Page 49 of Brutal Days

I didn’t enjoy it at all and watched Gia to see how she would react.Would she guess who I was with was Damon?

Gia smiled and nudged Mom’s shoulder before locking me in her sights again. “I want details.”

“Um, no.” And ew, I wouldn’t give my mom details no matter how close we were. It felt a little unsettling. Probably because I was going behind everyone’s back and it was wrong.Then why can’t I stop?

Fortunately, Mom seemed to get the hint and changed the subject. “Gia,” she gushed, “I can’t get over your transformation. I mean… wow!”

“Senior year.” Gia smiled, running a hand over her shorn, dyed hair. “And so far, it’s a good one.”

Mom and Gia chatted while I stared at them, trying to mask my absolute horror over my situation. My phone buzzed, and I picked it up to find a text from Damon. He said something about checking off number three in my four-point plan.Not my phone.

It was Gia’s, and number three was about losing her v-card. I set it down quickly as Mom excused herself to answer a call about scheduling an appointment. I scooted the phone over to Gia, and after she read the text, she hugged it to her chest, then jumped off the stool and did a little dance.

Afterward, she handed me the phone, but I’d already read the message. I couldn’t tell if I was jealous or worried—or both.

Thank God Mom was in the other room. I couldn’t let Gia go through with it. “Hey, don’t you think things are moving a little fast?”

“Yeah.” She bounced on her feet, nervous excitement spilling from her in waves. “He hasn’t even tried for second base, but this is what I want.”

“I think you should wait. Damon… he’s not the guy you think he is, and this is a big deal.”

Gia huffed. “Stop worrying. I love Damon, and eventually—probably after tonight—he’ll love me too. Besides”—that sly grin was back, and I didn’t like it—“I’ve been researching.”

I was going to regret asking. “Researching how?”

She shrugged like she was all worldly. “Books and some movies.”

“Porn?” It felt like my eyes might pop out of my head. I couldn’t imagine her doing that.

Gia’s face turned beet red. “You shouldn’t be jealous.” She changed the subject. “It’ll happen for you too. Maybe with Tucker.”

Because that was who she thought I was on the phone and asleep in the car with. Part of me was relieved.

“I saw you with him at the fight. Why didn’t you tell me that you guys were dating?” She nibbled her lower lip as I stood across from her, too stunned to speak. “I used to have a major crush on Tucker in eighth grade. Maybe we can compare notes when it happens for you too.”

“Uh, sure.”No. Absolutely not.I wouldn’t sleep with Tucker. He wasn’t my type. He was a great guy, and I liked him as a friend, but no. He wasn’tthatguy. Damon was totallythatguy, and I hated myself for it. But that wasn’t why I didn’t want Gia to have sex with him.

When Gia left, I sent Damon a text—we need to talk.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

DAMON

#Promises

When Sky texted me to meet her at the park near her house, I almost broke the sound barrier driving there. She parked her car in the same spot I had the past two times we were there. When I pulled into the space next to hers and turned off the engine, she hopped out of her car and yanked open my passenger-side door.

The wind whipped her long hair around her head, and she had to lean close to me to keep it out of the way as she shut the door. The full moon and streetlamp were our only sources of light.

I didn’t have to wait for her to air her grievances with the stunt I’d pulled with Gia. She jumped all over me, and what a gorgeous sight. Sky mad was like a raging storm of the darkest kind, and I loved every minute of it.

“If you sleep with Gia, everything between us is finished.” Her blue eyes darkened with emotion. “I’ll tell Gia myself.”

I smirked, unable to resist stirring the pot. “No need to be jealous. There’s enough of me to go around.”

Red stained her cheeks. “No. And gross.”

It was hard not to laugh because Sky didn’t like sharing. I doubted she would admit it to herself, but I’d caught the look on her face after I’d kissed Gia. She didn’t like it. Not at all. “I’m getting laid one way or another. You can let your friend have what she wants, or I can ‘cheat’ on her. Unless… you’re volunteering to take Gia’s place.”

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