Page 151 of Stick It
“Nope.” Finn shakes his head, scowling. “We need to decide like men.”
“By asking the woman whoshewants to sit with?” I butt in, arching a brow as I survey each of them. Ethan shuffles to the side so I can join their huddle.
“All right, then. Who are you picking, Thorn?” he asks.
I scour Ethan’s face, noting he’s freshly shaven and his eyes are sharp, ready for tonight’s game. Shifting my attention to Jax,he smirks at me, eyes dancing with hidden mirth. Before I can lose myself in those dark depths, I turn to Finn. Unlike Jax, he doesn’t bother to hide his amusement.
“You know I’ll be the best company,” he teases, knocking my shoulder. “It’s alongride to Dunhaven. I’ll even let you drool on my shoulder.”
“So chivalrous.” Rolling my eyes, I turn lastly to Griffin. His expression is what it always is, unreadable, yet there’s a steadiness in it, a stability that has fostered over the past number of weeks. One I’d be lost without.
“On second thought, I’m not sure this is something I want to get in the middle of. Perhaps there are some things you should agree on amongst yourselves.”
“Coward,” Finn teases, before focusing on the guys. “Rock, paper, scissors it is. Single elimination.”
With serious expressions, they go at it. It’s ridiculous, truthfully. Hands fly and curses are muttered. Griffin is eliminated first, followed by Finn, who groans dramatically and claims it’s rigged. Jax and Ethan stare each other down in the final showdown.
“Rock, paper, scissors—shoot.”
Ethan’s fist clenches in triumph. “Hell yeah!”
Jax huffs, muttering about an unfair system as we all pile onto the coach.
“Window or aisle seat?” Ethan asks as we slowly make our way up toward a set of free seats.
“She likes the window seat,” Griffin interjects before I can tell Ethan that I don’t mind where I sit.
“Window it is then.”
I roll my eyes, sending a mock glare Griffin’s way that he completely ignores.
Finding three empty rows, I slide into the middle one, Ethan dropping into the chair beside mine. Jax and Finn claimthe seats in the row in front while Griffin stretches out in the row behind, all of them effectively boxing me in.
Laughter bubbles up from our group as Finn and Jax continue to bicker over the legitimacy of Ethan’s win. Griffin makes a dry remark that has them groaning, and even Ethan smirks at the exchange.
That’s when Kyle appears. Spotting us, he slows, expression darkening as his gaze bounces from Ethan, to Jax, to Finn, lingering the longest on his former friend. His lips curl in growing disgust, and when his gaze meets mine, pure, venomous hatred radiates from his dark eyes. I still in my seat. Outwardly, I keep my expression blank, but inside, I’m ice cold, my stomach twisting with unease. That look…it terrifies me.
His stare lingers for a beat too long, his presence thick with menace. “Keep walking.” Ethan’s voice is like steel, devoid of emotion yet dripping with warning as he flicks his attention up to Kyle’s face. Tearing his gaze away, Kyle stares at Ethan, then Finn, Jax, and Griffin—all watching him now, their easy camaraderie vanishing in an instant. He sneers but says nothing, continuing down the aisle to claim his seat. It’s only when he’s gone that I realize I’ve been gripping the edge of my hoodie in a tight fist. I force my fingers to relax, inhaling a slow breath, but I don’t miss the way Ethan watches me, his jaw tight, nor the way Griffin’s gaze lingers, assessing.
“We need to do something about him,” Griffin says, voice low but no less menacing. “Shunning him isn’t enough.”
“Agreed,” Jax says, turning around in his seat.
Finn turns too, his lips pursed, but he keeps quiet. However, his eyes rake over me, as though searching for… What, I don’t know.
“I know,” Ethan says, voice equally as quiet yet strung tight. “I’m just not sure what.” Glancing my way, he adds, “You’re notto be left alone. One of us will be with you at all times. I don’t trust him not to try something.”
Neither do I.
Sighing, I mutter, “I know,” before dismissing them all and turning to look out the window.
It’s no hardship to spend time with any of them. I enjoy being around each of the guys, but I equally like to have time alone. I want us all to spend time together of our own free will and not because we’re forced into it. Is that too much to ask? Apparently.
They leave me alone to sulk until everyone is on the bus and we’re ready to leave.
“Have you ever heard ofThe Infinite Monkey Cage?” Ethan asks, the question obscure enough that I turn to face him. He’s holding an earbud out toward me in invitation. It sounds like the name of some 70s teenage rock band who failed to make it beyond their garage.
“Uhh, should I have?” I hesitate on my way to pluck the earbud from his hand.
