“Threats are general, non-specific, but I get the feeling she means to make your life hell if you think you’re gonna pull a fast one. She took Bailey home to watch over her.”
“Wait, what? Not to Marblehead?”
“The apartment in The Hollow,” Grey advises.
I down the rest of my bottle of beer and slam it down on the porch. “Fuck sakes.”
“Do not go over there, Jase,” Grey warns. “Come to my parents’ place at noon. Settle it there.”
“Bailey’s lookin’ about as miserable as you are,” Riley points out.
Our gazes connect. Yeah. Miserable is a pretty accurate word.
He continues, “But we all put in a word for you with her and I think she might be on the ledge. It’s possible you could sway her back to Team Jase if you work hard enough.”
I blow out a breath. Of course these guys put a good word in for me. These guys are the fuckin’ best guys there are.
“Where’s your head at? Why are you still here?” Grey asks.
“Still trying to figure it out.”
Tyson agreed I can stay here without hesitation when I called him after Bailey and I had words the other day. I needed more distance than the few blocks between my house and hers.
I’m not about to whine that I can’t think straight around her, that it hurts too fucking much to be unable to touch her. That it kills even more that she doesn’t want me to touch her.I’m miserable here away from her, especially being where both Tyson and Rye claimed their mates for the first time.
At least she’s got space from me.
“And what have you figured out?” Tyson asks.
I have no fucking idea how to articulate my range of emotions the last couple days.
“You gonna turn up tomorrow?” he pushes.
What, to find out she’s getting her wish? Or to find out I get mine, but she still wants nothing to do with me?
I’m about to answer when Linc steps up aggressively and says, “Would you stop acting like a teenage girl and pull up?”
And in an instant, we’re chest to chest.
“You better fuckin’ watch it!” I growl.
“You need to let that aggression out, don’t ya?” he asks with a smug smirk, using his chest to push me back. And I give it right back.
He’s baiting me. He wants me to lose my cool. He thinks I need it. He bares his teeth, then says, You’re actin’ like a fool, Creed. Fix it. She’s been in love with you her whole life. If you can’t fix this, you don’t deserve her.”
Rage surges through my system and I pull my fist back and let it fly, hitting Linc in the mouth.
As my fist connects, his boot hooks around the back of my leg and I hit the ground hard, with a grunt, then immediately bounce back up, just in time for his fist to connect with my jaw and send my head flying sideways.
I rip my shirt off, about to shift so we can fight with teeth, but he shouts, “You fucked up and you’re pissed at yourself. So what are you gonna do besides fighting with me?”
“I’m gonna fix it, for fuck’s sake. Fuck off!” I throw the shirt.
“Do you know what you’ve got to do?” Linc shouts, face two inches from mine.
“Yeah!” I holler.
“Good!” he hollers back, then throws his beefy arms around me and slaps my back. “Then do it. Tomorrow at noon,” he says the last part calmly, like all that didn’t just happen.