Total pages in book: 186
Estimated words: 176552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 883(@200wpm)___ 706(@250wpm)___ 589(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 176552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 883(@200wpm)___ 706(@250wpm)___ 589(@300wpm)
By the time I walked into the main dining room, the music had switched to a track I recognized as my parents' wedding song of all things—Heart and Soul by The Cleftones. They sang and danced it at every anniversary and holiday party. Dougie was singing along loud enough for his voice to carry over the crowded atmosphere.
The Nest was always like this after practice meet-ups. It got worse when we won a game, but we all loved the place. I dapped up a few guys, nodded to a couple of girls, then slid into the booth beside Brooke. Cloe was eyeing Macy like she wanted to decapitate her with her straw. Knowing all the crime shows she binged and the twisted, fascinating shit she read for fun, she could probably get it done clean. Ari was shooting Xander the death glare of the century as he shamelessly sipped her milkshake. Roxxi was in a heated conversation with my brother and Nick. Aiden was people watching, as usual.
My girl wasn’t there.
I leaned back in the booth, one arm draped across the top, fingers tapping absently against the leather. Where the fuck was Sanjana?
“You all know now, so you can drop it,” Roxxi responded to something Cade said, her voice sharp and clipped like it always got when she was done putting up with someone’s shit.
He nodded once and gave her some space.
They’d been talking to the girls while I was with Sanj, getting us all on the same page, for the most part. Brooke shifted closer to me, her lips brushing too close for comfort.
“What happened between you two? Is she upset about something?”
I turned my head and stared at her until she visibly swallowed and had the decency to look apologetic. Brooke had been different ever since that night in my room. We were supposed to just watch a movie and eat something. She’d tried to get me to do more the next morning, and I was forced to turn her down as respectfully as I could manage. I wasn’t fucking her, I didn’t want to fuck her, and I could barely remember the last time was, I had fucked her. She couldn’t miss the signs that our relationship was drawing to an end, but she still wasn’t about to willingly give up her title.
That didn’t matter to me.
The outcome was going to be the same regardless, and seeing the way she was behaving lately, getting closer to Layla, and more brazen with how she talked to me, it solidified that I’d taken the right approach to how I would finish things.
“Ryder?” she prodded softly.
“Do you talk about the people you’re close with as soon as they leave a room?”
Her smile faltered. Brooke wasn’t cold or cruel, but everyone had limits, and I’d just stepped on one of hers.
She straightened beside me.
“I only wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“I get that, but in no shape or form would I ever talk about a friend’s personal issues with you.”
Across the booth, I caught Roxxi watching us before shifting her attention to Ferret. She was at the booth next to ours, looking at Rook like he was a god. Nick was now trying and failing not to laugh at him. Rook ignored them both, focusing on his burger. Cloe clocked it too with a slight purse of her lips. She and Roxxi did some kind of girl-talk with Ari, none of them saying a word. It was a lot like what me and guys did when we had silent conversations.
It took me less than five minutes to take all of this in.
I scanned the room again, slow and measured. I found my girl at the exact moment Olivia Martinez, one of the few friends I was letting her keep, shot me a subtle glance and nodded her head toward the front window.
Deadweight was outside with his back to us. Sass was with him. I couldn’t see her face, but from his posture alone, I knew it wasn’t a good conversation. More people were taking notice now. Heads turned, and whispers started to stir. He stepped forward, and Sass moved away. One glimpse at her face and I knew that dumb fuck had said something to piss her off. Rook immediately started to stand, forgetting all about his food. Nick grabbed his arm before he could fully rise, holding him back from committing murder in public.
My brother caught my eye across the table, his message clear: Don’t move. Not yet.
I barely blinked, and Cloe was out of her seat and halfway across the diner.
“Ashton,” Roxxi spoke his name like a curse, standing up and following her.
Arianna climbed across Xander’s and Cade’s laps with a soft apology, quickly catching up to them.
“I’ll go.” Nick stood and walked away from our booth before any of us could protest or do it ourselves.