Fall

But instead of yelling, she shut the door, turned, and burst out laughing. “Demetri owes me fifty bucks!”

“Huh?”

“I bet him fifty bucks that Jaymeson wouldn’t be able to keep his paws to himself. Demetri, poor soul, took the bet.” She jumped onto the bed. “I win.”

“Hmm.” I licked my lips. “Does that mean you aren’t going to yell at me?”

Alyssa shrugged. Her long dark hair cascaded over her shoulder. “You’re eighteen, you can make your own choices, and by the looks of it, you were doing just fine. Jaymeson may have a bad track record, but… I know first hand that whores make the best husbands.”

“Huh?”

Smirking, Alyssa grabbed my hands. “Demetri used to be the same way, now look at him. He’s drinking water and acting like a forty-year-old dad. Once men like that fall — they fall hard. It’s like a blind bat trying to fly around with weights around its legs.” She played with a piece of her hair. “The bat falls, but falls into a bowl full of fruit and lives the rest of his days fat and happy.”

“Your examples need work.”

She shrugged. “I’ve been hanging out with Demetri too much, blame him.”

I looked around the room, feeling immediately guilty that I had been caught red-handed in their new condo on their new couch. “Lyss, I’m sorry, I know it’s your condo and—”

“Please.” She rolled her eyes. “Who cares? Oh and P.S., that shirt looks way better on you, you should keep it.”

“I’ll leave as soon as I can.”

“No, you won’t.” She yawned. “You’ll stay. Plus, I think our friend Jaymeson likes having you next door. Just, no sneaking out. Your parents would kill me.”

“We don’t have to sneak out.” I looked at a spot on the wall and swallowed. “Because he’s kind of been staying here.”

“On the couch?”

I shook my head.

“In the spare bedroom?”

I shook my head again.

“In your bed?”

I gave a slight nod.

“Well damn, maybe Demetri was right to be worried.”

“Nothing happens. We sleep.”

“You have Jamie Jaymeson in your bed, alone, and… you sleep?”

Yeah, I had to give it to her, it sounded insane.

“Yup.”

“Self control, thy name is Jaymeson.” Her head shook slightly. “Words I thought I’d never utter.”

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I took it out and noted my dad’s number flashing. Probably not the right time to talk to him.

I hit ignore.

“Parents?” Alyssa guessed.

“Yeah.”

“How’s the house?”

“Getting fixed.” I sighed heavily. “I have no idea who’s behind it, but everything’s been taken care of.”

“Good.” Alyssa wrapped an arm around my shoulders, “Your family deserves a break. I know it’s been a rough year financially.”

“Yeah.” It had been hell but I didn’t want to say that out loud. She’d just feel sorry for me.

“Should we join the guys?”

Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw when I opened the door. Both guys shirtless, wrestling on the floor, yelling obscenities.

Alyssa simply walked over them and went to the fridge. “Water?”

“Sure!”

“Tap out! Tap out!” Demetri shouted.

“Bloody hell, leave my balls out of this!”

“Wanna watch a movie?” Lyss tossed the water to me. “Or you wanna watch them kill each other?”

I took a seat.

She nodded. “Good call.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

Jaymeson

Watching a movie with Demetri and Alyssa was like going on a chaperoned date. Demetri even sat between us, like the ass he was.

Priscilla laughed it off.

I elbowed him in the ribs then stretched my arms up and around him so that he’d get uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, it was Demetri we were talking about, so he took it a step further and laid his head on my shoulder then his damn hands inched up my chest.

I cursed and threw him off of me.

Damn him.

Maybe that was why I was currently risking my life.

They’d sent me home at ten, as if I had a curfew at twenty-three years old.

My bed was cold.

And without Pris it felt uncomfortable.

I even tried sleeping on the left and putting a pillow on the right so it would face me. I was half tempted to draw a face on it —but once that thought appeared, I realized I was in too deep — and desperate.

I threw another rock.

Then another.

Finally she opened her window and looked out. I waved from my balcony.

“What are you doing?” she shrieked.

“Sneaking in!” I yelled back.

“Did you suddenly learn how to fly?”

“No.” Grunting, I placed the board between the balconies.

“You’re insane!” She shouted in a hoarse whisper.

“If I die—”

“—Jaymeson! Get off the board!”

“Love…” I smiled. “I do all my own stunts. Watch me work.”

“I can’t look.” She covered her eyes, while I safely walked across the board and jumped onto her balcony.

“Safe and sound,” I muttered proudly as the sound of the board crashing onto the rocky ledge invaded my ears. Whoops.