And why did I feel so tongue tied and weak kneed. Any minute now I’m afraid I’m gonna start primping my hair and checking my lip-gloss.
“Nothing’s wrong…” What if I was wrong? Then again what if I’m not. I know the skank brigade, and something told me they weren’t going away that easy.
It probably made more sense to tell him than the other guy, but I just can’t bring myself to talk to him like that. I don’t trust it.
Looking at Jared Claiborne makes me want things, wish for things that I know I shouldn’t want and can’t have. Guys like him do not ever go for girls that are less than a ten.
I’ve seen it all my life. The only thing is, this was the first time since I’ve been old enough to know, that it has been a real problem for me.
I can usually deal with shallow boys preferring shallower girls to me. I’ve learned to shield myself from that shit. But this one snuck up on me and got in under my guard.
“I’m waiting Red, what’s the matter, somebody bothering you?”
He seemed like he really cared about the answer and I hated the little kernel of hope that started to unfurl in the pit of my stomach.
I’d shared my suspicions with him, in between stealing glances at his eyes and his mouth and his chin; sigh. He really is dreamy.
Now it looked like things were going to get out of hand. I knew that even with Jace’s warning it wouldn’t be long before Mandy tried something, that’s just the way she is.
And now poor Tammy had stuck her oar in it, she knew they would come after her for that little stunt she just pulled, even though I was proud of her.
Chapter 2
JACE
She’d come close to feeling my anger this morning. I’d seen the look of confusion on her face when I walked away.
There were a whole lot of pockets to me I know, and it wasn’t fair that she wasn’t going to get the time she might need to figure them all out.
My make up doesn’t allow for my girl to get away with certain things so she was going to have to catch on real quick to avoid tripping the wrong wire.
I’d walked away from Mandy without an explanation. That’s my ammo, you fuck with me I cut you off without a backward glance, don’t have time for bullshit apologies.
Sian was never going to have that; if she fucks with me she’ll either get her ass spanked or her neck broken. Funny that the one I cared for the most had the worst fate.
Seeing her dressed the way she was had tripped one of those wires. I’ve been watching her for the past two days so I’ve seen other guys looking too. That’s a big fucking no-no.
There were some here who wouldn’t think twice about challenging me, and then there were those who would see no danger in just looking.
I’ll have to deal with both camps at some point, but I have to make sure she’s not inviting that shit in the first place, whether intentionally or not.
That way when I have to fuck someone up, she won’t suffer any backlash from my fucked up temper.
“Hey Jace you better keep an eye on that Mandy situation.”
“What Mandy situation Jared?” We were in lab together, which was only one of the classes we shared. I’d seen him talking to Belle while we were out on the field and meant to rag him about it later but I’d forgotten.
There was something going on there, but I was too caught up in my own shit to pay much attention right now.
Belle was cool; even though we’ve never really had too much dealings with each other, I knew that she and her family were good people.
Because most of the people in this town had worked for my dad or my grandfather before him at one time or another, I knew more than most about the behind the scenes and ins and outs of most of the residents.
That was only one of the reasons why they didn’t fuck with me. That and the fact that I’ve whipped plenty a preppy boy ass in my days at Eden High.
Jared continued his conversation pulling me back to the here and now.
“Red thinks they might be planning to jump my sister. She doesn’t have any evidence, but she says she’s known them since kindergarten and thinks she has some kind of sixth sense where they’re concerned. I’m inclined to believe her.”
“Mandy isn’t that fucking stupid Jared.” Even as I said it I knew she was. That was exactly one of the reasons I left her, because she might be that fucking stupid.
She might not have the guts to go up against me personally, but she’d get someone else to do her dirty work for her.
“You don’t look too sure about that bro and I gotta tell ya, I’m not willing to take that chance. If one of those idiots mess with my sister I’m not going to let that shit go.”
“That’s my job now Jared, you don’t need to worry about her anymore I’ve got it.” Fucking Mandy and her shit.
If I gave a fuck I would tell her why I’d left her, but I knew that that, more than anything else, was killing her, the not knowing. And I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.
I thought long and hard about my next move as I went from class to class. Because this was Sian’s debut into the dating world, and because somewhere deep inside I knew that she was going to be it for me, I needed everything to run smoothly.
I’ve watched my dad all my life, the way he stands between my mom and anything that might cause her harm. So I’ve had lots of examples of how to treat the one that owns your heart.
As I grew older he’d taken me into his confidence more than once where mom’s happiness and wellbeing were concerned.