Page 27 of The Way We Are

I take a moment to contemplate a reply before shrugging. “I don’t know. Probably?”

When Savannah asked the same question during my commute to her home, I kind of skirted the question, unsure of my decision. But the more I think about it, the more I realize I’d be foolish to turn down the prospect of making more money. If I compete in another two or three fights before school is out, I’ll have a nice nest egg to support me until I decide what I am going to do with my life.

“I saw Isaac today. He set aside some money from my win last night, so another round is already on the table.”

I must not answer Savannah the way she was hoping, as the fear in her eyes returns stronger than ever.

“I really wish you wouldn’t, Ryan. The men who host those events are not nice people. You shouldn’t be socializing with anyone you met in that warehouse.”

A hole burrows into my chest when Savanah slips out of my grasp and heads for the stairs. Luckily for her, we’ve been floating in the shallow end the past ten minutes. Unfortunately for me, it helps her escape.

“If they are horrible people, why are you associating with them?” I ask, following her out of the pool. “You’re more likely to get hurt by them than me. Col proved that without a doubt last night.”

My words are strained through clenched teeth, still furious at the circumstances of our reunion. I’m glad Savannah and I have reconnected, but I wish it was done with less angst.

Shrugging off my worry with a heavy sigh, Savannah saunters to a stack of towels dumped at a concrete pillar holding up the upstairs patio. After plucking a towel from the top of the pile, she whips her skin-tight shirt over her head. I drop my hand from my shaggy hair to my crotch faster than a heartbeat when I notice the poor job her lace bra does concealing her curvy boobs from my perverted gaze.

“Fuckin’ hell, Savannah. Are you trying to kill me?”

I lift my eyes to the darkening sky, unsure if I should thank God for the enticing visual or curse him.I should probably do both.

“Don’t act like you haven’t seen my boobs before, Ryan.”

My eyes return to Savannah’s, shocked by the sneer in her tone. She folds her arms under her chest, enhancing the assets I’m struggling not to notice. She taps her foot, impatiently waiting for me to back up her claims.

“I’ve seen your boobs, but not like that.”

I lower my eyes to her chest with only a second to spare before a towel conceals the amazing visual. I shouldn’t be looking—I have no right to look—but I’m fucking looking. I’m not an idiot. Savannah has fantastic tits. She barely filled in an A cup when I "accidentally" walked in on her getting changed in my room. Now she would be an easy D—if not double D.

Noticing the bulge my drenched boxers can’t contain wipes the worry from Savannah's face. Her throat works hard to swallow before she mumbles, "It appears I'm not the only one who has done some growing the past five years." Her husky voice sends a pleasing zap straight to my balls, thickening my dick even more.

“If you don’t get your eyes off my crotch, it’s gonna keep growing,” I warn through gritted teeth.

I’m not angry at Savannah, I just can’t breathe from the hunger sparking in her eyes, much less speak.

“It gets bigger thanthat?” Savannah murmurs breathlessly, her tone hitching at the end.

Like it’s determined to make a fool out of me, my dick hardens to a point it's painful.

“Oh for the love of God,” Savannah purrs as her heated gaze burn a hole in my crotch.

I should be pleased by her slack-jawed response, but I’m not. In all honesty, it pisses me off. Is she surprised because she’s never seen an erect dick before? Or because a half-chewed walnut can’t compare to the boner her body would instigate from any red-blooded man? I want to believe her response is because of my first theory, but the hard knot in my gut has its own theory.

“Why are you with Axel, Savannah? The guy is a fucking asshat,” I stammer out before I can stop my words.

Savannah's eyes lift from my crotch to my face. Her lips twitch for several moments before she finally spits out, "We have a lot in common."

“Bullshit,” I sneer, calling her out as a liar for the second time tonight. “The only thing you have in common is money.”

Anger morphs Savannah’s face, matching the fury in my veins. “Don’t judge him, Ryan. He was theonlyone there for me whenothersweren't." Her snarky tone leaves no suspicions on who the "others" are. She's referring to me.

"That's not fair. You can't throw away our friendship like trash then call me out for not being there for you," I retaliate, following after her as she makes her way down the track we walked earlier hand in hand. "I would have been there if you had given me a chance."

Savannah spins on her heels so fast her wet hair slaps my face. "I did give you a chance! But you tooktheirside! You chosethemover me!” She angrily wipes tears off her cheeks, hating that they are making her look weak. “You should have chosen meoverthem.You should have hatedthemwith me. We should have hatedthemtogether.”

“Who? Who should I be hating?” I ask, confused as hell.

I honestly have no clue who she's talking about. It can’t be Brax or Chris, as they loved her like a sister. For years, it was the four of us every single weekend. Then poof, she vanished, not hurting just me, but them as well.

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