Replace Me (Kin #2)(14)
Author: Jennifer Foor

“I highly doubt that you would call it ‘seein’.” He crossed his arms and waited for my response, like I was the guilty one.

I felt like I needed to defend myself. “Screw you. I can be with whoever I want. You lost your say in what I did the day you lied to me.”

Joey started to walk out of the apartment again, but Shayne grabbed his arm. “So it’s true? You’re doin’ my girlfriend?”

Joey looked from Shayne then back to me. He pulled his arm out of Shayne’s grasp. “Back off, Shayne. Last I heard, she wasn’t your anything.”

People were starting to watch them and I felt uncomfortable. I had to do something and siding with Shayne wasn’t an option, so I threw myself in between them and put my arms around Joey’s waist. He looked at me with a puzzled look. I took a deep breath and said words to Joey that I never wanted to say. “Let’s just go back to your place.”

He motioned to the two of us and I could tell he was at a loss for words. “I don’t believe you, Lace. You wouldn’t be with someone like him. This is all an act, isn’t it?”

I felt Joey’s dirty hands wrapping around my back. “It’s true. She’s with me, Shayne. Sorry you had to find out about it here, man. No hard feelin’s.”

Shayne said nothing as I was being pulled out of the door by Joey’s hand. He looked devastated and a part of me ached for him. Not only had I just lied, but was being groped by someone I hated.

He pulled me all the way into his apartment, past his family and into his bedroom, kicking the door with his boot. “Don’t you dare do somethin’ like that without warnin’ me. I ain’t havin’ my mother upset because I had to beat the shit out of Shayne in the middle of this party, you got it?”

I nodded. “Sorry. It just happened. I didn’t think about what I was doing. Can I leave now?”

I put my hand on the doorknob and felt him pulling me back by the elastic of my pants. “Not so fast.”

We were face-to-face, so close that I could lean over and touch his nose with mine. I hated being so close to him. “You have ten seconds to get your hands off of me, before I ruin any chance of you ever having children again.”

Joey did as I asked and let go of his hold on me. “I thought you wanted to play house.”

“The game is over. I could see how hurt he was and now I feel like shit.”

“He should feel like shit.”

I looked down and sat on his bed. “Maybe, but it doesn’t solve anything.”

“You want to be with him, don’t you?”

I looked over at Joey, and for the first time, I realized he was being sincere. “I can’t help it. Maybe I’m glutton for punishment, but I still love him. I’ve liked him since we were younger. My summers were spent chasing him around when we were teenagers. He didn’t even know my name back then, and all I knew was that he was the hot guy that had a place close to ours. Then one party changed everything. I never looked back, because I thought he felt the same way I did. I was wrong.”

He cleared his throat and knelt down in front of me. “If you want him so bad, then why did you tell him you were with me? That was a game endin’ blow, you know that right?”

I shrugged. “I wanted to hurt him, like he’d hurt me. It was stupid.”

“I can help you, but you’re not goin’ to like the idea.”

I looked right at him and laughed. “Does it involve me sleeping with you?”

“In theory, maybe. Look, if you want Shayne back, maybe you need to show him what he lost. We got a rise out of him back there. I think it’s an option you should consider.”

I rolled my eyes. “And I would want you to help me with that?”

“It’s just a suggestion.”

“What’s in it for you? Obviously you want to sleep with me. I’m not trading my vagina for your help.”

He chuckled and shook his head at me. “Look, we both need to get out there and mingle. Meet me down here when everyone leaves. I promise that I won’t lay a hand on you, unless you ask me to.”

“I won’t.”

“I’ll still be nice and help you. I’ll pretend we’re a couple and play fair. If I can’t have you then I’d want you to be happy anyway.”

“Are you drunk?” I couldn’t understand why he was being so kind.

“Not drunk enough, that’s’ for sure.” Joey stood up and walked out of the room, leaving me to pout alone.

I waited a while before I made my way back to Sky and Ford’s. Shayne wasn’t anywhere to be found, but Peyton located me right away. “Is it true? You’re seein’ Joey now?”

I couldn’t believe that he’d told her that already. Then I knew that if I told her the truth, she’d run back to him. “Yeah, it’s true.”

“Don’t tell Shayne, but he’s really hot. I mean, I wish you were still with my brother, but Joey is a lot of man. What’s he like in bed?”

I slapped her. “Peyton, I’m not discussing that with you.”

“I bet he’s amazing. I can tell from the way his jeans fit him. That man is hung like a racehorse. One night with him and you probably forgot all about Shayne.”

She was so wrong. Little did she know that I could never forget about her brother. That’s what happens when you let yourself fall in love. “I would have stayed with your brother, had he not done what he did.

She froze and looked right at me. “After what just happened, I don’t blame you for movin’ on.”

“What are you talkin’ about? I was only gone for about thirty minutes. What did I miss?”

“Shayne’s the father of Ashley’s baby. I guess you knew that already. It was probably why you two really broke up. Anyway, he told the family just now. My dad is pissed. He told him he has to move out and get his own place before he brings a child into the world. Shayne left right after and then my dad got mad and they left too.”

I was at a complete loss for words.

Shayne had come to tell me that he was taking the responsibility of Ashley’s baby. Was he crazy?

I burst into tears and felt Peyton’s arms wrapping around me. “I’m so sorry, Lace. I thought you knew. I didn’t know he cheated with her. That’s just wrong. Ashley was with Ford. That goes against the guy-code, big time. My aunt wouldn’t even look at Shayne, and Ford looked like he was in disbelief. It all makes sense though. Ashley called him all the time and he was being sneaky right before you guys broke up. This sucks.”