Page 38 of Casualties

Why aren’t you saying anything?Respond… Bitch, respond.Get the words out of your fucking mouth.

“I-um…I don’t know what to say.You love me?”He said it, but it’s as if I need more confirmation from him.

"I do, Ains.And you want to know the fucked up part?"He hesitates for a beat, not waiting for an answer before he continues."There's nothing I can fucking do about it."

Ace runs a hand through his hair, muttering a curse under his breath."You're Morgan's little sister.I can't..."He laces his fingers together over his head, his brow furrowed in frustration.

Quiet settles between us for a moment, but it doesn't linger as Ace lowers his voice, the bass there sending shivers down my spine."I'm not the same guy you knew growing up.The things I like, the things Ineed...Shit Ains, they'd have you running for the hills."

I have so many questions I know he isn't ready to answer.All I'm hearing is there is no way we could ever be together."Alright Ace, I won't push.You've made it clear all the reasons we can't happen.I need time to process all of this.Let's just go inside."

FIFTEEN

ACE

Walking in the house, we see Cassie and Morgan sitting on the kitchen counter eating random snacks.I’m not sure where the junk food came from, because those items are never on our grocery list.

“We had snacks delivered, and the only places open were gas stations.”Morgan laughs, wiping white powder off Cassie's chin from the mini donut she's devouring.She switched her dress and heels for sweatpants, rolled multiple times and tied tight with the cotton drawstring to help hold them up, and a baggy black t-shirt.Morgan changed too, now dressed in similar clothes.They both seem back to normal, losing the hostility they've been holding for one another.

Ainsley leans over the kitchen island to peek at the buffet of junk food.“I need to change out of this dress and wash my face.But then...I think we should grab all the blankets you have and bundle up on the couch to watch a movie.”The huge grin on her face is contagious.

“Sounds good.I need to change, too.I hate tuxedos.”I start to move from the kitchen when I hear Ainsley behind me.

“Wait up.I need to borrow something to sleep in.”She runs up next to me, but we both stop at Morgan’s words.

“Ains, I already left clothes out for you on my bed.Wear those.”His tone holds no malice, so I try not to look more into it.I avoid looking disappointed that she won’t be wearing my clothes to bed, smothering her body with my scent.The last time they crashed here and we had that heated moment in my room, smelling my cologne on her did something to me.

We both freeze at the bedroom doors.Nothing is said with words, but I see in her eyes what I'm hoping she sees in mine: we'll figure this out.It may not be what we want it to be, but at least we'll have the friendship I know we have both been missing.Her smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes, and my heart breaks knowing our story won’t be written the way either of us wants.

* * *

Rock, Paper, Scissors has always been the deciding factor for who gets to pick the movie.Cassie and Ainsley against me and Morgan.We take turns picking who plays, and best two out of three wins.Tonight’s my night—I win.The movie is Rock Star.The music kicks ass and the story is insane.I know the girls love it because of Markie Mark.They say it’s the music and plot, but Morgan and I aren’t dumb.They drool over any movie that dude is in, and fine by me, I've always had a hard-on for Jennifer Aniston.

The movie starts to play as we all dig into the snacks.After drinking expensive liquor all night, the junk food is a must.Morgan and I try our best to avoid hangovers at all costs, so the four of us have forty-ounce Stanleys filled with Liquid IV.No one wants to wake up feeling like they walked through a desert without water.

As the movie plays, I notice Cassie to my right yawn, slowly laying her head on Morgan’s shoulder and falling asleep.That was fast, but then again, she never makes it through movies.Ainsley leans over and suggests one of us take her to bed, as Morgan lets out the fakest yawn.He pats Ains on her leg and says he'll take her to his room to get some sleep.When he asks if she's going to sleep in his room with Cass, she shakes her head and lets him know she's going to crash on the couch after finishing the movie.

Thank fuck.

He nods, standing to pick Cassie up and take her upstairs.Once we hear him close his bedroom door, we know it's okay to talk.At least, I thought we'd talk.Ainsley catches me by surprise, bringing her right leg over me to straddle my lap.She hovers there, right over my dick that's growing by the second.This girl is going to be my undoing.

SIXTEEN

AINSLEY

"I need you, Ace," I moan against his lips.I have no idea where this confidence is coming from.All I do know is I've been on edge with a pulsating need for him to touch me since our kiss earlier.It was so hot, and I want more of it...I want more of him.

Ace is holding onto my hips with a firm grip—it feels like he's trying to stop me.I pause momentarily; he's stopping me from making this harder on both of us.I know he wants me, I can feel his erection reaching for my pussy.

“What’s wrong?You want me, right Ace?”I'm so close to his face, I practically pant the question into his mouth.His willpower is crumbling before me.His head falls back and he lets out an exasperated sigh.I’m not trying to make this difficult, but my self-control is non-existent at the moment.

“Ainsley, this is a bad idea.I know I blurred the lines, but you said you needed time to think everything over.”His grip tightens when my hips begin to move again."Fuuuck, Ains you have to stop, or I won't be able to."My only thought right now is that I need him in whatever capacity I can have him.He told me he was in love with me, and I'm supposed to ignore that?I can't.

“I know...I know what I said.But I can't help the way you make me feel.I need you to touch me, Ace.Now.”He's mildly taken aback by my command; I’m sure women never tell Ace Maddox what to do in the bedroom.In my case, it's the living room sectional but…eh, semantics.

"Ah, fuck it."He crashes his lips hard against mine, and I'm suddenly lost in the spell he has on me.An inferno flares through my body.I may not know what I'm doing, but the fervent need my pussy has to rub on his cock is insane.

I grind aggressively—it feels good, but I need more.Breaking our kiss, I slowly stand up off of his lap.

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