Page 44

Darius

The five of us walk out of our last practice until after the break. I love football but fuck me, I’m glad to be having a break. In two weeks’ time we have our next game and I am chomping at the bit to be back on the field under the spotlights running the length of the field.

“Hey, stranger.” I grind to a stop when Chelsea darts in front of me, her sickly scent of perfume assaults my nose. I fight the gag that wants to break free.

“Oh look, it’s a stray,” Crue sing songs beside me. Chelsea cuts him a glare as some of her friends come to stand with her, all standing tall and popping their chests out, trying to garner our attention.

“Hey, Darius.” I frown at the brunette behind Chelsea. I have no idea who the girl is but her greeting brings a dark look to the nasally bitch’s eyes in front of me.

“Sup,” I reply just to fuck with her.

“So, we heard about the party tomorrow and can’t wait.” I cut Saint a dark look, he shrugs.

“Dude, it was an open invite to whoever is staying behind.” I shake my head.

“Cool, see ya then,” I grit out as I try to step around her but she blocks my path. A growl of annoyance tears from me as I pin her with a warning look.

“I know Leah being back must upset you, so I can stop by later if you’d like me to make you feel better?” She is misreading the look on my face, she reaches out and rests her hand on my chest in fake support. “She is such a bitch!” she hisses. Corvin saddles up next to me and pushes her hand off me.

“That bitch is my sister, you fucking cunt.” Chelsea gasps at Corvin’s harsh words. I don’t stick around, I use her shock to my advantage and take my leave with the others following after me. My mind is reeling. Leah’s back. I head for the carpark, jump on my bike and don’t wait for the others as I peel out of the lot heading straight for her dorm building. It takes me less than five minutes before I’m pulling into the carpark of her building. I park my bike and march toward her building, but when the sound of laughter hits my ears, laughter that I know all too well, I follow the sound around the side of the building and freeze. I keep to the shadows as I watch her, Cody and Katie do cartwheels on the quad. A smile breaks free at the sight of her. I’m about to make my presence known, but stop when I hear him.

“Looking good.” I pin the motherfucker with a death glare even though he can’t see me. Now, I get why the fucker wasn’t at practice, he blew us off to hang with my girl.

“Garrett, you are so good for my ego,” Leah says as she laughs. I hate the way he looks at her. He thinks he has the right to run his eyes over her body, when he fucking doesn’t.

“Well, I’m beat and going to call it a night,” Katie announces.

“Same,” Cody chimes in. Leah opens her mouth to speak but Garrett beats her to it.

“Have dinner with me.” My blood turns to ice inside my body as I implore her with my mind to say no. She looks taken back by his offer. That’s a good thing, right?

“Nope, I am not dealing with Beckett pounding down my door the second he hears she went out with you so nope, Leah stays with us!” Leah seems to relax and shoots Cody a grateful look. I’m starting to like Cody more and more now.

“Leah’s a big girl, she can make up her own mind,” Garrett says. My fist aches to smash his face.

“I’m beat from the long flight back from Alaska.” Alaska? Beckett, you son of a bitch. “I’ll catch up with you tomorrow?” It brings me great joy to see the crestfallen look on his face at her rejection.

“Yeah, okay,” he says dejectedly. Leah gives him a quick hug before heading toward me. I turn and race back to the carpark to avoid being seen. I’ll give her tonight, but come tomorrow I plan to take back what is mine!

I barge through the front door of my house heading straight for the kitchen ,knowing that’s where he will be. Sure enough, there he stands laughing at something Corvin said. They all turn toward me the moment I enter. I march toward him and hit him. He stumbles back into the counter. Corvin jumps in the middle of us and shoves me back a step. I glare at Beckett over his shoulder. Saint and Crue rush over to check on Beckett who is cupping his mouth.

“What the fuck?” Corvin yells in my face. I keep my glare on Beckett as I answer him.

“That fucker sent her to Alaska!” I shout. Corvin spins around to face Beck, who drops his hand and shoots us a bloody smirk. His lip is split and that gives me great satisfaction.

“You sent my sister to our resort?” Corvin demands.

“Sure did and it was genius. Neither of you thought to look for her there, did you?” I try to rush him again but Corvin blocks me.

“You are going to pay for that!” I growl. Beckett pushes forward but Saint and Crue hold him back.

“Fuck you. She needed that time away. She healed there, Darius. She is happy again and darkness doesn’t shine in her eyes anymore.”

“She will never be yours, Beckett. She’s mine!” Corvin growls but remains silent. “You think because I let you fuck her that you have any type of claim over her?” The moment his eyes widen and Saint and Crue snap their horrified stares to me, I realize I just fucked up, badly.

“You did what now?” Corvin asks in a deadly calm tone that has me backing up a step.

“Oh shit,” I hear Crue mutter.

“I-we… It’s not what it sounds like–” Corvin cuts off my rambling as he turns so he can keep Beck and I both in his sights.

He points to both of us as he says, “You both had a fucking threesome with my sister?” I flinch, Beckett drops his chin to his chest. “Answer me!” Corv yells.

“Yes,” I answer, while Beck nods his head.

“Jesus Christ!” Corvin snaps as he scrubs a hand down his face. We all stand here silently as Corv processes what he just learned. He looks to Saint and Crue and pins them with a harsh look that has them both raising their hands in surrender and taking a step away from Beck.

“Nope. Never touched her,” Crue rushes to say.

“I talk shit about doing her but swear to God, never laid a hand on her,” Saint rushes to add.

“Oh, that’s great so only two out of four of my best friends have fucked my sister.” I fight the cringe that wants to break free.

“It isn’t how it sounds, Corvin. I would never hurt Leah,” Beck says as he stares at Corvin.

“How am I supposed to believe that?” Beck flicks his gaze to me briefly before answering Corvin.

“Who has she been talking to everyday? I’m the one she has been coming to for help, not any of you.”

“You both are so fucked,” Corvin breaths out as he storms out of the room, making sure to shoulder check me on his way out.

“Fuck!” I rasp out. I just fucked up again. Beck presses up to me, I hold his stare waiting for him to bust a move.

“Stop trying to find someone to blame for how shit turned out. You want to be pissed, be pissed at yourself because this is on you.” His words hit me hard.

“Did you mean it?” I ask cautiously.

“Mean what?” he asks, slightly confused.

“That she’s happy?” He sighs and places a hand on my shoulder.

“If you’re asking me if she is over you, then just ask.” I suck up my pride and hold his stare.

“Has she moved on?” I can hear the sadness in my own voice, my heart is beating so fast as I wait for his reply.

He gives me a dry stare. “Dude, I know she has a tattoo on her leg with the letter D.” My eyes widen in surprise that he knows about that. I mean, I assumed it was for me but I never got that confirmed. “A girl doesn’t just tattoo a guy’s name on her, then move on. She loves you, Darius, but she hates that she can’t let you go. If you want her back, then you need to work your ass off because she won’t forgive you easily.”

“She straight up has his name tattooed on her?” Saint butts in but we ignore him. “Corvin is going to lose his shit!” Beckett’s phone begins to ring. When he tenses, I slam my eyes closed and take a step back nodding my head.

“Answer it,” I say in a defeated tone. He sucks in a sharp breath as he pulls it out of his pocket and answers.

“Hey, beautiful.” I clench my fists at my sides at his endearment. Unable to listen to their conversation, I decide to call it a night and hope like hell she decides to come tomorrow night.

I feel like a pubescent teen with how fucking nervous I am. I’m even drinking to try calm the fucking nerves inside me. We’ve been sitting at the beach for a couple hours, some of the team is here and other students from CHU crowd around us, but I don’t hear a fucking word any of them say, too focused and keeping a look out for my girl. Beck gave me a heads up this morning and told me she is going to come tonight. Ever since then, I have been a fucking wreck. Corvin hasn’t killed me yet, so I’m hoping that means he isn’t pissed at me for what happened with me, Leah and Beck.

“Looking good, handsome.” I roll my eyes heavenward, this girl just won’t fucking quit. I look at her and grit my teeth in disgust. She stands before me with a lacy lingerie set on with garters and all. I mean we’re at a fucking beach. I look past her to see her skanks have all dressed the same.

“Look…” The words die in my mouth the moment I see her break through the crowd. Her long blonde hair is out and blows in the wind, her eyes bright and vibrant. Her lips are glossy and perfect. I run my gaze down her body, noting she has a black, one-piece swimsuit on with the sides cut out, leaving her hips and ribs on display. When she turns to the side to say something to Katie, I see the back of her swimsuit is open. The wind blows her skirt thing up and I have to bite my lip to keep my groan from breaking free when I see it’s one of those G-string swimming suits that show off her ass cheeks. She turns around again with a smile that is so infectious I find myself smiling as well, but it drops off my face when I see Garrett step up beside her and wrap an arm around her waist.

“They actually look cute together,” the annoying bitch says. I ignore her as I march toward Leah, ready to rip her off Garrett, until Corvin steps in front of me.

“Move,” I growl.

“I hate him more than you but believe me, I know my sister and you will just piss her off.” I cut my gaze to him. “It’s going to take me a minute to adjust to the fact you’re into my sister but I saw the second she arrived you shifted, your eyes told me everything, Darius.”

“And what exactly did they tell?” I push.

His eyes darken. “That you really are in love with her and she isn’t just some girl to you.”

I feel a weight lift off my shoulders, he gets it now. “She never was just some girl to me.” He sighs and nods his head.

“Then, let’s make a plan to get you your girl back, because if you thought I was pissed finding out about you and her, you would hate to see what I would be like if I found out she was dating Garrett.” I narrow my eyes.

“I’ll break his fucking arm as well if he ever touches her.” Corvin smiles wide and smacks me on the shoulder as he says.

“My man.”