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“Better mine than hers,” I replied under my breath on an exhale before shutting the door behind me and heading to my car to slide into the driver’s seat.

It didn’t take me long to get to Luna’s, and I didn’t bother knocking as I let myself in. Neither of us knocked when we visited each other since we’d spent most of our childhoods at one house or the other. Her house felt like home, just like mine did.

“Morning,” Lexi said slowly, seeing the obvious frustration on my face. “Something wrong?”

“You could say that. Where’s Luna?” I asked, trying to be polite but finding it difficult. I wanted to barge into Luna’s room and shake her, but Lexi wouldn’t appreciate that, and Luna would just cry more.

“In her room. Head on up,” she said with a frown, her eyes following me as I took the stairs two at a time. I shoved Luna’s bedroom door open, startling her from her spot on the edge of the bed. She was in one of Stanley’s shirts and the panties I’d seen in the photo, and I had to force myself not to yank the shirt off her body and burn it.

“What the hell, Riley?” she demanded, her eyes red from crying. “I don’t want you here.”

I instantly forced my anger aside, blowing out a breath as I shut the door and moved towards her. I silently sat beside her and wrapped my arms around her before laying us down so that she was facing me. She stiffened, but thankfully let me hold her without fighting me off.

“I’m sorry.”

She relaxed when she realized I wasn’t here to argue, dropping an arm across my stomach to cuddle against me. “I know you don’t like him, but I hate it when you’re mean about it,” she murmured. “I don’t expect you guys to be best friends, I don’t even force you two to spend time together, but it hurts me when you talk shit about him.”

My expression softened, and I lifted my hand to toy with her silky, dark brown hair. “I know, but I won’t let anyone treat you wrong. You shouldn’t have to send him photos of you naked to catch his attention. Your name popping up on his phone should be enough. I feel like you’re always the one chasing him, Lou.”

She was quiet for a moment before tilting her face up to give me a curious glance. “Have you ever felt like that before? Just seeing someone’s name made your heart race?”

I wasn’t about to tell her it was her name that set me on fire, so I chuckled instead. “Me? The queen of pussy? No. I’m not dating though, whereas you guys are. Every little thing that reminds him of you should put a stupid smile on his face and make his dick hard.”

She frowned, and I couldn’t help but run my fingers across the crease on her forehead. “Stop it, you’ll get wrinkles. Did you end up sending the picture to the right person?” I added dryly, making her groan as her cheeks turned a dark shade of crimson.

“I’m really sorry. I’m mortified.”

“Don’t worry about it. You can send me nudes whenever you want. I’ve got a hot bestie, so I might as well get to see the goods,” I said as I batted my lashes, amusement filling her eyes despite her face remaining red.

“I bet you have hundreds of photos in your spank bank. You don’t need mine.”

“You’re wrong if you think any of them are hotter than you,” I answered softly without bothering to lie, tucking her hair behind her ear. “At least you have a personality too. Most girls I’ve slept with are fake as fuck and I can’t wait to get away from them once we’re done. I never want to get away from you.”

“You’re so full of shit,” she said with a giggle. “You get heaps of girls.”

“If they were that good, why do I toss them aside so easily? If I had any interest in them, there’s no way in hell I’d let them get away from me,” I said lightly, looking away from her to stare at the ceiling. “Don’t ever feel like you have to throw yourself at someone to make them choose you. It’s a two way street, sure, but if he wanted to, he would. It’s as simple as that. Spicing things up isn’t a fancy word for trying to get someone’s attention. It’s a way for two people to make things fun when they’re both feeling the distance. I don’t know what’s going on with you and Stan, and I don’t want to fight about it, but if you’re the one trying to spice things up because you don’t feel like he notices you above every other girl, then the only outcome for that is a broken heart.”

“I love him, Riley,” she whispered, my heart hurting for her at her unspoken words. She was trying too hard to keep his attention, which meant she’d already lost him. I knew she’d keep fighting for him until her heart couldn’t take it anymore too.

“It’s okay to love him, but don’t let him consume you so much that you forget to love yourself too,” I answered, dropping my other arm around her to hold her more tightly.

I had no idea how long we laid there for, but it would never feel like enough.

ChapterFour

Riley

Ispent the day with Luna, watching those terrible movies she loves so much and eating popcorn. By the time I went home, switched cars, and drove my Supra into Hawthorne Heights, it was almost ten at night.

I turned into the abandoned parking lot that used to belong to the old school that had been burned down years ago, shutting my engine off as I parked beside Reid’s matte black Challenger. I reached over and grabbed my baseball bat before opening my door and climbing out to lift my chin in greeting to Reid who was sitting in the driver’s seat with his window down as he puffed on a cigarette.

“Evening, Barron.”

“Donovan.”

“Where’s your boyfriend?” I questioned, knowing Logan always came here with him. I was surprised they left Raven home alone, in all honesty. Zavier could hold his own if it came down to it, but they all had attachment issues. I could see childhood trauma bleeding off them in waves, and I would almost bet money on it being the reason they were all so close.

He rolled his eyes, jerking his chin in the direction of the bushes across the parking lot.