The way I see it, there are two options here. I can tell him to get fucked or—
I swivel in my seat until our gazes can lock. “I hurt her.”
A steely-edged light fills his eyes. Apparently, I’m not telling him anything he doesn’t already know. “Damn right you did.”
“But I’m not the same guy that I was before. And I’m doing everything in my power to prove that to her.”
“Maybe so,” he bites out, “but what’s to stop you from hurting her again?”
Because...I love her.
I always have.
That being said, I’m not about to reveal my true feelings to him. Especially since I haven’t delved that deep with Alyssa. If anyone deserves to hear them first, it’s her.
My jaw clenches. “I guess you’ll just have to take my word for it.”
“Not good enough, mate.”
I shrug. “For the time being, it’ll have to be.”
Jack presses his lips into a tight line. It’s obvious that if he didn’t have a flight to catch, he’d gladly take the time to kick my ass. And part of me feels like I deserve it. All right, fine...I totally deserve it. The way I handled myself sophomore year was childish and immature. I in no way deny it. I made a mistake. And now I’m trying my damnedest to rectify it. Whether I’m able to do that remains to be seen.
“You hurt her again, and I’ll be on the first flight back to kick your arse.”
“You have my word that it won’t happen.”
“Better not,” he grumbles before exiting the BMW.
I pop the trunk so he can grab his luggage before unfolding myself from the vehicle. As I slam the door closed, I stuff my hands into the pockets of my jeans before grinding to an awkward halt where he waits.
“I wish I could say that it’s been a pleasure,” he says stiffly, “but it hasn’t.”
I almost snort. “I suppose that’s one thing we can agree on.”
The corners of his lips quirk slightly before he clears his throat. “I’d better go.”
“Yup.” I jerk my head into a nod. The sooner, the better, as far as I’m concerned. I can’t get him out of here fast enough.
“I’m sure this won’t be the last time we see each other.” He wheels his suitcase onto the sidewalk near the entrance.
My brows lower. If I can help it, it sure as hell will be.
When I remain silent, a genuine smile curves his lips. It’s as if he can read my thoughts without me having to verbalize them. “Don’t worry, mate, I’m not going anywhere.”
With that last parting shot, he leaves me standing near the trunk of my car.
Fucker.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Alyssa
Zoe wraps her arm around me as we push through the glass doors of the fine arts building. “Have I told you how much I missed your ass?”
“Only about a dozen times, but I’m all ears if you want to tell me again.”
“Well, I did. Who else can I be catty with, if not you?”
A gurgle of laughter bubbles up from my lips. Zoe enjoys ripping the other dancers to shreds. She always has the lowdown on everyone. She knows who’s sleeping with who and who’s cheating on each other. Dancers, as a rule, are a cutthroat bunch. And the ones at Wesley are no exception. They’d stab a bitch in the back without blinking an eye.
And a couple of times, I’ve been that bitch.
Zoe is actually one of the few girls I’ve found who has my back. And I have hers. Next to Mia, she’s the person at Wesley I’m closest to.
I glance at the sky, surprised to find the sun peeking through the clouds. Earlier this afternoon, it had looked like it would be dark and gloomy for the rest of the day. Luckily, that hasn’t turned out to be the case. I’m tempted to close my eyes and let the sun’s warmth stroke over my face.
“Hmmm,” Zoe says, as we jog down the wide stone steps, “isn’t that Colton Montgomery over there?” Her voice turns speculative. “I wonder what he’s doing hanging out on this side of campus.”
Those words jolt me out of my lazy thoughts, and my head whips around as I search the crowd for his blond head. It doesn’t take long to find him. He’s standing off to the side, near a large stone fountain. I’ve always found the gurgle of water soothing, although it does nothing to calm my nerves at the moment. The fine arts hall is situated directly across campus from the athletic buildings. The artsy students usually hang out at this end of the university. Colton sticks out like a sore thumb. Even when he’s clearly out of his element, people still recognize and swarm him.
Unconsciously my feet ground to a halt. I’m not aware that I’ve stopped moving until Colton’s gaze locks on mine. That one look has electricity sizzling in the air between us.