Page 33 of Brutal Days

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

SKYLAR

#Squad

With the tray balanced on one hand, I delivered food to the table Damon had pointed out as the objectifying one. I kept my distance with a bright smile on my face. In and out, that was the goal with them. I spent more time, and genuine warmth, on most of my other tables, especially the elderly couple.

Damon had left with Gia in tow. I was furious with her, too, and planned to have words when we were alone.How could she have sat there while he was a complete douchebag to me?

“Sky,” Riley called to me as I passed their table blessedly lacking Damon and Gia.

I paused then moved closer. “Hey, Riley.” My cheeks heated with embarrassment that they’d witnessed the bullshit going on between Damon and me. “Can I get you guys anything?”

“Can you sit for a minute?” She leaned into Cole, who had his arm draped over her shoulders.

“Sure.” I took the spot where my best friend had sat since I had a few minutes between checking on my other tables. Nervous as fuck, I grabbed the end of my ponytail before realizing I was fidgeting. Releasing my hair, I clasped my hands in my lap.

“What’s going on with you and Damon?” A frown marred Riley’s gorgeous face.

Cole and Phoenix looked at me with interest while Shane shoveled the rest of his food into his mouth.

I shifted uncomfortably, trying to figure out what I could say that would appease them. “He’s dating my best friend—”

“The girl who said nothing when Damon was being an ass?” Riley snorted. “Girl, you need new friends. I hope you know none of us approve of how he treated you. Right?” She narrowed her eyes and met each of the guys individually.

Cole and Phoenix smirked, but it didn’t bother me. I knew Cole would support whatever Riley felt strongly about. Last year, they had gone from enemies to inseparable, and I’d witnessed him warning guys off her, obsessed and deeply in love.

Phoenix, another prime example of a player like Damon, showed signs of depth I hadn’t wanted to see. Mainly because he was one of the Elite. But from the little I’d forced myself to pay attention to during the Riley-Cole debacle last year, I found that he was very observant. I’d caught the dissention between the two guys over how Cole had treated Riley. Of the two brothers, I worried Phoenix would see through what was going on behind the scenes between me and Damon. If that even mattered. It probably didn’t, because I couldn’t see him ratting me out to Gia.

Shane was a bit of a mystery, but I suspected he wore blinders. He was too invested in Tracey, and she was a bitch. That was a strike against him in my book, not to mention they were all athletes.

Riley was the exception. I genuinely liked her. Especially since the day I had interviewed her after her first spectacular diving meet. She’d asked me not to print any pictures of her face. It had spoken to something deep inside me, specifically the padlocked Pandora’s box filled with what I didn’t want to remember or couldn’t that I kept buried.

“Gia isn’t the most confrontational person. I’m sure she said something to him when they were alone.” I wasn’t. That was a bald-faced lie. And by the looks on all their faces, they didn’t believe it either.

“He’s not into her. So, what’s really going on, Sky?” Phoenix put his elbows on the table and leaned forward.

“That chick isn’t my brother’s type.” Cole’s steady gaze was too intense.

“It’s the article I wrote about him. He’s been pissed about it and giving me little jabs like today since it went up on the academy’s blog.”

That was true. And they would know it too. Damon definitely would have bitched about it to them. They were his family and best friends. A pang hit my heart because I knew how tight they were. They might disagree with how Damon treated me, but they would have his back in everything that mattered.

“That makes more sense, but the way he looks at you doesn’t mesh with that,” Riley grinned mischievously. “Something hot is going on between you two.”

She held up her hand to stop me when I opened my mouth to deny it.

“You don’t have to admit to anything.” She and Cole shared a knowing look. “Just know that I’m thrilled you’ll be part of our group. And, Sky?”

“Yeah?” I stood because one of my tables had raised a hand to get my attention.

“We don’t let anyone fuck with one of us.”

Fierce brown eyes met mine, and I felt rather than saw that the guys backed her words. A shiver danced over my exposed skin from their group’s powerful and determined energy. A part of me longed for what she said to be true, that I belonged with them. But I didn’t think Damon would agree.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

DAMON

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