Page 39 of Bonding with the Beta (Fated Souls #2)

39

KAYLEIGH

H itting submit on your final piece for the term is an unbeatable feeling.

Evie and I decided we had to celebrate our hard work and freedom from university for two whole weeks.

We could have gone out onto campus to find a party, but I wanted to spend the night in with my best friend.

Earlier, we went out to find the cheapest bottles of wine and decided to crash in my dorm room with music blasting. Evie dances with a straw hanging out the top of the bottle with a grin.

“I’m going to miss you when I go back home.” She pouts.

“Me, too.” I nod. “But it won’t be for long.”

Evie takes a sip of her drink. “Are your parents going to be angry that you didn’t go home?”

I shake my head. “They’ll see me over summer anyway. I’m happy to be spending it with Kayden.”

“Kayden, huh?” She fights a grin. “Things are getting pretty serious.”

“Well…” I trail off. “He is my boyfriend, after all.”

Evie’s eyes light up, and she squeals, rushing towards me before wrapping her arms around me. “Oh, that’s amazing. I’m so happy for you, Kay. I can’t believe I haven’t met him. I must, soon. I need to make sure he’s good enough for you.”

I snort. “Trust me, he’s more than good. He’s perfect.”

She sinks onto the bed beside me. “You really like him?”

“More than that,” I whisper. “It’s like when we’re together, nothing else matters. What we have is so different from what I had with Josh. He’s literally the opposite of Josh. I really don’t know what I did to deserve him and his kindness.”

Evie shrugs once. “You didn’t have to do anything to deserve it,” she starts. “You just do. Everyone deserves happiness, and I’m glad Kayden is helping you find that.”

“He is.” I smile. “Slowly. I know I’ve still got a long way to go in my self-love journey, but he’s there for every step and wobble.”

She tilts her head slowly, and her eyes soften. “I’m glad.”

I slump back against my bed as Evie rubs her stomach and groans. “Ugh. This wine is literally making my stomach churn. I don’t think I can drink it anymore.”

“We’ve been going for hours,” I say and chuckle.

“I might head back,” she says. “My parents are coming to pick me up early tomorrow, and I really don’t want a hangover for the journey.”

I push myself up from the bed and wrap my arms around her. “Yeah, don’t do that to yourself.”

“I had the best time, though.”

“Me, too. I hope you enjoy going home.”

“I hope you enjoy your lover boy.” She smirks at me as she pulls away.

Evie collects her things before waving at me and heading towards the door. “Hey…” I call out before she leaves.

Her dark eyes turn back to me. “Thank you,” I exhale. “Thank you for being there for me this year. I know I’ve been hard work and a bad friend, but thank you for never giving up on me.”

She shakes her head and laughs. “Go to bed, you soppy mess.” She flashes me a quick grin. “I love you.”

“I love you more,” I mumble.

“See you next term,” she says as she steps out into the hall. “Text me, okay?”

“Sure.”

When Evie leaves, my phone vibrates, and I smile as Kayden’s name pops up. I smile and quickly swipe open the message, surprised he’s awake at this time.

Kayden:

How’s your night going?

Kayleigh:

Good, Evie’s gone now

Probs best not to drink myself into an awful hangover

Kayden:

You have fun?

Kayleigh:

The most

Kayden:

Good

Kayleigh:

What are you doing?

Kayden:

I’m out with Jaxon. We had some things we needed to sort

Kayleigh:

This late?

Kayden:

It’s a full-time job, blondie. It never stops.

Kayleigh:

I can’t wait to see you.

Kayden:

I can’t wait to see you either

Kayleigh:

Tomorrow can’t come so

A knock at my door stirs me away from my phone before I have a chance to send the text to Kayden. I huff and step off my bed. “What have you left now, Evie?” I shout as I open the door.

Evie doesn’t stare back at me. Josh does.

My mouth turns dry at the sight of him. His eyes are bloodshot, and I don’t miss the way he sways into the doorframe, his arm raised above to keep him stable. I’m frozen to the spot as he stares back at me. Josh smirks and stumbles forward.

“What the hell are you doing?” I snap myself back into reality. “Get out.”

He shrugs. “You always used to let me in,” he slurs. “Whether that was two in the morning or ten in the morning. What’s the difference?”

I scowl at him, my blood bubbling beneath the surface. “Leave, Josh. I don’t want you here.”

“What happened to us, Kayleigh?” he asks, his voice cracking a little.

My teeth clamp down on my tongue to stop myself from screaming at his audacity. “What happened is that you’re an asshole, and I know my worth. I deserved so much better than the way you treated me. So please, fuck off. I don’t want to see you.”

I refuse to let tears gather in my eyes, not after how many times I cried over this pathetic boy. I’m not letting another free for him. He doesn’t deserve it.

His tall, muscular frame towers over me as he pushes himself into my room and slams the door with force. My heart hammers in my chest, and I breathe through my nose in frustration.

“Get out!” I bellow at him.

Josh’s hands clamp down on my shoulders, stopping me from moving. I struggle against him, but he doesn’t budge as he shoves me against the wall. My blood runs cold, and I turn rigid beneath his death grip.

His intoxication makes my stomach roll with nausea, and the smell of vodka on his breath is vile. I almost dry-heave. “Oh, come on,” he murmurs. “You used to love it when I came over unexpectedly. You’d always invite me in because you were so broken.”

I grit my teeth. “You were the one who broke me, Josh.”

“I didn’t do anything,” he slurs. “It’s not my fault you were so fragile.”

My hands raise, and I use all my strength to shove him off me. He stumbles for a moment, and red flashes in his eyes. “Leave, Josh,” I grumble. “Before I scream this whole block down, and I’ll have you dragged out of here by the security.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” He steps forward again.

I shake my head and slip around him as his hand latches onto my wrist, tugging me backwards aggressively. This time, I try to pull out of his grip, but it’s impossible, his blunt fingernails digging into my skin.

“Josh, you’re hurting me,” I clench my jaw. “Let me go.”

“You make me out to be this monster, Kayleigh,” he scoffs. “But I’m not. I’m a good person.”

“What do you want from me?”

“One more night.”

My face recoils from his grotesque suggestion. “I’d sooner have sex with a cactus than ever touch you again. Now, fucking leave before you make a fool out of yourself.”

“Because of that new boyfriend you’ve got?” he asks, his other hand gripping my jaw.

I struggle against him. “You have no right to interrogate me about my boyfriend. You’re no longer in my life for a reason, Josh.”

He laughs and pulls our faces closer. A strike of panic rushes through me as he almost presses his lips to mine. I breathe through my nose heavily before I raise my knee and connect it to his groin.

Josh buckles over in pain and releases me. I slip beneath him and rush towards my bedroom door, fumbling to get it open as I hear him groan behind me. I step out into the hall at the same time I feel a hand wrap around my wrist once more, tugging me backwards as my heart sinks deep in my chest.

A scream bellows from my lungs as a hand claps over my mouth, and my bedroom door is slammed shut.

“You really shouldn’t have done that, Kayleigh,” Josh growls in my ear as I fight against him. “I’m gonna make you pay for that.”