Chapter 24

“I cannot believe this bullshit.”

Tess winced as Jade scrubbed her dress with wet paper towels. “Maybe cold water will help?”

“It would help if bitches would have the courtesy to not fucking puke on me,” she snapped, scouring harder.

Jade had been the unfortunate recipient of a projectile vomit incident. They’d found some poor girl crying near the sink in the bathroom. Being a Good Samaritan, Jade had put an arm around her shoulder and offered to get her water.

Her efforts were rewarded with a lapful of pink polka-dotted puke.

“On the up side, at least we took pictures before we left.”

“Fuck you.” Jade slammed the towels into the sink. “Sorry. I’m just pissed.”

“And with good reason.”

Sighing, she glanced down. “I think it’s a lost cause.”

“Maybe Lance has something you can wear.” Patting her shoulder pityingly, Tess guided her from the bathroom.

Lance’s eyes widened as he saw the damage. “Shit, babe. What happened?”

Jade’s lip wobbled.

“No used crying over spilled puke.” Tess glared at Lance. “Do you have something she can throw on?”

He scratched his head. “Yeah, I think I have some old sweats you can fit.”

“Oh God, I’ve been reduced to a sloth,” Jade bemoaned, weakening.

“It’s ok. I look good enough for the both of us.” Tess laughed and ducked her fist. “I’m going to find Adonis. Text me after you changed.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

It didn’t take her long to track down the main staircase. On the way down she passed kissing couples and an argument between three Lusts who all happened to be wearing the same dress.

She was so not drunk enough for this.

Tess searched the crowd for Adonis or Riley. Where had they gone?

She pulled out her phone and hesitated to text him. Would it be clingy to see where he was? Her hand clenched around the device.

No, she’d wait. He hadn’t messaged her so maybe he was enjoying himself. Her eyes narrowed. Hopefully not enjoying himself too much. She’d hate to ruin Jade’s hard work in a catfight.

It wasn’t Adonis that she didn’t trust. She did. It was these skank hoes she had to keep an eye on.

Or maybe she was being paranoid.

Nothing a few drinks wouldn’t solve.

Tess made her way into the room. Everything was sticky. The floor. The air. The people. Dark and humid, laser and strobe lights convulsed over the dancing throng. Shitty rap thundered, splitting her eardrums.

As soon as she had enough to drink, she was going to distract the deejay, hook up her music, and blow these people’s enfeebled minds.

The booze table had been set up off the side of the ‘dance floor’ near the kitchen. A trash can had been used to mix the jungle juice. Praying someone had at least rinsed it out before making this batch, Tess retrieved a clean cup and dipped it into the murky concoction.

She sensed rather than felt someone come up beside her.

Tess took a leisurely sip to communicate she didn’t appreciate being rushed before turning.

She didn’t recognize him until a passing flash of light temporarily retracted the veil of darkness.

The alcohol curdled on her tongue.

Dressed in dark colors, he struck an ominous figure. Fake blood spattered his face, hair, and clothes. A machete hung was tucked into his belt loop, its blade too covered in blood.

She smiled weakly. “Wrath?”

His eyes raked her body, lingering longer on her chest than called for, before continuing their circuit. “Greed.”

Around them the party jumped with life and yet the mushrooming tension put the world on mute.

He jerked his head, indicating he didn’t want to yell the entire conversation.

Taking a breath and large gulp of juice, she trailed him into the kitchen. But he didn’t stop there. He led her through a series of interconnecting hallways until they reached a parlor. It seemed to have remained relatively unscathed. He closed the doors behind them.

“So, how are you?” she asked setting down the briefcase.

He smiled, seemingly amused by her nod to propriety. “Fine. You?”

“Good.” The silence returned, its friction so dense it chafed.

Cameron drank from his cup, his eyes never leaving hers. “Has Adonis been behaving himself?”

“Why wouldn’t he be?”

“Still so naïve, Tess,” he said softly. “Have I taught you nothing?”

“About what, Cameron?” she snapped, fed up with the holier-than-thou spiel. “About being a good friend? Because I think you might need to take a remedial course.”

His mouth lifted. “And I think you need to know a thing or two about loyalty before doling out lectures.”

Tess scrubbed her forehead. This was going nowhere fast. “Cam, I didn’t come here to fight with you. I want us to be on good terms, but if you’re going to keep throwing this in my face, then we should call it quits. For good.” Something in his face flickered. “I’ve apologized. I’m sorry for what happened. What else do you want from me?”

He flashed in front of her, the abruptness of his closeness nearly upsetting her drink. Up close, she saw the cracks in his poised veneer. Bourbon radiated so strongly from his pores, she was surprised a vapory mantle hadn’t shrouded his body. Red filigree veins laced the whites of glazed eyes. Unshaven and clothes wrinkled, he appeared on the brink of unraveling.

“Cam, what happened to you?”

Something in his gaze gave way. “You happened to me, Tess.”

Regret knotted in her throat. “Cameron…”

He stepped closer. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too.” And she did. He’d been her best friend for years. Even though things had gone south in the relationship department, she still wanted him to be a part of her life. He’d left a hole in her life, like a missing appendage. “Do you think we’ll ever be able to move on from this?”

“I don’t want to.” Tess recoiled as if struck and he was quick to amend with, “Not in the way you think.” He set both of their drinks on the old-fashioned roll top desk so he could gather her in his arms.

A warning flag hoisted in her head. “Cameron, what’re you doing?”

“You should give us another chance,” he continued as if she hadn’t spoken, his speech slowing. “I love you.”

Not so long ago the statement would have whipped her into a state of frenzied glee. Now their utterance loaded her shoulders with discomfort and guilt. “You’re drunk.” She squirmed to extricate herself, but he’d locked her into a steel vise. “Let me go.”

“No.” His head dipped to steal a kiss.

Although she predicted the move—although she had time to duck out of the way—curiosity kept her planted.

His lips were cool, moist, like that of a fish.

Whatever spark existed between them had truly been snuffed. It didn’t evoke nostalgia as much as it did a deep-seated sadness. Sadness for the way things ended between them. Sadness that she’d been wrong about him.

Her mother had been right.

She’d mistaken indebtedness for something else entirely. Tess knew she would always be thankful for helping her acclimate to his world. But it didn’t mean she had to shackle herself to him.

For so long, she thought he could do no wrong. For so long she’d confused love with gratitude. With the field of stars cleared from her vision, she saw he was far from perfect.

He was just a boy.

Figuring she’d proven her point, Tess broke away.

He pinned her with a critical look, as if he couldn’t quite believe his kiss hadn’t elicited a response. “You’re really into him.”

“I really love him.”

He didn’t get a chance to reply.

The parlor doors exploded open, producing a lethal, vicious beast that resembled her boyfriend. “You cock-sucking piece of shit!”

Between one blink and the next Adonis crossed the room. His fist was a blurred projectile, its trajectory his former friend’s face.

A hard packing noise, like a brick striking clay, and Cameron’s head nearly twisted off his neck. He staggered into a wingback chair, dazed.

“Adonis! What the hell are you doing?” She flew in front of him, cutting off his path.

He looked through her. “I should kill you, you pathetic little fuck.”

“What the hell is this about?”

Adonis hurled what looked like an eyeglass case at the blond.

Holding his jaw, Cameron didn’t bother blocking the attack. It thwacked into his arm before clattering to the ground.

Tess covered her mouth as the contents spilled out. Needles. A tourniquet. Spoons. And a packet of fine powdery white substance.

No.

He wouldn’t.

“Where,” she swallowed bile and started over, “where did you get that?”

“I don’t know. You tell me, Cammie,” he sneered. “Lindsay fucking told me everything.”

“Who the hell is Lindsay?”

“The chick he sent to ply me with smack.”

Her stomach twisted. “Please tell you didn’t do it.”

“No I fucking didn’t! Do you know how hard it was for me to kick that shit?”

Tess stared at him, wanting to believe him. His face was splotched with color. Too-wide pupils blotted his eyes, reducing his irises to thin circlets of gold. A cold sweat slicked her spine. “You’re high.”

Black eyes cut to her, their depths foaming pits of rage. “I smoked a joint. So fucking sue me. If I’d taken this shit I’d be laid out on the ground facedown in my drool.”

Her body burned hot and cold. “He wouldn’t do that to you. Tell him, Cam. It has to be a mistake.”

“Why are you’re taking his side!” Adonis roared behind her.

“I’m not taking sides.” She kept her gaze on the blond, who’d yet to defend himself. “Tell me the truth.”

Cameron bent down, reassembling the heroin kit. “Yes. I sent her to do it.”

Tess gaped at him, disbelieving. Who did shit like that? Was this the real Cameron? “Why the hell would you do that to him?”

Adonis paced next to her. Aggression crackled around him like a force field. “Because he’s a sick, twisted, vindictive asshole.”

“It was just a test,” Cameron said simply.

“A test?” Tess walloped his shoulder. “Have you lost your mind? You know how long it took him to get clean. Why would you do something like that?”

“To prove a point.” Cameron jacked an angry finger his way. “He’s a good for nothing junkie. That’s all he’ll ever be, Tess. Do you want a life with that? Always wondering when he’s going to fall off the wagon.” He sneered. “You see how long it took him to turn back to weed. Just give it a couple of months and he’ll be back mainlining.”

Tess curtailed Adonis’s charge, shoving him back and almost stumbling back by the force of his momentum. Though she knew it wouldn’t take more than a flick of his pinky to send her flying, he reined himself in like a viper coiling around itself, waiting for an opportune time to strike.

“You don’t think I’m good enough for her. Is that what this shit is about?”

Beneath the fake scars and splattered fake blood, Cameron’s smile was positively feral. “That isn’t exactly a trade secret. You wouldn’t be good enough for a dog.”

All of a sudden, the anger left Adonis. It vaporized from his shoulders, melted from his stance. The fire flattened from his dark eyes. “You really hate me enough that you’d wish to send me back there?”

Although Cameron’s demeanor remained placid, Tess sensed the conflict warring within him. “You would’ve ended back there without me.”

He stared at him shrewdly. “I guess that shows how much friendship means to you.”

“Friendship?” Cameron’s features rearranged with incredulity. “You want to talk to me about friendship? Don’t make me fucking laugh. Do you want to know what our ‘friendship’ consisted of in the past decade? Me making sure you didn’t drown in a puddle of vomit. Me lying to people about your whereabouts and covering for your ass.”

“Yeah, I was a fuck up. I got it.” His fists trembled at his sides. “But I thought out of everyone you had my back. One of the few people who wasn’t a toxic drain on my life.” A new emotion taxied into his expression. “You didn’t even come to my mother’s funeral,” he said if he could barely believe it himself.

Cameron almost looked guilty. “I wasn’t in the country.”

Adonis stared at him. “That’s it? That’s all you have to say for not being there when I needed you the most?”

“I sent condolences. And stop pretending I even factor into this equation anymore. You couldn’t have been that upset seeing as how you didn’t break down my door and demand an explanation.”

“Yes, because in the end everyone ends up running back to Cameron for cover,” Adonis said sardonically. “And because I don’t need you anymore you thought you’d undermine my health.”

“Don’t be so dramatic.” Cameron ripped the baggie open, dug a finger inside, and popped it in his mouth. “It’s powdered milk dumbass.” He flung it at him.

Adonis took an experimental sniffed, his jaw tightening. “So this was all some joke to you? See Adonis jump. See Adonis tweak out over fake heroin. You’re fucking deranged.”

“You should be happy. You passed with semi-flying colors. Congratulations.” Cameron barged past him, collected his abandoned drink, and chugged it in one go.

“No, this wasn’t about testing me. You just can’t stand to finally see me happy. Something finally goes my way and you can’t stand it.”

“She wasn’t yours to have in the first place!” he snapped, crumpling the plastic cup in his fist.

“It wasn’t like I planned it. Neither of us did!” Adonis belted back with heat. “But she’s the best fucking thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Although she’d presumed as much, hearing the verbalization his feelings left her breathless. Her head swam with heady warmth.

Cameron studied him. “You’re serious.”

“Yes,” Adonis admitted gruffly.

“Then I wish you two the best of luck.” He walked out of the parlor.

The atmosphere lightened enough that she could breathe again. Their animosity had been its own chemical compound, its dense volatility poisoning the air.

“Are you ok?”

He raked a rough hand through his hair. “I’ll be fine.”

“You don’t…feel a need to use?” she asked, unsure.

Irritation marred his face. “No, Tess. I don’t want to fucking use.”

Pain pinged through her as he pulled away and left out. She skipped after him and threaded her arm through his. “I didn’t mean to doubt you. It’s just,” she struggled to find a politically correct way to phrase her words, “I worry about you.”

Blank-faced, he drew her closer. “I know. But you don’t have anything to worry about. I’m good.”

Was he?

Adonis must’ve sensed her skepticism because he stopped and spun around. “Have a little faith,” he said, cupping her face gently. “I’ve found something worth more to me.”

Her heart fluttered, pattering behind her ribcage like a bird yearning for freedom. “Adonis-”

Adonis crushed his mouth to hers, eating the rest of her words. The breath shuddered out of her. Her lips burned, his flavor a complicated mélange of something hot and sweet and decadent. His mouth was eager, accepting, seeking to purge the exchange’s lingering miasma.

This was what had been missing from the kiss with Cameron.

There was no room for comparison.

He broke apart and bumped his forehead against hers. “Let’s go home.”

The word ‘home’ made something pleasant shimmy in her belly. “Gladly.”

The thinning crowd made it easier to escape. They made it to the front door before Tess realized something was amiss. “Shit. I left my purse.”

“Stay here. I’ll get it.”

“Thanks.” She watched him disappear down the hallway

Sighing, Tess looked around, but came up empty of familiar faces.

Where was everyone? She considered going up and checking on Jade and Lance, but struck it. Not only did she have a vague idea of his room’s whereabouts, walking in on them bumping uglies was a sight she could do without.

A flash of disheveled blond hair flagged her attention. He ducked out of the front door before she could call his name.

Sensing an opportunity, she glanced back to ensure Adonis hadn’t reappeared then made her move. She’d be back before he noticed she was gone.

Outside, snow fluttered from the bruised sky. Thankfully the ground hadn’t grown cold enough for the thick flakes to stick. Much. At least she wouldn’t have to add a twisted ankle to her repertoire of slights incurred tonight.

Shivering, she hugged herself and searched the yard. A lithe shadow darted over the bushes barricading the lawn from the parking lot. The Audi’s headlamps flashed blue with a receptive chirp as he unlocked the doors.

This idiot could not be thinking about driving right now.

The engine rumbled to a start, the taillights awakening in a sleepy, red glare.

Tess kicked off her heels and sprinted across the yard. She flung open the passenger side door and clambered inside.

His surprise quickly swung into outrage as she buckled in. “Get out of my car, Tess.”

“No.”

“Suit yourself.” The tires squealed in their search for traction before barreling out of the lot. Gentle flurries became a thrashing vortex of snowfall as they sped off campus.

The roads on the hill were perilous on a good day. On a moonless, snow-ridden night, they were downright treacherous. White screened the ghostly landscape. Landmarks became indistinguishable, alien protrusions, jutting from the darkened earth like marauders waiting to ambush them.

Her stomach pitched as he hooked a sharp turn, wheels screaming their protest. Snow swirled and writhed across the blacktop, obscuring the dash marks separating lanes. “Pull over.”

“No.”

“I’m going to call the police.”

“You wouldn’t.”

She would have if she hadn’t left her phone in the damned briefcase. Her eyes fell to the cupholder. A slave to habit, his cell idled innocently.

Tess dove for it and crammed the device between her seat and the door when he clawed to reclaim it.

“Try me.” She held his furious gaze unflinchingly. “If you think throwing fake heroin at a recovering addict is funny, you’re going to love this next act.”

His knuckles tautened on the wheel. The car gradually decelerated and coasted onto the rutted shoulder. They slowed to a jarring halt next to the guardrail. The dented scrap of metal was the only thing that separated them from what looked like a twenty-foot deathfall.

“Keys.”

Glowering at her, he cut the engine and slung them at her. They bounced off her chest and landed somewhere on the floor mat.

“What’s your deal, Cam? Do you have a death wish? Or is this how you act when you don’t get your way?”

He fell against the headrest and closed his eyes. “Why are you here? Haven’t I suffered enough humiliation for one night?”

“Cut the woe-is-me crap. You don’t deserve it. Especially after pulling that stupid stunt earlier.” She glared at his profile when he remained unresponsive. “You would really do that to him? After all he’s been through?”

“Well he didn’t,” he issued flatly. “You should be proud of him, mama bear.”

She punched his shoulder. “You’re a fucking douche, you know that? What kind of friend are you?”

“The same kind that leads on one while fucking another,” he said, his words acid drops that chewed through her defenses.

“That has nothing to with this. You could’ve ruined his life. Pissed all of that work down the drain.”

“What is this, an intervention? Are you intervening on behalf of him, or yourself?” His eyes glimmered in the darkness. “Are you afraid of what might happen if he falls off the wagon? You won’t like it, Tess. I can’t blame you. It won’t be a pretty sight.”

“If it comes to that, which I doubt it will, we’re going to work together to get through it because that’s what real friends do.”

“Still doesn’t explain why you felt the need to track me down and accost me in my own vehicle.”

“Are you really that dense? I’m here because I’m worried about your dumb ass. And once I get the chance, I’m going to beat the shit out of you. And since when does Cameron Reynolds do stupid, reckless shit? Because your pride is hurt? Because you deserve to always win? Get the fuck over it.”

Cameron slammed his fists against the steering wheel. “What do you want from me? Absolution? My blessing?”

“He loves you, Cam. It hurt him bad when you didn’t show at the funeral.”

His jaw flexed.

“I know you miss him too. The old him, the one before all of the drugs. Before you became his caretaker. And he’s getting back there. I only wish you were there to see.”

Cameron squeezed his sinuses. “Why are you doing all this? Why do you care?”

“Because contrary to what you think it’s actually possible for me to care about both of you.”

“You’re like a dog with bone,” he groaned.

“Woof woof bitch.”

He tried to subdue them, but his laughter wouldn’t be repressed. Genuine and robust, it flooded the cavity of her chest, sending her back to a time when things were simpler.

“You’re retarded.”

“So, we square?”

“We’re fucking square,” he said, hints of laughter inflecting his voice and opened his door. “Come on. We aren’t too far from campus.”

Walking on the side of the road in dark clothes seemed like an equally dangerous idea. Luckily traffic was practically nonexistent. “You have to carry me.”

“Why would I do that?”

She wriggled her bare toes. “Because I left my shoes to chase after you, obviously.”

“You have to be part man. No real woman would behind leave a pair of shoes for anything.”

She punched his bicep. “Shut up.”

“Whatever. Give me the keys so I can lock up.”

Tess searched the darkness to no avail. “If I can’t find them.”

“Hold on.” Sighing, he got out and shut the door behind him.

She stuck her hand under the seat and felt around.

A distant roar, like a train, drowned the sound of her name being yelled.

And then bright, blinding light.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-16