Fallen Crest University

“I’d be a shitty family member and friend if I hadn’t put two and two together.”

He groaned. “Mason chewed us both out. He didn’t want you to know. He didn’t want either of us to take away from your night—you know, from you finally getting a family. I’m sorry.”

Mason did that? An emotion swept through me, warming me up. A stupid smile came over me, and I couldn’t wipe it off right away.

Logan saw it and snorted. “You’re going to crawl into bed with him tonight, aren’t you?”

I sighed happily. “Probably. That was sweet of him.”

A dark look flashed in his eyes, but his mouth straightened.

I waited, knowing there was more. He was holding back. Figuring it had to do with something more sinister, probably Park Sebastian, I didn’t push for answers.

Instead, I gestured to the house. “Can you not be a dick to Summer anymore?”

“I won’t.” His fist lightly tapped under my chin. “I wanted her to know not to mess with us.”

“You thought she would?”

He lifted a shoulder. “She’s a model, Sam. She’s got an ego. I can tell. Girls like that think they can walk all over anyone and get away with it just because they can. I wanted to let her know that, yeah, she’s hot, but she ain’t the only hot chick around. Enough about her.” His voice dropped again, back to that seriousness from earlier. “I was going to come find you tomorrow anyway, but we’re here. I know Mason wants you to call him if you see Sebastian, but I want you to call me instead.”

“Why?”

“Because Mason’s hands are tied behind his back.”

My eyes narrowed.

“He can’t do anything—at least, not in public. It could hurt his football career. As much as Mase hates to admit it, he’s like a freaking politician now. He’s gotta watch everything he does and says. Nothing can blow back on him.”

A shiver was winding its way down my spine. The consequences Logan was talking about became even more real to me. Fear started in my gut, building with urgency. I had to make sure nothing happened to Mason.

I nodded, feeling Logan’s gaze on me. He was waiting for my acknowledgment.

I gave it to him. “Yeah. Okay.”

“I mean it. Don’t call him. Call me. I can get kicked out of school. That’s no problem for me. I can go to the college across town. Whatever. It’s not a D League, but it’s still a good school. I can handle the blowback. I need to, for Mason. Nothing can happen to him. I can fight. He can’t. He has to be really careful, especially with this dickwad. He’s not a normal dickwad. He’s got some brains.”

I nodded, forcing my head to move up and down, as my neck muscles seemed paralyzed.

The serious moment was done. Logan added, his voice more carefree, “It’s like he’s a dick who has serious sperm in his wad, if you know what I mean.” His knee nudged mine. “Hey. Hey? You know what I mean? It’s like he’s extra fertilized, but we have to keep him from spraying all over us—”

I shoved back at his knee and hopped off the table. “We’re going back to the party, and I’m going to drink. You,” I pointed at him as he was trying to hold his laughter in, “stop talking to me about dicks, wads, and who’s fertile or not. Call Heather if you want to have that conversation. I’m sure she’s got her own theories for that stuff but not me. That’s gross.”

He laughed as he climbed off the table and started to follow me back inside. Right before we got to the door, he grabbed my arm, stopping me. The jokes were gone again. “This doesn’t have to do with Sebastian, but it’s about Jax.”

I waited. He never explained anything about Heather before. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know, but I kept quiet.

“Jax and I—it’s not a thing, and it won’t hurt your friendship.”

I studied him, looking up at him in the moonlight.

He shrugged and looked away. “That was the first ground rule Heather put down. Whatever happens, it won’t harm you. We promise. Both of us.”

I nodded. “Good enough for me.” I gestured over my shoulder to the house. “And can you kinda be a dick to the other two girls from my floor? I can see that they’re both already falling in love with you, and I don’t want to deal with that, especially when I go to the restroom. I don’t want some chick trying to hop into my stall, asking for a date with you.”

“Ah.” Logan’s shoulder straightened. His usual smirk adorned his face, and just like that, the serious Logan was gone and the womanizing one was back in play. He pretended to crack his knuckles, stretching his arms over his head. “I’ll see what I can do, but, Sam, I’m like a god among mortals. I can’t help who falls in love with this.” He gestured up and down his body and winked at me. “Girls are going to love what they can’t have.”

It was my turn to snort. “Please. You give plenty of yourself away.”

He barked out a laugh, catching the door as I pulled it open. His arm came over my head again, and he held the door for me. Going back inside, the music seemed even louder, and when we saw most of our crew was on the dance floor or on the couches, I knew all the serious conversations were done for the night.

It was time to have fun.

Summer saw me from the dance floor—her arms winding up and down above her head, her hips moving in rhythm with the music—and she motioned for me. With the bright smile she was giving me, I figured Logan hadn’t put too big of a wedge between us. ns class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true">