Page 71 of Only With Me

“I coulda been butt naked in here,” I chastise him, grabbing a shirt from my closet since I’m only half-dressed. “AndIam. You’re not.”

“Dude, what the fuck?” He leans against my doorway, folding his arms in a childish pout.

“You nearly overdosed a week ago. Keep your ass home for once.”

“Goddamn. Who pissed in your Biscuits and Gravy?”

“You and Jake.”

“Ah, shit. What’re you gonna do?”

What I couldn’t do earlier because of the holidays, but now that those are over and it’s Friday night, I’m going to find him.

“Send a message.” I walk around my room, getting everything I need for the night—watch, keys, phone, wallet. I shouldn’t be gone too long since I don’t plan on partying or drinking tonight. As soon as I find the motherfucker and take care of him, then I’m out of there.

“I don’t need you fightin’ my battles for me. Jake knows what happened and won’t give me any more stuff,” he says, genuinely concerned.

“It’s a little too late for that.”

Jake fucking knew better. Each time Wilder was hospitalized, Jake saw how it wrecked me. He was aware of Wilder’s history. All this time, I thought he was my friend and he went behind my back.

“Why’re you pissed? Is something else goin’ on?” He holds out his hand, stopping me from walking past him.

Besides liking a girl who I later found out is Delilah’s little sister and a million percent off-limits…

“I’m fine.”

“You’re amped up.”

“Damn right.” I nudge his shoulder with mine as I walk around him and go to the front door.

“Lemme come with you at least. I won’t drink, promise,” he nearly begs.

Spinning around, I face him nearly chest to chest. “Unfortunately for you, I don’t trust you. I can’t deal with Jake and babysit you at the same time, so just this one goddamn time, listen to me and stay here.”

He clamps his mouth shut and I take that as an agreement.

“I’ll be back in less than an hour,” I say before walking out the door.

I’ve been on edge for the past week, there’s no denying that, and it’s finally come to a head. Between Harlow wearing that fucking pink bow in her hair and crushing my heart that we had to stop talking and then Wilder’s incident right after, I’ve barely had time to process my feelings.

But then Jake texted me this morning to ask why I left the group chat. I made up some bullshit lie about it blowing up my phone and being too distracting, but he’s the reason.

Then he said he was going out to The Twisted Bull and invited Wilder and me to go out with him.

I told him to leave my brother alone.

Helaughed.

That was enough to set me off.

Driving into town, the street is packed with cars, so I have to park three blocks away. The walk gives me time to get even more heated at the thought of him giving him Wilder street drugs that could’ve ended his life.

I tune out the blasting country music and loud talking, hyperfocused on finding him. It’s nearly shoulder to shoulder in here, which I already hate, but eventually, I find his loud, obnoxious ass at the bar.

Next to my ex.

Bastard.