“Because you won’t be able to look me in the eye after you hear what I’ve done. Topic closed.”

The whooshing of the pompom stopped. My chest was knotted with anxiety. I’d already figured whatever happened to West was vastly different from what happened to me.

My battle scars were external, on the surface.

His were internal, but cut deep.

He was disfigured inside, perfect outside. A lethal combination.

“Reign is throwing a party this Saturday. You’re going.”

I spun my head around, spearing him with a deadly glare. “Reign’s an asshole.”

“Reign is harmless. And you’re going to have to face people at some point. You’re going,” he said again, calmly.

“Why would I go there?”

“Drink. Dance. Be a normal college chick.”

“I’m not a normal college chick,” I pointed out. “And the only friend I have would never go with me. Karlie has three study groups over the weekend. Are you crazy?”

“Not that I know of, but I wouldn’t rule it out completely. I’ve been known to do some pretty fucked-up shit. I’ll pick you up at eight.”

“Wait, you want to go together?” I slanted my head sideways, feeling my eyes widening. We never did anything together outside of my house. Outside of my bed. Unless I included the food truck, which I really couldn’t, because we were both paid to be physically present there at the same time.

West helped me with Grams, but I always thought of it as a kind of barter. Him looking out for me the way I looked out for him.

He sat up. “Yeah, together. Are you unfamiliar with the concept?”

“I … I didn’t think we were …” I tried to articulate the part that confused me, although in truth, it was all of it. “Together-together.”

So eloquent, Grace.

“You didn’t think we were together-together?” he repeated, dumbfounded.

“Why would I? You keep telling me it’s casual.”

“Casual shit still counts for something.”

I smiled bitterly. “Then consider me bad at math, because I don’t think it does.”

“Wait, am I your fluffer?” A cocky gleam zinged in his eyes.

“Fluffer?” I spluttered.

“You know, the person who jacks off porn stars or gives them half a blowie so they’ll get hard before the shoot. Someone who fucks the issues out of you, so that by the time Prince Charming rides into town, you’ll be ready for him?”

He said that with a smile, but I could tell he wasn’t joking. I was surprised he’d even suggest that, considering he was the one who went on and on about his no-strings-attached rule.

I reared my body back, narrowing my eyes at him. “No, you’re not my fluffer. But you said you only do one-night stands.”

“Yet here you are, dozens of nights in, still thoroughly fucked,” he deadpanned, like I was stupid.

“You ignore me at school.”

“You mean, like you explicitly asked me to?”

Were we arguing or declaring our feelings toward each other? I was confused.

“I know. But it still makes me feel weird,” I admitted. “Maybe you should stop ignoring me.”

“Maybe I should. Let’s start with me taking your ass to Reign’s party this Saturday.”

“Fine. But I refuse to socialize.”

“Ditto.” He leaned over, fist-bumping me. “That’s why I’m bringing you along. At least I’ll get a hookup out of it. East’s been riding me hard about showing my face in public.”

So that was why he was going to a party. Easton was nagging him to get himself out there. West had the reputation as someone who was usually above social gatherings.

He picked up the pompom he’d discarded on my bed, tossing it up to the ceiling again, one hand tucked behind his head, smirking.

“Shit, Texas. Looks like you and I are going on a date.”

Grace

“It’s not a date,” I insisted to Karlie the following day as we both walked out from the lecture hall, heading toward my pickup. “Easton forces him to go out. We’re probably goin’ to stand in the corner and sulk together.”

But even as I said it, I didn’t really believe it. I didn’t want to make my best friend feel left out. West St. Claire and Karlie Contreras didn’t hang out with the same crowd, and the last thing I wanted was for her to think I was ditching her for the cool kids, even though, in all probability, she was studying or working on Saturday and wouldn’t be able to make it anyway.

Karlie examined me skeptically. She knew West and I were having sex. On the one hand, I could tell she was excited about me finally coming out of my shell. On the other, I could also see why she was worried I’d get hurt. West didn’t scream steady boyfriend material. Heck, he didn’t even whisper it.

Karlie stopped by my pickup, balancing her laptop case against her waist.

“Don’t drink anything unless you pour it yourself and keep your phone with you at all times. Just stay safe, okay?” It sounded like a warning more than a request.

“How do you mean?” I eyed her.

She shifted her gaze sideways, like her eyes would reveal something she didn’t want me to know.

“Remember the day you went on a fake date with Easton Braun and I told West where you were?”

I remembered. I knew Easton had only taken me out to put West in his place. I’d played along, because I didn’t want to lose West as a friend. If that was what he needed to snap back into place—a reminder that I wasn’t disposable—I was ready to prove it to him.

“Yeah?”

“Well, West said he’d hook me up with Miles Covington if I spilled the beans about your whereabouts. It wasn’t why I told him, of course; I knew you wanted him to know. I just wanted to see him sweat. I forgot all about West’s agreement with me. But then Miles actually asked me out.”

“Isn’t that awesome?” I blinked at her, not following. “Miles is a great guy, and you seemed to be into him when we were at the Plaza.”

Karlie’s eyebrows furrowed. She looked at me like my phone was off the hook.

“You know I stand no chance with the guy. He just asked me out because West told him to. Miles said he didn’t want to get on West’s bad side. Your precious boyfriend is the campus bully we always stayed away from when we were kids. He’s playin’ everyone like a puppet master. I don’t know, Shaw. He seems to have too much power ’round here.”

“Karlie, he just wanted you to meet a nice bo—”

“It’s not just about Miles. I heard West has been messing with the wrong crowd. Taking fights with dodgy people, mixin’ up with criminals. Stuff like that. There’s plenty of rumors going around, and I don’t want to say anything that’s not true, but I don’t think I realized what kind of trouble he was when I hired him.”

The roles were now officially reversed. I was all for West, and Karlie thought we should be wary of him.

“Don’t go cagey on me, Karl. What do you know?” I asked.

She gnawed on the side of her fingernail, torn between wanting to tell me and avoiding a fight. “I heard he arranged a second fight with Kade Appleton. Know the guy? He’s a local. Allegedly beat his pregnant girlfriend to a pulp and got kicked out of an MMA league for it. It was all over the news.”