Page 3 of Savage Truth

That shocked me. “What about Cole and Damon’s mom? Or were you too busy cheating on her with whoever your new infatuation was?” Low blow, and I was sure Mom would be horrified since she was so into this guy, but his comment made me sick. No matter how much of a jerk Cole was, it was a good thing he wasn’t here to listen to this.

“It’s complicated. I cared deeply for her, but it’s not the same as what I’ve always felt for your mom.” His pained expression cleared, and determination flared in his blue eyes, which were so like Damon’s. “This is our time, and I won’t let anything—especially something from your past—stand in our way.”

Oh wow, she told him stuff?That comment was barely veiled. We never told anyone anything. It made me wonder what else I didn’t know about their relationship. And gross. I didn’t want to go there.

“And this goes without saying, but I’ll ensure you’re safe too.”

I huffed. There was no way he could stop or even slow down what would come for us. And there was no point in trying to convince him otherwise. We would leave in the dead of night, like always.

I had nothing more to say and clamped my lips together, gripping the apple in my right hand. He took the cue and left. Alone in the kitchen, I couldn’t stop tremors from running through me as I considered the disaster Mom had landed us in. Needing even a small release, I flipped Lucas’s retreating form off with my left hand and an emphatic “fuck you” under my breath.

“That was interesting.”

I whirled around in the direction of the deep voice and launched the apple I held with everything I had. My heart thundered in fear, and I shifted to the balls of my feet, ready to run.

Damon stood in the open pantry, his fist wrapped around the apple that would have hit him in the middle of the chest.

I gulped air, and adrenaline coursed through me as I fought the urge to run.

“Nice aim.”

“How long have you been here?” Not that it mattered to me, but it wouldn’t help the rocky relationship between the men in this house if he’d heard too much.

“Since you got this apple from the fridge.” His face darkened, and I recognized what his opponents must have seen on the football field or in the ring. “Interesting. I’m glad I stayed in there. You learn something new every day.”

Whatever that meant didn’t matter. Nothing would change. “Well, it’s been real, Demon.” I purposely used his nickname as I backed away, making a beeline for the stairs.

A part of me wondered what would have happened if it had been Cole instead. I doubted it would have made a difference, but there were some clues in what Lucas said about my past that I didn’t need Cole learning.Will Damon tell him?

* * *

Aroar rippled through the crowd, gaining in strength as Cass and I weaved our way through the nearly full bleachers to the empty seats we’d spotted. She’d convinced me to come to the game, which hadn’t been difficult. Mom and Lucas were here too. She’d said Lucas and some other alumni were being recognized at halftime. Supposedly, it was a big deal. Guess he was good back in the day, not that I cared even a little.

The team took the field, and I glanced at the players, searching for Cole, who wasn’t hard to find. I knew the way he moved. My stomach clenched. I cursed the way my body reacted to him. Insane. No one had ever caused me to respond even a fraction as much as he did from a single glance.

The excitement from the crowd was infectious, and I leaned forward in anticipation. Cass nudged my shoulder with hers.

“Wait until you see them. It’s an experience.”

“How are they different than any other high school team?”

Cass grinned then tucked her dark hair behind her ears. She had a chic look that not many could pull off. “Cole’s projected to go into the NFL from Thane.”

I scrunched my nose.Seriously?“How can they know that about a high schooler?”

She laughed. “Just watch him on the field. Phoenix too. He’s the QB. Even though he’s a year younger, scouts have been watching him since freshman year when he made varsity.”

“A family of NFLers? That’s a thing?”

Cass shrugged, the corners of her mouth twitching. “Okay, Miss My-Dives-Rival-Olympians.”

I rolled my eyes. “Not likely. But back to them…”

“Here’s the history.” She leaned in and lowered her voice. “Cole’s dad is rumored to have been chosen for the draft. I guess he was high up in whatever it is… picks?” She waved her hand. “Not sure what that’s called, but his stats were good enough to give him a ranking that said he’d go in the first few rounds. Then he… dropped out.”

“Of college?” I’d never paid attention to professional sports outside of diving.

“No, from the draft. No idea what happened, but that’s what my dad told me, and he’s a sports fanatic.”

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