Page 142 of The Revenge Plan (Forbidden Descendants 1)

He looked at me and opened his mouth before freezing as if he had no clue how to receive such an assessment. Then slowly, he asked, “Because I didn’t know what a tuba was?”

“No.” I laughed, relieved that he seemed completely unaware of my whiffing ways. “Because you were willing to admit you didn’t know what something was. You’ve done that before. You never pretend to know anything you don’t. I like that. You’re just so different from…” When I realized whose name I was going to say, I fell silent and the grin dropped from my face. “I’m sorry,” I gushed. “I was comparing. I don’t know why I did that. I didn’t mean to do that.”

The skin around his eyes crinkled in sympathy. I had the strange sense he wanted to tell me it was okay, but he held himself back. Then he shrugged and tried to make a joke from it. “Hey, as long as I come out better, I’m okay with it.”

I smiled gratefully, glad he hadn’t gotten upset, but it was a sad kind of smile. “I wish I could stop thinking about him completely,” I lamented. “I don’t even want to remember the things that piss me off about him. I just want to forget his entire existence.”

“You will,” Wick said softly. “Eventually. But you were with him for three years. It’s going to take a lot longer than a few weeks to get over that.”

“Oh my God,” I groaned. “It has only been weeks, hasn’t it?” What the hell? “It feels like it’s been forever since everything went down.”

Wick opened his door and began to pull out the kitty litter and the new pet carrier. Then he glanced across the interior of the cab at me. “You’ll get there,” he assured.

Glancing down at my new fur baby to love, I had to think maybe he was right. My moments of happiness lately were definitely beating out the moments of sadness. That was progress.

“You’re right,” I said. “I will get there.”

36

Wick

“So, let me get this straight,” Cannon said next to me, switching his stretch by alternating his bent leg to straight, then reaching for the opposite toe. “The girl doesn’t even kiss you, but almost kisses you, and you run out to buy her a damn kitten?”

I scowled at him. Practice was about to start any minute, and we were doing warm-up exercises on the sidelines of the football field before it did.

“I didn’t buy it,” I muttered. “They were just giving them away. She’d always wanted a kitten, and this is honestly the first place she’s ever lived where she could get one. Her mom’s allergic, so she couldn’t have one growing up, then there was no way they would’ve allowed one in the dorms when she moved to college. So…” I shrugged. “It just made sense.”

“It just made sense,” Cannon repeated, nodding as if he totally agreed, only to sniff a moment later, and say, “Shit. What’re you going to give her when she actually does kiss you? A damn car?”

Jesus. I was going to strangle him. And no way was I going to tell him about buying her seventy-five dollars’ worth of groceries after seeing a glimpse of her red panties; he’d have a field day with that one.

“Will you cool it?” I muttered. “That is not why I got it. You should’ve seen her. She was so excited; she spent the entire weekend just playing with it. I almost thought she’d skip classes today to merely keep it company.”

“Damn, son. You are whipped,” Cannon accused. “And you’re not even getting any. That’s just pathetic.”

“That kitten is helping her heal,” I argued, standing so I could do some side bends. “It’s like a therapy animal service cat. I’ve never seen her so happy.”

“Well, thank God the woman is happy.” Cannon rolled his eyes. “All is right in the world again. Hold my ankles, will you?”

Ignoring his sarcasm, I knelt to hold his feet down as he did a series of sit-ups. “Scoff all you want. I did a good thing.”

“Never said you didn’t,” Cannon answered as he pulled himself up and met my gaze. Then he lowered himself, only to pull his torso up again to add, “I just think you’re putting way too much effort into it.” He went down and came back up. “Would you care so much about helping out any other roommate you had?”

I sighed. “What’s your point?”

“You’re setting yourself up for heartbreak, bud. That’s all I’m saying. You’re giving, and giving, and giving, and she’s just going to take until you have nothing left to give. Then she’s going to up and leave your sorry ass high and dry because you’re so damn pathetic.”

I didn’t answer, though inside I snorted. Even if he was right, it was

my heart to break. I’d handle any painful repercussions that came my way, though I seriously doubted there would be any. It wasn’t like I expected anything in return for the cat.

Except a small, inner part of me kind of did. There had been something extra between us this weekend. Sometimes, it had felt like she was outright flirting with me. And then there was the whole almost-kiss where she hadn’t seemed to mind the fact that she was sitting directly on my erection. A part of me bubbled with anticipation, hoping for more moments just like that. Therefore, keeping her happy was beyond important to me.

Letting go of Cannon’s ankles when he finished his sit-ups, I glanced away even as I remained kneeling in front of him, not wanting to put any credence into his words. It was just a cat; it hadn’t been any grand declaration of love. The world wouldn’t implode because I’d gotten her one small gift. I was going to stop worrying about it and I was definitely not going to give my friend any more damning details about myself the next time he asked how my roommate was doing.

“Hey, fellas,” Nicholl greeted as he paused in front of Cannon and me when he was passing by with one of his charming, want-to-be-friends smiles. “Halloween party at my place tonight. Come in costume and bring your own—oh, wait.” Cutting himself off, he held up a finger. “I hate you two. Never mind. You’re not invited.” As he laughed at his own stupid joke and walked off, Cannon and I stared after him without responding.

“And people actually think he’s cool,” Cannon murmured, shaking his head in wonder.

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