Page 55 of This Is War: All's Fair Duet
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LOGAN
Freaking Levi.I can’t believe he convinced me to come with him tonight. He’s been curious about the Tri-Beta parties ever since he witnessed the aftermath of the last one. Stupid me thought it would be a great way to get out of my head for a little while. I won’t stand here and deny I needed to do something besides mope around our room, but… this party isn’t it.
This week has seen the decimation of my friendship with Rya. The only thing that’s hurt me worse was the day my mother picked me up from baseball practice with the news that my dad had died in the line of duty.
If that doesn’t speak to how bad this has been, I don’t know what does. It’s as if Rya dug inside my chest, gripped my heart in her fist, and ripped it out of my body while it was still beating. I might have been the one to walk awayfrom her, but there hadn’t been another option. It’d take an awful lot for me to get over her suggestion that I might have something to do with breaking into her room.
And all because she believes I’m jealous. Of Jaxon.
Fuck, maybe I am. I still wonder if somewhere in the back of my head, it isn’t what precipitated groping her in my sleep. Maybe down deep, I already knew I was going to lose her—and to Jaxon, of all people.
I rub a hand over my face. Fucking bastard. I’d like to know what the fuck he thought he was doing the other night. When it’s just him and me, he lets down the smooth, controlled exterior he shows everyone else, and this savage beast comes out. Case in point—he fucking tackled me.While both of us were mostly naked. I thought we were about to have the wrestling match from hell or maybe a repeat of the shower jerk off… but then he fucking kissed me, all angry lips and hot, seeking tongue and tormenting teeth. A knotted coil of tension begins to build within as the memory washes over me in waves. He held me down, his weight giving him the advantage he needed. I’d love to say I tried my hardest to escape him.
I hadn’t.
It’d been so fucking good, I couldn’t get enough. And… I wanted to see where he was going to take it, just how far he’d go playing with me.
But I don’t think it was a game. Nope. At the very least, it’s not one I’ll let him win.
And to my knowledge, Rya still has no idea she’d been party to a threesome that night in the hotel room. And maybe I went along with it to punish her for being with Jaxon in that way. Or … did it punish me instead? Or maybe Jaxon? I’m so fucking torn up over the entire mess, I don’t know what to do. Especially now that she’s obviously chosen him.
I’m jerked from my thoughts when the back of Levi’s hand meets my chest. There are voices coming from upstairs. Good. We can get this shit underway so I can get the hell out of here. Because surely once Levi has a chance to check out the mayhem, he’ll have had his fill and we can go the fuck back to the dorm.
My breath falters when I follow Levi’s gaze. While I was fucking daydreaming, Hazel has appeared at the bottom of the steps. She’s obviously drunk and swaying so badly beside Trip I’m on the verge of getting up to rescue her when the stairs creak. He throws back his head, a silent chuckle shaking his shoulders that has my nerves skating on a razor’s edge. “Well, hello there.”
I should have known.
Rya clutches Jaxon’s hand as they enter the room, her eyes widening when she spots me. Blood drains from her face, and that reaction stings as badly as any slap.
I’ve done some stupid fucking things, but I’d never hurt her. She has no reason to fear me. Since the day we met, I have protected and cared for her. I raise a brow, my gaze bouncing from her to Jaxon and back. She’swith himwith him. In that moment of realization, I throw up a stone wall around my heart, a blockade against further hurt and pain. I sincerely doubt there’s any hope for our friendship now. Not with her looking at me like that. I catch the knowing smirk on his face. He’s poisoned her against me.
“Oh, fuck me silly,” Hazel whispers loudly, then turns on her heel to check for her friend’s reaction. My chest catches. Obviously, Rya is speaking openly about the demise ofus.
She’s holding Jaxon’s hand in front of me and not letting go. A shaky exhale leaves me through lungs that no longer want to push air from my body, and worse, I struggle for my next breath. Not knowing what else to do, my gaze settles reluctantly on Trip so I don’t have to observe the happy couple.
Our asshole host smirks. “Looks like we have all our players for this evening. Let’s get started with tonight’s game.” His eyes bounce from me then over to the bottom of the staircase where Rya and Jaxon stand. He outright laughs. “Oookay. Have a seat, please. Join the party.” Hegestures for them to move toward the vacant couch with a flourish of his arm.
Jaxon grumbles something undecipherable under his breath, but ushers the two girls to the seating area. As soon as they sit, I lock eyes with Jaxon. Agitation rises inside me. My reaction must be noticeable to Levi, because his hand comes down on my forearm and squeezes, signaling that I shouldn’t get up, like I want to. Jaxon and I in the same room together are trouble waiting to happen… but from the Cheshire-like grin on Trip’s face, he knows this. And I have a feeling things are about to get a whole lot worse.
“We’re going a little old school tonight, folks. Can anyone guess what we’re playing?”
“Heads Up, Seven Up?” a blonde asks.
Her friend cringes beside her before whisper-shouting, “Dude, we’re not in third grade, Shelby!” Her reaction is met by a round of laughter.
And, apparently, the group isn’t done guessing yet, because some maniac on the other side of the room shouts, “Spin the Bottle!”
That sets off even more rapid-fire guessing. “Truth or Dare!”
“Never Have I Ever?” a girl squeaks.
A guy I’ve seen hanging out with Jaxon’s friend Azriel booms, “What about Suck and Bloooooow!”
With a snicker and a shake of his head, Trip nods to the Tri-Betas standing near a table with some alcohol bottles. They begin pouring shots, then circulate the room. It’s not until we’ve each got one in our hand that he continues. “We’ll be treating you to our house’s fucked-up version of Seven Minutes in Heaven… or maybe you’ll call it Seven Minutes in Hell. I suppose we’ll find out as soon as we begin.” He snickers, though only the other Tri-Beta members seem amused. “Oughta be good for a laugh, right?”
Oh, fuck.No wonder we were asked to put our names on those little papers upon entering. My eyes train on Rya, who is looking nervously at Jaxon. She hasn’t let go of his hand, and my gaze narrows on their interlaced fingers. A breath heaves from me. She’s freaking out, and he’s… anchoring her. The way I might if I were at her side. My chest tightens. As the rest of the room explodes into excited whispers, Jaxon leans close to her, whispering in her ear. I hope to fuck he’s telling her she doesn’t have to do shit she doesn’t want to do. Doubtful, but I can hope.
