Page 113 of Endgame

Of course I knew what she was talking about.

I just didn’t care.

“No.” I shook my head and smirked. “I don’t think I do.”

“Rourke’s mine,” Britt hissed, leaning closer to me. “We’re going through some stuff right now, but don’t for one moment think that means he won’t come back to me.” She moved closer, until her lips were close to my ear. “Healwayscomes back to me.”

Playing down how unnerved I was by her words, I smiled brightly up at Britt and said, “Maybe that’s because he hasn’t had a better offer until now.”

What was I doing?

Why was I taunting her?

I never cared about shit like this. High school was a circus and bitchy girls and bullies were the monkeys, orchestrated by a ring leader. It was glaringly obvious that the ring leader in the Academy was Brittany Beckitt. The rest of the student body were her monkeys. Well, not me, and this girl right here, wasn’t worth my time.

“If you even think about taking him from me, I will destroy you,” Britt threatened, eyes glittering with menace.

“He’s not yours to take,” I replied coolly. “Now back the hell off.”

“Don’t push me on this, Mercedes James,” Britt warned. “You really don’t want to get on my bad side.”

Now, I rolled my eyes; I couldn’t help it.

She was such a delusional bitch.

“Listen, bitch,” I hissed. “I don’t know what went on between you and Rourke, and I really couldn’t care less.” Turning my back on her, I yanked my car door open and sank in. “But it’s pretty clear that whatever it was, it’sover.”

“It’s not over,” Britt hissed. “Me and Rourke? We willneverbe over and you’re a fool if you believe otherwise.”

Ignoring her, I cranked the engine and tore out of my parking spot, determined to get away from the crazy blonde I had a bad feeling had just declared war on me.

Rourke

SIX DIDN’T SHOW UP to the game tonight. A part of me wasn’t surprised, she’d said as much, but another part was bitterly disappointed.

I had wanted her here…

“You the man!” Reebo cheered, clapping me hard on the back as we walked back into the dressing rooms after the fourth quarter. “You the fucking man, Owens.”

“Someone get this man a golden fucking pussy,” Mase chimed in. “Woo! You keep playing like you did tonight, Rourke, and we’re heading to state.”

I played better tonight than I had in weeks – seven weeks to be precise – and I had a feeling she had something to do with it. I wanted Six to see me. I’d scored five of our team’s eight touchdowns tonight.

We had creamed Jefferson’s V1 team, and I’d managed to keep my head on the game and my temper in check.

Last year, when we played off against these pricks, I’d been sent off for beating the shit out of their quarterback in the first quarter.

In my defense, I had just found out the asshole had been fucking my girl.

This year, though, none of what they had said bothered me because I didn’t care anymore.

Fuck. Ididn’tcare…

“You hitting Tee-Gee’s with us tonight?” Reebo asked, sinking down on the bench beside me. “They’re opening especially for us.”

“Nope,” I replied, stripping off my gear. Tee-Gees was an underage club in Dauntan, the next town to Ocean Bay. I didn’t go there often, but my friends did most weekends. “Have at it, man. I have plans.”

“Plans?” Reebo raised a brow. “What kind of plans?”

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