Strung

Then again, I had had a lot to drink so my brain wasn’t really working very well and I could have sworn my heart slammed against my chest a few times when she was lecturing me, then again it could be dehydration. Shrugging, I went in search of another drink.

“Hey there.” Dark hair, dark eyes, pink lips. Yeah, she’d do.

“Hey to you too.” I murmured pulling her into my arms. “What’s your name?”

“Does it matter?” Her eyebrows arched.

“Hell no.” I attacked her mouth with such force that our teeth clanged together — shit that hurt — her tongue fought against mine. Okay so she was officially the worst kisser on the planet.

But I was drunk.

And horny.

And a bit pissed.

So I kissed her back and imagined it was Nat. I imagined that Nat liked me just the way I was — I imagined I wouldn’t have to change for her when deep down I knew… if I wanted the best — I couldn’t be an ass anymore. I just wasn’t sure which road I wanted to take. Not anymore.

CHAPTER TEN

Alec

IT WAS LIKE watching a car crash. On one side of the room Demetri was attacking a girl, on the other side of the room innocent little Nat was making her way towards Demetri and the slut he was with.

Hell. Why did I have to be the mature one? Why did I have to hold her hand while he broke her heart? I wanted to fix it, I wanted to punch my brother in the face but I also wanted to protect him. He liked her — he was just drunk, but how do you explain that to someone like Nat? Someone who’d never seen ugly in the world? Who still believed in Christmas and the freaking tooth fairy? Okay so I was exaggerating, but still.

With a curse, I made my way towards her and blocked her view of Demetri then grabbed her hand.

“Alec.” She jumped in surprise.

“Hey” — I leaned in so people wouldn’t hear us — “Maybe we should go?

Nat’s face softened. “Are you sick?”

Hah! “Something like that.” If sick included wanting to chop my brother’s balls off then yeah call 911.

“Okay, well… um, let me just go talk to Demetri first.”

“Nat, don’t.” I lunged for her hand but she jerked away from me.

“Don’t worry! It will just take a second.”

Yeah, I was going to be witness to Demetri losing his life. And it wasn’t going to be because of drugs.

I chased after her and swore when she froze mid-step and then covered her mouth with her hands. “Nat, stop.” My arms shot out around her and I lifted her into the air, carrying her outside so she didn’t escape but mainly so she wouldn’t crumple to a crying heap on the ground. High schoolers could be lame and the last thing I wanted was for someone to get a picture of her sobbing over Demetri.

Once we reached the car, I unlocked the doors, set her in the seat and buckled her seatbelt. A soft rain started falling against the glass as I started the car and drove off towards her house. My voice gruff, I said, “You can cry now.”

At first I didn’t think she was going to.

Instead, water basically exploded from her beautiful eyes and trailed down those soft cheeks. I felt every one of those tears as if it had been me cheating, as if I was the reason for them. I felt responsible for her pain — just like I felt responsible for Demetri’s.

I stopped in front of the beach house and carried her through the door. Gently, I set her on the couch and went to turn on the lights.

For some reason the light made her cry harder. Great. Maybe it was because she was embarrassed. Shit. I did not know how to deal with crying girls. I mean in theory you’d think I’d be all over it. Girls full on sobbed in front of me on a regular basis, one time a girl choked on her spit so hard she actually puked — all over my favorite shirt.

But, I liked Nat… Helpless, I did the only thing I knew to do. I made tea and got on my phone and ordered pizza. Like a total ass. I went into the kitchen, heated up some water in a mug, and then made her tea that probably tasted just as bad as it looked.

“Here.” I thrust it in her hands. Unsure of what to do next.

“Thank you,” she mumbled.

I knelt in front of her and used my thumbs to wipe the remaining tears from her eyes. “I’m sorry, Nat. He’s drunk. I know that’s no excuse, believe me. But if he was in his right mind he would have never done that. I know he likes you.” There. I’d done my job. I’d defended my brother — even though he didn’t deserve it.

Nat gave a numb nod and huffed. So I tried again.

“Want me to beat him up for you?”

She perked up. “Would you?”

I nodded and smiled,

“Maybe just a black eye.”

“Done.” Carefully, as to not make her cry again, I sat next to her on the couch and listened to the clock tick.

Nat set the mug on the table and started to get up. “I should go home. I mean — it’s getting late.”

“Fine, but if you go home I’m going with you. Your choices are as follows. Stay with me, while I sleep on the floor guarding your virtue from my brother if he decides to track you down, or I’m crashing at your place. It’s not safe for you to stay by yourself, Nat. Your parents are gone, right?” Shit. She couldn’t leave. I didn’t trust her to leave; I didn’t trust her with me or without me.

I ran my fingers through my hair. Nat had a good head on her shoulders, I got that, but leaving her when she was weak, it just reminded me of all those times I’d left Demetri and he’d almost died via an overdose. You don’t bail on someone when he’s at his weakest moment. You hold on for dear life and swear never to let go — even if it means you have to threaten their sorry ass. “Look, I know it’s Seaside and not L.A. I just don’t feel good with you being there by yourself. You should hang here for a while.”