Page 26 of Die for You

“Psychology,” Juliet offers, voice flat and disinterested while she stares at the hockey players darting across the ice.

“Good. I could use a therapist in my life.” I nod to the book on Sienna’s lap. “What are you reading?”

She beams and holds the book up like she wrote it herself. “This is our friend’s book.”

I squint at the name. “Violet Novak?”

Sienna nods. “She used her boyfriend’s last name for her pen name. Isn’t that so cute? She published it last week. It’ssogood. Very sexy.”

“Sounds like my kind of book.”

“You can borrow my copy when I’m done.”

The rest of hockey practice passes with Sienna and Juliet giving me the full rundown—their classes, their plans after graduation, how they became friends, how they met their boyfriends. I actually can’t remember the last time I had friends. Probably high school, when Jeremiah and I started dating. Slowly, he pulled me away from them until the only person I had left was him.

I’m admittedly rusty—unsure what questions to ask or how to maintain the conversation. But Sienna and Juliet don’t seem to notice, or if they do, they don’t care. I like them already.

After practice ends, the Devils head for the locker room to change, and when they emerge, I can’t help the way my heart skips at the tall, burly figures of Knox, Damien, and Finn heading in my direction.

Sienna runs to Luke, who beams when he spots her. She jumps into his arms and he spins her before they kiss. I’ll give it to them—they’re cute as hell. Trey nods to Juliet and gestures her toward him with a crook of his finger. His smirk tells me all I need to know about his intentions.

Before she leaves my side, Juliet leans toward me and murmurs, “You have them wrapped around your finger. Don’t forget: you’re the one with the power.”

Her words sit like a stone in my gut. I never felt like I had any power with Jeremiah, but the three Devils are staring at me like I’m the only person in the room.

But there’s no way Juliet is right. The Devils aren’t wrapped around my finger. At best, they’re trying to pay me back for the night of the accident. At worst, they’re trying to terrorize me by breaking into my apartment and kidnapping me off the sidewalk in order to...make me pancakes and give me a ride home.

Reluctantly, I descend the bleachers to meet them.

“I’m not here for you. Juliet and Sienna dragged me. Kicking and screaming.”

Finn and Knox smirk while Damien reaches into his pocket and throws something at me.

I flinch and nearly miss the keys that land in my palm with a clang. “What the hell are these for?”

“We’re teaching you how to drive.”

I roll my eyes and toss the keys back before turning on my heel for the exit. “Not happening.”

“You said you don’t know how,” Damien growls at my back. “Now it’s time to learn.”

I round on him. “From the guy who got in an accident five seconds ago?”

Knox and Finn stiffen.

Shit. That was the wrong thing to say. The accident wasn’t Damien’s fault, and he’s probably still feeling guilty over being the one behind the wheel that night.

The only sign that what I said got under Damien’s skin is the tick of a muscle in his jaw. “Driving is a basic life skill. You need to be able to get yourself to school or work or a hospital or wherever. You don’t want to rely on other people whenever you need to go somewhere, do you?”

I grit my teeth. Of course I don’t want to rely on anyone. I tried explaining it that way when I asked Jeremiah to teach me, but he still refused. “No, I don’t.”

“So get your ass in the car.” He doesn’t wait for me to object again before he stomps for the exit, keys clenched in his fist.

Outside, Sienna and Luke are already taking off in his car, and Juliet and Trey are slipping on motorcycle helmets. Trey climbs onto the front and holds out a hand to help Juliet swing her leg over the bike behind him. When she spots me begrudgingly following the Devils to Damien’s SUV, she smirks and makes an obscene gesture before flipping down her visor.

I flip her off, and even though I can’t see her face or hear her over the roar of the engine as they take off, I’m sure she laughs.

“Can’t I learn to drive in something smaller?” I cross my arms. The SUV is huge and intimidating, much like the three men surrounding me. The mix of their heady scents is intoxicating.