Page 31 of Puck You Not

Having just finished a text to the man in question, I froze, before I slowly turned toward Sheena.She’d been blowing up my phone with nonsense all day, and I’d ignored her.Unfortunately, I hadn’t seen her approach the table atMidnight Javawhere Nash and I had spent the afternoon studying after my library shift.Extra unfortunately, everyone around us had heard her accusation, too.

“Excuse me?”I asked, my tone low with outrage as I stood.

“That’s who was with you the other night and helped you pack your shit.That’s who you were practically fucking up against a car yesterday.You think I don’t know who he is?Everyone knows who he is.”

“Wait?What?”Nash asked.

“Oh, that’s rich.You don’t know?She’s fucking Parrish Locksby,” Sheena informed him, sneering.“Pictures of them are all over social media.”

“I’m not—”

“So what if she is?”Nash cut in, surprising me because he tended to be less confrontational, shying away from most social interactions, save for people he was close to.He turned to me.“What does she mean that Parrish helped you to pack?”

“Oh, I kicked her loser ass out a couple nights ago,” Sheena informed him before I could answer.

He stood, a slow fury dawning across his face, his posture practically hulking out.“You…did…what?”

Rounding the table in a flash, my klutziness thankfully on break, I grabbed his arm before he could step toward her.That was the last thing we needed.I didn’t want Nash getting in trouble because Sheena was nasty.

An arm went around me, holding me back, too.Parrish.I couldn’t believe his timing.I hadn’t realized he was so nearby when he’d texted to see where I was.

He pressed a kiss to my cheek.

“Hey, babe.Hi, Nash,” he said, greeting us.“What she means is, when I pulled up to drop off Avie after our date, Sheena had dumped all Av’s stuff out on the lawn.”His hand tightened on my waist, the only portent of his tension.“So I took care of it.”

“So what is this you have going on?”Sheena asked, snidely, waving her hand around in a judgy manner, her disgust written on her face.“A pity fuck for the ugly duck?Becausewhywould you be with her?She’s so…”

“Sweet?Kind?Smart?Beautiful?”Parrish offered.“Inside and out.And if I were you…I’d shut the fuck up before everyone finds out exactly how uglyyouare.”

“How dare you!”she exclaimed.

“How dareyou?”he growled in a low, dangerous tone.Sheena clearly didn’t recognize the thin ice beneath her.

“Are you threatening me?”she shrilled.

“Fuck’s sake,” I muttered and pulled away from Parrish to step between the pair.“He’s not threatening you.”I glanced around pointedly.“But could you just stop?You’re making a scene.”

“I will ruin you,” she yelled at me.What was her problem?I just couldn’t fathom why she was like this.It made no sense.

“And I will report you for harassment if you don’t stop blowing up my phone, stalking me and contacting my family.”I didn’t know if she was following me around—orwhy—but she never came toMidnight Javabecause she thought only losers hung out there.Still, morbid curiosity wanted to know how she intended toruin me, but Parrish nudged me farther away from my ex-roommate, placing himself closer to her.

“Well, that escalated fast,” Nash deadpanned.He turned to me, moving so he was shoulder-to-shoulder with Parrish forming a wall between me and Sheena.I hoped she would leave when she realized we wouldn’t engage with her anymore.“Is she always like this?I knew she was bad, butdamn,she’s kinda a psycho bully.”

I winced.“Usually not so public about it.”

Despite how it had come about, I was really glad I didn’t share an apartment with Sheena anymore, but I couldn’t help the trickle of fear at her words.I didn’t have a bunch of secrets, but had she gone through my things?Gotten into my passwords or private journal?

“Do you need to couch surf for a while?”Nash asked.

“She doesn’t,” Parrish practically growled, his fingers locked around mine.“I’ve got Avie covered.”

Sometimes, literally.

A tremble rolled through me, my pleasure centers coming to life—though in truth, they’d perked up the moment Parrish had made himself known a few minutes ago.

I sent him a small smile, remembering all the kissing and exploring we’d done over the past few days.Were things moving fast?Yes.But in essence, we’d been learning about each other for almost a year.So, really, it wasn’tthatfast.

“You’re sure?”Nash looked back at me, clearly wanting to hear the answer from me and not my protective boyfriend.

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