Page 24 of Undeniably

“Your car will be safe here.”

I bite my lip, contemplating it until he pulls my hands closer to his chest, giving me the most pitiful puppy dog eyes.

“Please.”

My heart melts into the green eyes that have haunted me. “Fine, but when I want to go home, you take me home.”

“Agreed.”

Once in the car, I break the silence. “This is a nice car, Keat.”

He shoots me a smile. “It’s a McLaren Senna. It has a 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged, V8 engine. 789 horsepower.”

“You’ve always loved your cars.” I’m surprised at how familiar this is, talking to Keaton like we are almost friends.

We chat about school and random light topics all the way to his house. It almost feels like the old days. It’s nice being able to let my walls take a break and have a conversation without watching my words.

I’m having so much fun that I don’t question Keaton when he grabs my hand and leads me into the house. As we enter the party, Wayland speaks from behind us. “What the hell, Yates?”

“Apparently they decided to skip dinner and followed us instead.” I mumble under my breath.

I turn around, as does Keaton. “What’s up, Maze? Didn’t think you got an invitation tonight.”

“What’s wrong with you? She was my date. You just had to come in and flaunt your money to get her to suck your dick, huh?”

I freeze, waiting for Keaton to deny it. Once again, I’m disappointed.

“It doesn’t matter what I did. Now go run off before I punch that smirk right off your ugly fucking face. Better yet, why don’t you leave.”

I step between them, giving each a hard look. “You both are disgusting pigs. I want nothing to do with either of you.” I turn to Wayland. “Learn to keep your hands to yourself and maybe you could keep a date. As for you,Yates.” I turn back to Keaton. “I have never and will never suck your dick, nor will I ever do any other sexual activities with you, money or not. Stop playing games and grow the fuck up. Women aren’t pawns for you to have a dick-measuring contest with.”

I don’t wait for a response. I turn, wading further into the party, hoping to find someone to give me a ride back to my car.

???

Keaton

“I don’t get what your problem is.” Sage’s voice behind me startles me.

For the past hour, I’ve been sitting here, trying not to let my gaze stay on Morgan for too long. I’ve been keeping my distance since our altercation after the movie. For Tinsley. I wouldn’t mind another verbal sparring session with Morgan, but Tinsley would get her panties in a twist; then I would never hear the end of it.

“I don’t have a problem, dear sister.”

“Sure you do. It’s that attitude of yours.” She takes the seat next to me and stares at the party before us.

“What are you talking about? I’m the playful and fun Yates, always up for a party and a nice piece of ass. Didn’t you know?” Even I can hear the bite in my tone of voice.

“That’s who you were when I met you—or at least that’s who you wanted everyone to believe you were. That’s not who you are.”

“Really? What makes you so sure?”

“I know you. As much as you like to present this unaffected, macho male demeanor, I know it's a facade. You are so much more than that.”

“Whatever you say,” I mumble, not wanting to get into it.

Wayland Maze makes his way over to Morgan and Tinsley, joining their conversation easily. My hand tightens on the beer bottle clenched in my hand. Undeniable jealousy sparks inside me as he places his hand on Morgan’s lower back. She smiles up at him as they continue to talk.

“Hide all you want, but I know the emergence of this new side of you has something to do with that Morgan girl.”

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