eyes flashed with too many emotions. Crowding her against the wall, I leaned in to kiss her, but she shoved at my chest.

“Gia’s starting to fall for you,” she snarled, baring her teeth.

I laughed, enjoying every minute of how fired up she was. “Jealous?”

“Go to hell.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ll go out there right now and blow this whole thing apart.”

I smirked. She was bluffing. “You won’t.”

She didn’t expect it that time when I slanted my mouth over hers and groaned at how right it felt. When I broke the kiss, too early but necessary, I gave her the reason why she wouldn’t do as she’d threatened.

“You won’t because you don’t want this to end.”And dammit, neither do I.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

SKYLAR

#CloseCall

Damon didn’t stay long, leaving a starstruck Gia to wait for my shift to finish.

The end of my shift couldn’t come soon enough, and when I got off, I dragged her to my car. “Let’s go back to my house.”

“Sure.”

Her voice retained that dreamy quality from earlier, and it grated on my nerves.

When we walked into the living room, Mom was seated at the island with a cup of coffee. It was her day off, and she was enjoying a pajama day with no makeup or hair styling.

“Hey, girls.” She smiled. “It’s so good to see you here, Gia. It feels like forever since you’ve hung out. Too much rushing around lately.”

“Hi, Megan.” Gia hugged my mom and fell onto one of the peninsula stools next to her.

My job was a point of contention between Mom and me, but I only needed it for another week or two. I wasn’t that into it anyway. Waitressing wasn’t my thing, something I’d figured out after the first day—and not because of Damon and his ridiculous demands.

“Gia hasn’t been around because she has a boyfriend.”

I grabbed two sodas and passed one to Gia, brows raised at Mom. She shook her head no, so I took mine and popped it open, relishing the first sip. It was always the best part of drinking soda.

“That’s great news, Gia. It’s nice that you girls both have boyfriends.” Mom tucked her dark hair behind her ear and took another sip of coffee while Gia’s wide Bambi eyes fixated on me. I froze, my drink halfway to my mouth. “Sky spent all night talking to him on the phone, and I found them asleep in his car another time.” She fought a smile, enjoying teasing me.

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