In the Dark (The Rules 2)
Page 79Of course.
I stalk toward him, irritation making my blood pump hot when he turns and smiles drunkenly at me. “Hey, look. I found some girls to liven up your party, G.”
“Tristan.” I clap him on the back, then pull him in close so I can mutter in his ear, “You need to get rid of them.”
He pulls back, smirking at me. “Since when did you become so boring? This is supposed to be our last year of fun before we have to get all responsible and shit. You said this yourself.”
“I’ve had enough fun like that,” I say and he starts to laugh.
“What, are you so pussy whipped you’re afraid you’ll piss off the missus?”
“More like you’re the one pissing me off.” I offer him a bland smile, trying to contain my anger. He’s drunk. And when Tristan’s drunk, he says stupid shit. He doesn’t think and in the past, that sort of drunken attitude has gotten him into many a bar fight. I don’t know how many times Shep and I had to pull some huge guy off of Tristan. Or we’re pulling Tristan off of some dumb drunk dude. “Now take your dates and go.”
“Are you really going to kick me out because I brought some entertainment with me? That’s how we used to do this, Gabe, or have you forgotten? Has your new chick brought you so far down you don’t know how to have fun anymore?”
“You’re so dull now. You and Shep both. We used to have fucking fun but not anymore. It’s like I lost you both to chicks and they’ve turned you into domestic sheep. Fucking sucks.” Tristan shakes his head, looking disgusting. “Next thing you know you two assholes are going to have a double wedding together and shit. Way to make me sick.”
He’s not really making much sense but I get the picture. He’s a little jealous. We three don’t spend as much time together anymore, but lately Shep and I have been hanging more because Lucy and Jade have each other. Tristan feels like the fifth wheel—and quite literally, he is.
“Hope the sex is good because you’re trapped bro. You don’t have a choice anymore,” Tristan says, laughing as he stumbles over his own feet. The girls stop talking, every single one of them watching the spectacle he seems intent on putting on and I tamp down the anger rising inside of me.
“Shut up before you say something stupid and make me angry.”
“What, you’re not angry enough? Fine, let’s talk about how your newfound girl is trying to trap you by getting knocked up with your baby,” Tristan taunts, his tone mocking, making me fucking furious.
Making me see red.
The shitty smirk on his face is all I can focus on before I rear my arm back and sock him square on the jaw, so hard my knuckles hurt like hell the second I make contact.
The fucker deserves it. I can’t believe what he said. Worse, he’s one of my closest friends, so he knows just how to hurt me. And his words hurt.
So fucking much.
I turn my head to look at Shep. “Let me go,” I mutter but I know he’s not going to. I’m furious. I can’t believe Tristan would blurt out my private business in front of everyone, including a bunch of girls we don’t freaking know. They’re all staring at me like I’m some sort of monster. A couple of them have gone over to comfort Tristan as he stands on the grass, glaring at me while he still cradles his jaw with his palm. His gaze is dark, full of anger and hurt and I know exactly how he’s feeling because I’m feeling the same exact way.
“Get out,” I tell him, my voice low and fucking scary, even to my own ears. “Get the fuck out of here and take your harem with you.”
“Gabe,’” Shep starts but I shrug off his hold and step away from him. I don’t need him giving me a lecture on how I should treat my friends. Did he not hear what Tristan said? He’s such an asshole. He’s trying to make Lucy look like a gold digging bitch and I fucking hate him for that.
Without a word Tristan strides past me, his head bent, gaze never meeting mine as he waves his hand. Every one of those women eagerly falls into step behind him. He goes around the side of the house, the whispering girls following until they all disappear.
“I can’t believe you hit him,” Shep says incredulously.
“You know how he gets when he’s drunk…”
I cut Shep off. “Don’t defend him. He’s a dick when he drinks. And he’s less of a dick when he’s sober. I’m tired of his shit. I’m tired of the way he talks to me, treats me, hell, how he treats the both of us. Fuck that guy. Let’s buy him out.”
“I can’t buy him out, he’s my fucking cousin. Hell, my mother will probably call me and vouch for Tristan, then give me a bunch of shit over it. Then his mother will call me…it would be a total mess, dude. I can’t do that to him. We’re stuck with him,” Shep explains.
“You’re the one who’s stuck with him, not me. I say I shut this shit hole business down and let you two take it somewhere else. I’m tired of dealing with it. I’ll let it be your problem now.” I shake my head and rest my hands on my hips, turning toward the patio to see Lucy is outside, standing just beside the back door.