KYLE

I saw red. 

One minute I was watching them walk away from Brendon Palmer’s yard toward the beach, the next I was running straight at Jared, knocking him clean onto his ass. “Get your fucking hands off her.” My voice didn’t sound like my own as the red mist enveloped me, filling my chest, clouding my vision. 

“Whoa, man. There’s been a mis—”

“Kyle, stop...” Laurie’s plea barely touched my anger. It was all set on him.

The fucker that had been touching my girl.

“I saw you with her. You think I don’t know you want her? You’ve wanted her almost as long as I have.”

Jared scrambled up, holding his hands out, edging away from me. “Kyle, man, you’ve got it all wrong. She was upset, I only asked if she—”

“If she what?” I yelled bringing the party to a standstill. Everyone was looking. Every. Single. One.  But it was too late. I couldn’t un-see him comforting her; couldn’t un-see Laurie—my Laurie—standing there letting Jared-fucking-Teller touch her.

It was supposed to be my touch, my warmth, my words of comfort.

Her tears were supposed to be my fucking tears.

Fuck. The world spun before my eyes and I shook my head. How much had I drunk? After Laurie left me on the beach, I’d wanted to run after her and say everything I should have said when she put me on the spot. But the guys found me before I could escape. And she ignored my messages.

Laurie walked away from me.

She left me.

So when someone had pushed a shot glass into my hand, I’d knocked it back in one. Everything got a little hazy after that. There’d been more shots with the guys. Beer. More shots when Trey challenged me to a drinking contest.

“I asked her if she was okay, that’s all, man. Come on, don’t make a—”

“A scene?” Maniacal laughter spilled out Jack-Nicholson-in-the-Shining style. “I think it’s a bit late for that, don’t you? May as well go big or go home, right?” I circled closer, anger rippling through me.  

Jared and Laurie.

Her smiling at him through tear-stained eyes.

His finger reaching out and touching her face.

Them.

Together.

My arm swung wide, connecting with something that felt a lot like bone. Motherfucker. I clutched my hand, pain radiating deep inside.

“KYLE, STOP!” 

“What the fuck is your problem, Stone?” Jared staggered back, swiping his bloody lip with the back of his hand. “If you’d been doing your job,” he goaded. “I wouldn’t have had to step in.”

“Jared, don’t... Oh, God...”

I launched myself at him and we both went down, fists punching, limbs colliding. “You’re unhinged, Stone. Look at you.” He got the upper hand, rolling me into my back, pinning me with his weight. But I was past the point of no return. Aside from the odd scuffle at football, I’d never thrown a punch in my life—I didn't fight—but right now, I wanted to kill something with my bare hands.

And Jared’s face seemed like a good place to start.

“Get the fuck off me, Teller.” I ground out bucking him with enough force to push him off me. I rammed my elbow into whatever I could find, and he grunted with pain. “I will kill you—”

Hands went around me and hoisted me up. “Let me go, Rick.” I didn’t need to look to know it was him. I thrashed and lunged but the guy was solid. And strong. So fucking strong, I thought the death hold he had me in might crush a rib or two. 

Jared’s eyes narrowed on me and I smirked, daring him, willing him, to come at me. 

“Take a walk, Teller.” Luke and Trey appeared at his side, but he still didn’t move. Trey placed a hand on his shoulder and he shrugged him off and said, “Okay, I’m going.” 

Rick released his hold enough that I no longer felt trapped in a vice, but he didn’t let up until Jared was gone. I turned slowly, but my eyes went straight past my stepbrother to the broken girl standing behind him. “Laurie, I’m—”

She sniffled, dropped her head and ran, taking the air with her. I couldn’t breathe, so it made no sense I could move, but somehow, I managed to lurch forward, every instinct screaming at me to go after her. Rick had other ideas, slamming his hand against my chest blocking me. “Let her go. Lo will make sure she’s okay.”

“I need to see her.” My body sagged against him, the adrenaline and rage I’d felt a minute before going, evaporating into nothing but regret and shame. “To explain.”

“No,” his hard gaze spoke a thousand words. “You need to sober up, get that cut looked at, and then tell me what the fuck just happened.” 

“Fine.” I raked my hand over my face, his words rattling through my bones. He didn’t need to say it for me to know I’d screwed up. It was written all over his face.

Over Laurie’s face as she stared at me like she no longer recognized me.

Shit.

Fuck.

I’d gone too far. Completely and utterly lost my mind.

“Let’s go.” Rick motioned toward the house, but I shook my head and he nodded. “Come on, I only had one beer, I’ll drive.”

~

“READY TO TALK?” RICK said as he cut the engine. The drive back to the house had been quiet. I’d stared out of the window, watching nothing and everything.

“Not really.”

“Tough shit. You have some explaining to do, and me and you are going to sit here until you’re ready to talk.” I felt his heavy stare. Probing. Searching. Too fucking intense.

“I fucked up.”

“Yeah, you did. And here’s me thinking I’m the one with anger issues.”

“Jared Teller is a dick.” My defeated gaze snapped to Rick’s and he narrowed his eyes.

“I don’t particularly like the guy but I’m not sure he deserved to get his ass handed to him in front of most of your class.”

“And if it had been Lions comforting Lo?” I challenged.

Rick’s walls slammed up, his jaw clenching until I could see the carotid throbbing.

“Thought so.”

“Tell me what you saw.”

“He was touching her, touching my girlfriend.” He’d had a thing for Laurie for as long as I could remember. But Jared Teller was a dog. Played his way through girls quicker than I ran plays for Coach when he was in one of his moods.

“So maybe he overstepped the mark.” Rick sounded too calm. “But I’ve never seen you like that, Stone. Ever. So why don’t you quit the bullshit and tell me what really happened.”

His eyes burned into me and I wanted to tell him, to confess the truth behind my moment of madness. But the words lodged in my throat and I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t give her air time. If I said the words, there was no taking them back.

And I’d have to deal with her; with the fallout.

The questions.

The judgment and scandal.

My squeaky-clean reputation would be tarnished by a woman who had ruined my life once already. Not to mention what it would do to Dad and Rebecca—and they’d already been through so much.

No. Thank you.

“I told you before, I’m dealing with some shit.”

“You’re a bad liar, Stone. I’m family. Family tell each other stuff.”

“This is just something I need to deal with in my own time.” I held his unwavering glare with my own. He wasn’t used to people telling him no. Rick liked control. But I wasn’t a puppet. And this wasn’t his shit to handle.

It was mine.

“Fine. But you’re making a big mistake. I saw Laurie’s expression—you broke her. I know things haven’t been great between you two and that’s your business, but you need to fix it before it’s too late.”

“I—” My mouth snapped shut because what could I possibly say? He was right. I did need to fix it... before I lost her for good.

~

“COME ON, BABE, OPEN up. Please.” I hammered on Laurie’s front door again, glancing to the house across the way, hoping the owners were out. The last thing I needed was Mr. Davison getting wind of this, but desperate times called for desperate measures, and Laurie had refused to answer any of my calls so... here I was, desperate.

“Laurie, come on, open—”

“Go away, Kyle. Before the neighbors see you.”

I dropped my forehead against the door as I lowered my voice. “Please, just give me five minutes. And then if you want me to leave, I will.”

Silence greeted me, and I let out a heavy sigh.

“I’m sorry, I’m so, so—” The door swung open and Laurie stood there, her expression hard.

“Five minutes.”

“That’s all I need, I promise.”

She stepped aside to let me in. For a hot summer’s day, the temperature in the Davison’s house was below freezing, Laurie’s anger and disappointment rippling around the room. The door slammed shut behind her and I flinched, the sound cutting through the tension like a jagged knife.

“Start talking.” Laurie came around to me but made no move to go into the living room or kitchen. And it occurred to me, she really wasn’t going to make this easy on me.

What did you expect, jackass?

Scrubbing a hand down my face, I lifted my eyes to hers and smiled weakly. “I’m sorry.”

“That’s it, you’re sorry?”

“Yeah, well. I was a jackass. I should never have let Trey talk me into drinking all those—”

“Are you kidding me right now?” My brows knitted together, but she wasn’t done. “This isn’t about the shots or the fact you pummeled Jared’s face. It’s about you, Kyle.”

“I...” my mouth hung open.

“You’ve been lying to me for weeks. Keeping things from me. I gave you a chance to tell me the truth last night and what did you do? Got wasted and tried to beat the crap out of Jared because he was there.”

“He touched you,” I whispered, guilt coiled tight round my heart.

Laurie laughed, but it wasn’t the sound I usually loved. No, this was something darker, uglier, and it hurt. Fuck, did it hurt. “If you hadn’t pushed me away, again, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.” Her eyes narrowed, cutting right into me.

I moved closer because the distance was too much. Even though her walls were up and reinforced with steel, I still wanted to be near to her. “Laurie, I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“The truth, Kyle. I want the truth. Is that too much to ask? I chose you. I chose USC for you.” Her voice cracked, and tears pooled in her eyes. I wanted to reach out and comfort her, to pull her into my arms and tell her everything was going to be okay. But I wasn’t sure it was, anymore.

“And we can still have all that. I just need you to trust me.” I stared at her, silently pleading for her to let this go. But it was too late. Deep down, I think I’d known that the second she opened the door. So although it hurt more than getting sacked by a two-hundred-and-eight-pound linebacker, it didn’t surprise me when Laurie said, “I think we should take a break.”

“You don’t want to be with me anymore?” His face paled.

“That’s not fair, Kyle, and you know it. I love you. I love you so much it scares me sometimes. But you can’t keep lying to me. I’m worth more, I deserve more.”

“I’m doing it for your own good.” The second the words were out of my mouth, I wanted to take them back. Laurie’s eyes widened, and she blinked as if she couldn’t believe I’d said it. “Laurie... I didn’t—”

“You should go.”

“I leave for camp in two days. I’ll be gone for five days.” A whole week without knowing where we stood.

I felt sick.

“I think some space will be a good thing.” The tightness around her eyes betrayed how calmly she said the words.

“And when I get back?” I ran a brisk hand over my hair. Really, I wanted to rip every strand out. Anything to settle my soul.

“I’m not making any promises, Ky—” I rushed her, wrapping my arms around her and burying my face in Laurie’s shoulder.

“Promise me, we’ll talk when I get back. Promise me this isn’t the end. Promise me, you have to promise me,” I said over and over, the words almost choking me. Laurie stood rigid and still in my arms and I realized I was probably crushing her, but I couldn’t let go. It felt too much like goodbye and I wasn’t ready.

We were supposed to be forever.

“Go to football camp, show their coaches how amazing you are, and when you come back, we’ll talk. But I won’t be that girl, Kyle. I won’t stand by while my boyfriend keeps things from me.” Her words slayed me but then she was touching me, running her fingers through the hair at the back of my neck and I held on for life.

I’ll fix this, I silently promised her.

I had to find a way to fix it.