Page 35 of The Transfer
I laugh in his face, and his eyes narrow at me. “You’re kidding. You must really be stupid if you think I’m backing one inch away. And she isn’t your girl.”
His face reddens at this. “Man, you don’t even know how much she already is.” That right there, his comment, pisses me right off. And I start to lunge for him. Thankfully, Jordan and Carter run over to pull me back. Drew’s teammates come to his side as well.
Jordan grabs my shoulders, so I face him. “Wow, Hart. Chill. He’s just trying to get under your skin and make you do something stupid. He feels threatened by you.”
Drew laughs at this. “Please, Mills, you know better than anyone that isn’t true.”
Jordan lets go of me. “You know what, Cole? I’m gonna let Hart handle this because you deserve everything coming to you.”
I take a step closer to Drew, so we are chest to chest. “Cole, if you know what’s good for you, you will stay out of my face and Reagan’s too.”
He doesn’t like that and pushes against me. “Oh yeah? What if I don’t want to? What if I just decide to make her mine, right here and right now?”
Before I can respond, I hear Reagan’s voice tear through the fog of hatred emanating through me. “Enough! Both of you are causing a scene and drama that I don’t want to be a part of. I’m out…” She runs out the side door to the parking lot, leaving both of us feeling embarrassed.
Just as I go to run after her, Jordan pulls me aside. “Man, you need to take a minute before you talk to my sister. You’re angry, and you can’t take it out on her.” Nodding, I agree and head to the bathroom to splash some water on my face. I don’t fight. Ever. But something about this woman makes me feral.
I walk out the front to avoid my teammates seeing me and head straight to the parking lot. In my mind, I’m going over how I should apologize when I stop in my tracks. I rub my hands over my eyes because I cannot be seeing what is in front of me. Drew Cole has his hands on my Sunshine. He’s pulling her close, andI’m going to throw up, they’re kissing. She pushes him away, but the damage to my heartfeels fatal. He has his eyes locked on me, with a smug smile on his face. When she turns around, my heart drops into my stomach, and I walk away.
I hear her calling my name, but I don’t stop.
I can’t do this.
TWENTY-SIX
REAGAN
Running out to the parking lot of The Draft, I am mortified. Why has this night turned into a scene from a teen drama? First, Williams went insane and berated Lindsey for her costume, leaving my friend in tears. Then I walk up to see Drew and Riggs about to come to blows over me after a stupid pong game.
I hear the door slam behind me, and I groan, not wanting to talk to anyone yet. I need a minute to myself before I lose it. Looks like that isn’t going to happen because I hear my name in the next instant.
“Reagan. I’m sorry, beautiful. Okay? I lost my head for a minute in there.” It’s Drew, and I am fuming over what he said about me at the bar.
“Drew, now’s not the time. I cannot believe what you said in there,” I say, but he interrupts me first.
“I know I messed up. But this back-and-forth is killing me. I just want to know that we have a chance.” This softens my anger a little.
“Drew, the way you handled it tonight is not doing you any favors.” I stare at the gorgeous boy in front of me, and I can see his shame.
“I shouldn’t have said that about you. I didn’t mean it.” Drew’s temper got the best of him.
“Drew, it’s not just about what happened tonight or what you said to Riggs. I don’t think we should…”
Before I can finish what I want to say, Drew is kissing me, and it takes a second to register before I push him off me.
I pull away to a smiling Drew and look behind me to see what he’s smiling at. My eyes lock on a pair of green ones, full of pain and anger.Riggs. No.
Before I can say or do anything, he turns around and walks away.
“Riggs!” I call after him, but he ignores me.
“You knew he was out here, didn’t you?” I question.
“He needed to see it, beautiful. I won’t lose you again.” The way he says that makes me furious, like he has decided that is what’s best.
“No, Drew. He didn’t need to see that. You don’t have me, and at this point, you never will. Please just leave me alone. I can’t look at you or talk to you right now.”
“Reagan, don’t say that!” Drew pleads with me, but I refuse to answer or even look his way.
