Page 28 of Brutal Days

“Guess you thought wrong ’cause I need a helluva lot from you.” That was the kind of conversation I was more comfortable with, and just imagining Sky there to do anything I wanted or commanded her to do was the best turn-on.

“I’m in such high demand.” She laughed.

“Do I need to worry about some big biker boyfriend coming for me?”

“No. No boyfriend.”

“That’s good.” I sounded far more into her than I should. “I’m too pretty to be the one fighting instead of being fought over.”

“You don’t like fighting in the Ring? Why do you do it?”

I laughed as a surge of satisfaction buzzed through my blood at the thought of fighting then seeing Sky after, when the adrenaline would be at an all-time high. I couldn’t wait for the next fight. I would have her wait for me in the locker room. “I’m kidding. I love to fight.”

“I’ll never understand boys. I’ve got to get some sleep. I have a job interview tomorrow at Chicks-N-Wings.”

That place was a copycat of the chain restaurant with girls in tiny shorts and itty-bitty shirts. “No fucking way. You can’t work there. It’s demeaning.”

“Says no guy ever—especially you, the alpha male king. Besides, it’s about money. I’m not a trust fund baby. I have to work for what I want.” A click sounded, and the connection went dead.

Fucking hell.I tossed my phone on my bed. Every forward step we’d taken had been erased. I was jealous, and she was defensive. But one thing would come from how we’d ended things. No way would I let her work there.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

SKYLAR

#Jealousy

Chemistry was torture, and lunch wasn’t much better. In chem, we had a quiz and weren’t in the lab, so I didn’t need to sit next to Damon. That didn’t stop me from being aware of him the entire period. Or noticing how deliciously his blue shirt stretched across his broad shoulders or that I could practically see the outline of his abs.

When he walked past my desk, I got a front-row seat to the graceful way he moved for such a huge guy and how fantastic his ass looked in those jeans. And don’t get me started on how his biceps flexed. If I painted or did any kind of art, I would want him to model for me, and I would enjoy every moment of it. He was a work of art—when he wasn’t speaking.

I picked at my sandwich, unable to stop watching Gia and Damon interact at his table. She talked about something, one hand gesturing to emphasize her words, the other clinging to his python arm.

I’m not jealous.

But I was, and I hated it.

I tore off a piece of bread and chewed it slowly. I was just concerned for Gia. She could do so much better for herself, and I didn’t want her to get attached to Damon. He would only hurt her.

During my study period after lunch, I got a pass to meet with the blog editor. I hurried through the halls to the media room we used when it was free, like then. Mitch, Josie, and Anne were already there. I dumped my bag on the floor and must have fallen into one of the seats slightly too dramatically because they all turned to me with curious eyes.

I shrugged then directed my attention to Stephanie, who sat facing us on one of the desks.Please tell me I’m off sports.Since Dan had graduated two years ago, Stephanie had been lobbing the sports coverage to each of us. I’d covered most of the girls’ sports last year, which had been fine. That was also where I’d met Riley, who was dating Cole, Damon’s brother. Both were in their first year at Thane University.

I liked Riley a lot. Too bad Cole’s brother was such a tool and the bane of my existence lately. Stephanie started the meeting by assigning the new teacher article to Josie, who did a lot of personal-interest pieces. Mitch got the music write-up. Our band would be going to some big concert competition and master classes for the weekend—sort of like state championships but for music, I guessed. I would’ve researched the hell out of it had it been assigned to me. But since it hadn’t been, I didn’t waste my time thinking about it.

“That leaves baseball for you, Sky.”

“What?” I shouted and slammed the flat of my hand on the top of the desk. “No. Give it to someone else, or I’ll walk.”

Stephanie pursed her peach-colored lips—and on that note, ew, peach?That was a choice.

“Fine,” she said. “I forgot about your little hang-up.”

Not so little. I imagined jabbing my pen into her eye. Mean, but that was how much I despised all things baseball. And I wasn’t Stephanie’s biggest fan either.

A devious gleam entered her eyes, and her thin lips quirked up as if she were holding back a grin. “You’ll take football then.”

Fuck me. It’d been a setup. I grinned back at her because I had an ace up my sleeve. “I’m not sure I can. I have a job interview today.” I shrugged and did my best pouty face. “I’m sure Anne would love to do it.”

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