Page 45 of Ruse
Rage consumes me, her penetrating gaze making me want to throw myself on her and yank the fake extensions out of her hair. Her makeup of course is still perfectly intact, yet she still looks as trashy and plastic as she is.
Everyone around us watches me intently. Their mocking stares and quiet snickering make my body tremble in anger. I can’t believe I hadn’t put two and two together before. The day I found Chad balls deep in some skank, my vision blurred, fury overwhelming my senses. I didn't see her face - all I saw was a blanket of blond hair splayed out on the bed beneath him. But now it all makes sense, and her snide smile tells me I’m right.How could I have been so fucking stupid?
I can’t stand to be in her presence any longer. If I do, I’m not responsible for what happens. But if I walk away now, she wins. She’ll only prove to everyone watching that she took him from me, and my fleeing will make them believe I give a shit, which I clearly don’t. The two of them deserve each other.
I don’t get the chance to decide my next move. I don't have the time to react, because in the next second, without warning I’m given an out. Brooklyn’s fist slams into Chad’s unsuspecting, yet well deserving jaw, his head flinging to the side by the force of my brother's punch.
“Fight!” some asshole shouts over the clamoring of the crowd and just like that, everyone in the pool scrambles, as Brooklyn and the guys throw punches at Chad and his posse of pretentious fuck boys.
ChapterFifteen
PHOENIX
Ineeded to get out of there.
It took me only five minutes to rush out of the place, watching chaos unfold before me as fights broke out all along Tate’s property. It’s not like my brother and his friends to fight, but the fact Brooklyn stood up for me like that, warms my heart. Especially since the two of us have been on the outs since everything that went down between our parents.
Ten minutes later, I was wandering aimlessly onto the beach all alone at two o’clock in the morning, which is probably the worst mistake I had made since agreeing to come to Tate’s party. Second to starting a brawl and fleeing as fast as I could.
As I rushed out toward the beach earlier, I heard Dee and Darcy calling out my name, but their cries were lost in the sea of squeals from the rampant, drunken teens fleeing to safety.
I drank more than I usually do, thanks to Donovan and the twelve pack of Topo Chico Seltzers we drank and am nearly tripping over myself as my bare feet curve into the grainy sand to keep me balanced. I tried to have fun, genuinely I did. Being around Olly, and Dee has been my only safe-haven, even Darcy’s company has kept me from losing my mind, but being back around the guys today, my brother, Fitz, Cole, and Ryan, I almost felt normal. That is until she came over with him.
Tatum and Chad were the sole reason for my excessive drinking tonight. The two of them, combined with the anxiety of being around my classmates and listening to them blatantly talk shit about my weak-minded mother, made me furious. I wasn’t about to prove to them that crazy runs in the family.
And after the bomb they just dropped on me and everything that came after, I needed some fresh air.
I slipped off my sandals, basking in the feeling of the cool sand between my toes. I’ve been out here for twenty minutes, my phone vibrating incessantly in my hand, but I don’t want to talk to anyone right now. I can’t face them until I’m sober and my walls of confidence are back in place. Not after what everyone just found out.
I know they’re all asking themselves the same two questions.Was it the first time? If not, how long had it been going on?
Tiptoeing along the edge of the water and up the pier, I’m suddenly startled by deep grunting and loud moaning sounds coming from the darkness.What the fuck?I thought I was alone out here. I saw a few people rushing out here, but they’ve been gone for some time. And I know for a fact mountain lions are not common in these areas.
I chuckle out loud to myself, “Really Phoenix, mountain lions?”
Walking over toward the noise coming from underneath the pier, yeah, I realize that is the typical“this is how you get killed in a horror movie”stunt, I come across a man and a woman making out against the railing.Gross.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me!” I unintentionally shout out, startling the pair of lovers. I guess my filter must be broken tonight. Their gazes instantly shift toward me, and to my surprise, I recognize the deep blue, decadent eyes of the assailant. Eyes that were nowhere to be found tonight, eyes that keep me up at night. Well, this explains it.
“Shit,” he grunts, hurriedly pushing the chick off him, and tucking himself back into his jeans.
“I’m,” I chuckle nervously, “I should go,” I stutter, turning my back away from him and the mystery blonde he just had his tongue in.
“No wait,” he calls out, following me. He’s shirtless, torn black jeans unbuttoned and falling dangerously low, revealing that same sexy V-line I saw a few weeks ago and haven’t been able to get out of my mind. Luckily, it’s dark out, yet I can’t help but imagine if the shadow I saw a moment ago was the outline of his cock before he tucked himself away.
If it was, holy shit.
“She should join us, Maverick,” the chick sings songs, and it’s at that moment I realize who she is.Fucking bitch, how the hell did she get out here so quickly?“Apparently she and I have a type.”
I grunt and shoot forward reaching for her, but Maverick’s arms catch me and haul me back. Though I don’t miss the glimpse of fear that flashes in her eyes. “You should head back to your party, Tate. It sounds like things have settled down. I'll catch up with you later,” Maverick snaps, dismissing her without so much as a backward glance.
“Ugh fine but you're missing out,” Tate sneers, stumbling away, not failing to wink at me as she passes me by.
Fucking bitch.
I roll my eyes, scoffing at the incredulous bitch. In my mind, however, that scene in Mean Girls where the entire school is behaving like savage animals plays out with me pouncing on her. Kind of like it just occurred back in the pool.
“You didn’t have to get rid of her. I’m leaving.”
