Jaxon

Five minutes. Five minutes my ass! Pissed didn’t even begin to describe how Jaxon was feeling. He didn’t think there was single word in the English language that could begin to sum up the rage boiling in his veins as he drove back to his uncle’s house.

He felt like a goddamned fool for thinking Lucy would ever choose him over Alex. They had history. And there was the tiny fact that Alex’s family held the keys to Lucy’s future. Fuck! Of course she was going to choose Alex.

Jaxon was more pissed at himself than anything else. He knew he couldn’t compete. The odds were stacked against him. He didn’t have a trust fund and he wasn’t a local celebrity with a budding pro-sports career. All Jaxon had was a dysfunctional family and good survival instincts. His mother was dead, his father was an alcoholic, and his brother and uncle were doing their best to hold the whole hot mess together.

But still, despite all of it, Jaxon had actually let himself believe for a millisecond that he had somehow won the lottery—that Lucy had picked him. That despite the unlikeliness of it all, she was returning the feelings that he’d held in for a long time now. And in that split second of pure bliss in the pool Jaxon had felt his entire world shift. For one blinding moment, everything felt like it was how it was supposed to be. Like maybe his life hadn’t been irrevocably broken for no good reason. In that moment, Lucy was the reason. And if they were together, he knew somehow they were both going to be okay.

But now . . . now he didn’t know which way was up. All he knew was that if he didn’t find a way to get his boiling anger out he was going to explode. And he sure as hell knew waiting outside Lucy’s door for five minutes wasn’t going to help. If she was going to choose Alex, there was no fucking way Jaxon was gonna stick around and watch it.

Alex

Relief flooded Alex as he followed Lucy into her familiar dorm. He hadn’t expected her to give him a chance this easily. Especially after he’d seen the way she was looking at Jaxon when they walked up. Lucy had never looked at Alex like that. And the very wrongness of that realization hit him hard. Alex was a proud man, but for Lucy, he was prepared to beg.

In the weeks since he’d foolishly humiliated her by bringing Trista to the exhibition match in San Diego, Alex had started to realize just what he’d lost. He’d thought Lucy would always be there for him. That he could have his cake and eat it too, so to speak. But after having Trista, Alex decided he didn’t really have much of an appetite for cake after all—at least the kind Trista was offering.

Trista was different from Lucy in every way. At first, it had been what had drawn Alex to her. She was bold and flirty and cared about what she wore and who she was seen with. But the more time Alex spent with Trista, the more he found out that was all she cared about. Trista was more obsessed with the spotlight than he was.

She always dressed in the sexiest designer labels and spent hours in front of the mirror making sure her appearance was flawless. And she wouldn’t agree to go anywhere until she knew who would be there, how much exposure she’d get and what the perks were. Then, whenever they went anywhere together, Trista spent the whole time on her phone, taking selfies and posting stories.

Managing Trista’s expectations was exhausting. And for the first time, Alex was getting a glimpse at what dating him had been like for Lucy. Trista treated Alex just how he had treated Lucy—and karma was a cruel bitch. Having Trista blow up his relationship with Lucy was payback for the way he’d neglected her ever since his soccer career had taken off.

Alex felt nothing but regret for his immature behavior. He knew there was no excuse for it, but he was desperate to make things right with Lucy. Because the truth was, the minute he’d lost her, he knew he’d made a mistake.

That old saying was true: you always want what you don’t have.

Seeing Lucy with another guy made Alex want her back. Watching her parade around campus with Jaxon gutted him. But Lucy didn’t cave as easily as Alex had expected. She’d been obstinate about her decision to break up with Alex no matter how persistent he was over the past few weeks. Tonight was the first break in her armor he’d seen.

The moment Alex followed Lucy into that apartment he was flooded with nostalgia for the time they’d spent together. He was going to get her back tonight. Nothing would stop him.

Lucy

Lucy hobbled into the living room with Alex trailing behind her.

“How was PT?” Brooke asked without turning around from whatever she was watching on television.

“Fine,” Lucy replied.

“Hey, Brooke,” Alex said awkwardly.

Brooke whipped her head around and glared at Alex. Then she turned her icy glower on Lucy. “What is he doing here?”

“He just wants to talk,” Lucy warned.

Brooke shut off the television, got to her feet and hit Lucy with one last disapproving glare before stomping to her bedroom and slamming the door.

“Guess she hasn’t changed her mind about me,” Alex said in that teasing tone he used whenever he was nervous.

“Neither have I,” Lucy said, keeping her voice gentle, but firm.

She didn’t want to be cruel. She’d known Alex her entire life and if they could somehow manage to stay friends when everything was settled, she’d prefer that. But it would never be anything more. After tonight with Jaxon, there was no going back for Lucy. He was it for her and she didn’t care what Alex had to say. Her goal was to make that abundantly clear.

“Lindenza . . .”

“Alex, let me stop you right there. I’m not your Lindenza anymore. I’m not your Luz. I’m just Lucy. And if you came here looking for more you’re going to be disappointed.”

“I know. I know I screwed up and I know I don’t deserve another chance with you, Lucy. But I just . . . I don’t know. I feel like shit without you. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I mean every time I imagined finally getting to the top, you were gonna be there with me, ya know?”

She did know, but a lot had changed from those childhood days when they used to lay in the backyard looking at the clouds and imagining their futures.

Lucy sighed. “Alex, I’m really happy that you’re getting everything you’ve worked so hard for. But I think somewhere along the way our paths started to drift in different directions.”

“I know and I want to fix it. Just give me one more chance, Lucy. I promise I’ll be better. I’ll make us right.”

She shook her head. “No, Alex. We’re beyond anything that can be fixed.”

“Lucy, please. Just one more time . . . For me? For old times?”

“Alex, we’re not those kids anymore. We’re different people now and we want different things. I’m not blaming you, okay? We just grew up, and we grew apart. It’s time to move on.”

Alex ran a hand through his short black hair in frustration. He was starting to pace and Lucy could see anger beginning to color his cheeks. “So that’s just it? You’re just throwing away a lifetime with me for some wannabe from the suburbs?”

“It’s none of your business who I choose to spend time with now, Alex. You and I are not together.”

“That’s just perfect for you, isn’t it?” Alex growled. “Pretty convenient, too.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The fact that you let me and my family support you your whole life until something better came along.”

“That’s not what I’m doing!”

“No? So you haven’t just been stringing me along until you could get your trust fund? Huh? Thought you’d just let me and my family take care of you until you were ready to dump us? You’re telling me that wasn’t your plan all along? Or did Suburbs help you come up with that one?”

Hurt, swift and true, stabbed Lucy in the chest. The fact that he could even think that . . . “Get out!” she ordered, but Alex didn’t move.

He narrowed his eyes. Hate simmered off of him now and he wasn’t even trying to hide it. “You’ll be eighteen soon, so maybe you’ll get your trust fund. But maybe I’ll tell the feds some more shit about your father so he never gets out. It would be a damn shame though. He’s so close to time served. Even if he was serving it for someone else.”

Lucy gasped. “What?”

He sneered at her. “Oh come on. A part of you has always known, haven’t you?”

Lucy’s heart was in her throat. She knew what Alex was eluding to but she had no proof. He was always so careful. But right now he wasn’t being careful. Right now he was pissed and careless. She needed to hear him say it. “Known what?” she baited.

Alex laughed bitterly. “That your father wasn’t even guilty. But he sure made it easy for my father to make it look that way.”

Lucy stood there in complete and utter shock. “No,” she whispered. “No, that isn’t true.”

It couldn’t be. Why would her father have left her with the Alvez’s if that were true? Why didn’t he find a way to prove his innocence? Why didn’t he come back for her?

A strangled sob worked its way free of Lucy’s throat.

Alex only laughed. “You know it’s your fault, don’t you? You’re the reason he did it. Your own father couldn’t stand the sight of you. Not after you killed his wife. You had to know he couldn’t love you after that.”

Alex’s words stung. They were Lucy’s worst fears, so dark and terrifying that she’d never even spoke them aloud. But Alex had no qualms about tearing open old wounds.

He shrugged. “Lucky for you my mother took you in. She always wanted a daughter. God knows why she chose you.” He scoffed bitterly. “I guess it was a win-win. My father got rid of yours and my mother got her daughter. Plus, one hell of a pay out. Maybe I should thank you for killing your mother and making your father hate you. It certainly made my family rich. We didn’t even have to buy your father out. He really made it too easy.”

Lucy gasped. She’d always suspected it, but she never wanted it to be true. If it was true, then it meant that her father had been stolen from her for no reason. Her heart tried to fight the truth but Alex’s sadistic laughter was certainly hard to argue with.

“How?” Lucy whispered. “How could you ever think I would forgive you?”

“Because you don’t have a choice.”

“Get out,” Lucy said between sobs.

“No. I’m not going anywhere. I own you Lucy, whether you like it or not.”

“She said, GET. THE. HELL. OUT.”

Both Alex and Lucy turned to see Brooke step out of her bedroom welding a baseball bat. She held it high over her shoulder and the set of her jaw said she had every intention on using it if Alex didn’t listen.

But Alex still laughed, calling Brooke’s bluff.

She didn’t hesitate. Brooke swung at the lamp closest to her and sent it hurtling across the room toward Alex’s head. He ducked, cursing colorfully in Portuguese.

“That’s right! I’m a crazy bitch. Now get the hell out before I start swinging at your head.”

Alex shook his head and made a rude gesture with his finger, but he finally retreated from their dorm. Brooke ran after him and made sure the door was locked behind him.

“Wait!” Lucy called. “Jaxon’s out there.”

Brooke peered through the peephole. “There’s no one out there.”

Lucy pushed past Brooke and opened the door. She looked up and down their hallway, but Jaxon truly wasn’t there. “I can’t believe he didn’t wait.”

“Did you tell him to wait?”

“I said I needed five minutes.”

“For what?” Brooke asked. “To make sure your ex-boyfriend was truly the douche canoe you thought he was?”

“No! To end it for good.”

“I thought you already did that?”

“I did, but tonight . . . Ugh!” Lucy growled. “It wasn’t supposed to go like this. I can’t believe he didn’t wait.”

“For what?” Brooke asked again.

Lucy whirled around. “I kissed Jaxon tonight. And we were coming back here to do more than kiss when Alex showed up.”

Brooke’s translucent eyebrows nearly jumped off her forehead. She grabbed Lucy by the arm and pulled her back into their dorm. Once Brooke re-locked the door, she dragged Lucy back over to the couch.

“Tell me everything,” Brooke ordered.

So Lucy did. She told Brooke what Jaxon had done for her by taking her swimming and how she’d finally decided to stop being afraid. She told Brooke about kissing Jaxon and he kissed her back with a kiss to end all others.

“And then what?” Brooke demanded.

“And then Alex showed up and Jaxon left!”

“Well go fight for him,” Brooke demanded.

Lucy hugged a pink fluffy couch pillow to her chest. “That’s what I’ve been doing all night. I told Jaxon how I felt and he still left.”

“Because you invited Alex in after making out with Jaxon! How do you think that made him feel?”

“I don’t know.”

“I’m gonna go out on a limb and say not good. Jaxon probably thought you were choosing Alex over him.”

“But I wasn’t! And if Jaxon could even think that for a second after the way I kissed him then he’s just stupid,” Lucy said stubbornly.

“Duh! He’s a boy. Boys are stupid, Lucy. Even the good ones. But if you love this boy, you better make sure he knows it.”

“But I basically already told him I love him.”

“Basically only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.”

Lucy scowled. “That’s not even how that saying goes.”

“Oh my God, you know what I mean. You need to spell it out for him, Lucy. You’re so close to having everything you want. Just go for it already.”

“You think?”

“Take it from someone who’s a leading expert in the field of making an ass outta themselves . . . always go after the guy.”

“What if he doesn’t want me?”

Brooke grabbed Lucy’s hand and squeezed. “But what if he does?”

Lucy sniffled into her pillow. She’d been teetering between crying and screaming. But Brooke was right; if Lucy didn’t go fight for Jaxon right now then everything she’d been through was for nothing.

Her night had gone to hell in the span of five minutes. Alex had dropped a bombshell about her father and Jaxon had left. But so what? It didn’t change anything. She wouldn’t let it. Lucy’s whole life had been a series of decisions made by other people. But that ended tonight. Tonight she was going to go after what she wanted. She was going to get the guy.

Lucy stood up. “You’re right. I’m gonna go make an ass out of myself.”

Brooke grinned, standing up too. “I’ll give you a ride.”

Lucy put her hand on her best friend’s arm. “I think I have to do this on my own.”

“Are you sure?” Brooke asked.

“I am.”

“And Lucy?”

“Yeah?”

“When you get back . . . can we talk about those things that Alex said?” Brooke’s voice was softer than usual, almost uncertain—a trait Lucy wasn’t used to hearing in her best friend’s voice. “What he said about your father, I mean.”

Lucy swallowed hard. The things Alex had said were too much for her to process right now. She could only take things one step at a time, and right now, that meant Jaxon.

When Lucy didn’t respond, Brooke continued. “The things he said were awful. But you know nothing you could ever tell me would make me stop being your friend, right? I’ll always be here for you. No matter what, okay?”

Emotion swelled in Lucy’s chest. She nodded, wiping at the stupid tears that she hadn’t given permission to slide down her cheeks. Lucy finally found her voice. “Okay.”

“Okay,” Brooke said, confidence returning to her voice. “Now go get your unicorn!”