Chapter 8

EIGHT

Aydan

I grab a beer out of a cooler and pop it open. It's not my favorite brand, it's something light and flavored with lime, but I take a sip and don't mind the foofy drink one bit. I take a few more sips to try to calm my nerves before I scan the party again. It's nighttime, and there's a bonfire and a smaller fire in the clearing. It's technically on campus grounds, but in a quiet corner, which has clearly been used for a number of parties over the years.

Nearly all the students in the program are here. Some hang around the fires, others dance to pop music playing on a nearby stereo, probably from one of the only stations up here. But the truth is, I don't care about the music, the beer, or the random science majors. I want to find Sam and Granger and just chill out. The damn earthquake earlier today has gotten under my skin.

I was going to kiss Sam in that moment. I didn't care about our families, our past, or what I was risking, I was going to kiss her. She'd pissed me off with that Will guy. Gotten so far under my skin in such a short time that I really wanted to punch the bastard. But then the earth had started shaking, and she was too far away from me, and I imagined something falling on her. Something crushing her. And it was like I couldn't get to her fast enough. Couldn't hold her tight enough.

"Fire Science major?"

Jerking, I look to my side. A short blonde in a tube top is grinning up at me. She has one of those cherub faces, and one of those voices that is just a pitch or two too high.

She's not my type, but I say, "Yeah, you?"

"Geology. Technically, Petrology, the fascinating and exciting study of rocks. I'm Jill, by the way."

"Aydan." My gaze goes back to searching the crowd. Granger and Sam are both taller than the average person, so it shouldn't be hard to find them. But clouds conceal the moon and stars, so the only light to make them out is by the fires.

"What do you think of the Phoenix Institute so far?"

I take another sip of my beer and tear my gaze away from scanning the shadows. The woman is pretty, I guess, in her own way. Unfortunately for her, I've only got one woman on my mind, and it's not her. Still, we're going to be spending nearly three months together, so it's probably best not to be a total asshole.

"It's fine. Exciting and different."

She beams. "Right? I mean, I was excited to see what all the secrecy surrounding the place was, but I wasn't prepared for how much fun it would be. The biggest surprise has been working alongside so many Fire Science majors. I mean, you guys are big and hot, although you're by far the biggest guy here."

Her tone is flirtatious, and I almost want to sigh. A lot of women don't give two shits what kind of man someone is as long as he's tall. I'm pretty sure Sam is the only one who looks at me and sees a lonely little kid rather than whoever the hell I appear to have turned into. She's also the only one who knows how to get under my skin the way she does.

"Yeah, we're a tall lot," I manage, then take a few steps around the fire.

Freezing, I spot Sam. Four Fire Science guys, and I know that's exactly who the fuck they are, surround her. She's sitting on a log just barely in the light from the smaller fire, laughing, her face stunning in the glow of the fire. My heart lurches, and I start heading toward her.

"So, uh, I'll see you later?" whoever-the-hell-she-is asks.

"Yeah," I mutter, finishing my beer and chucking it into a bin as I walk.

One of the guys sits down on the log beside her, and I realize it's that asshole Will from class. He sits so close their bodies touch. Jealousy, ugly and dark, crawls under my skin. He leans in towards her and says something else, and then she's laughing again, a drink in her hand. Clearly, the fucker thinks that after a drink or two, she'll be ready for him. I'm going to show him just how wrong he is.

"Got you a beer." Granger's in my face a minute later, pushing another drink into my hand. The look on his face changes from excited to concerned in a flash. "What's wrong?"

I gesture toward Sam and the guys, shifting from one foot to another. I want to push Granger out of the way so I can deal with the whole pack of them, but I know I owe him more than that.

" Ah ." He glances back at her, his disappointment obvious. "That group has been all over her. I haven't even gotten to talk to her yet."

"Apparently, they think this is going to be the summer of easy fucks," I say, and there's rage in my voice.

"What do you think she's planning?"

I tear my gaze from her back to him. "What do you mean?"

His expression is hard to read. "Do you think she's planning on… entertaining a lot of gentlemen callers over the summer?"

Oh, hell. "Are you asking me if Sam plans to fuck her way through the students here?" He flinches at the anger in my voice, so I try to control it. "Well, it doesn't really matter what she wants, I'm not going to let anyone touch her."

Granger sighs.

"What?" I snap, looking back at her. Will has his fucking hand on her knee.

"I mean, we can't really stop her. She's an adult. This isn't high school any longer. We can't just scare off anyone who takes an interest in our girl."

I snort. "Says who?"

"Seriously, Aydan, you don't want to lose her as a friend. What do you think going all caveman on her is going to do?" Granger starts drinking his drink, well, slamming it. Which tells me he's probably bothered by Sam's behavior, too.

I take a slow breath. "I'll try to handle it." To control myself. "But no promises."

He nods, and I continue my warpath to Sam with Granger at my side. He's not trailing me. He's at my side, like he thinks he's going to have to stop me from doing something stupid. Which, he might.

"You seriously saved a wolf? That's awesome," Will says beside Sam, his hand traveling just a little higher as they share a laugh.

Bro Number One laughs just a little louder. "Your parents must have thought you were crazy!"

"My parents wouldn't even let me out front by myself!" Bro Number Two exclaims.

Sam's gaze glides over Granger and connects with mine before her eyes widen, and her smile shifts to one that looks a little more forced. "And here is the rest of the Wolf Pack, Granger and Aydan."

All eyes turn to us. I nod, but I can't even pretend to be welcoming. Luckily, Granger is the man when it comes to this kind of shit. "And saving a wolf was just one of the many crazy things we did as kids. I think between the three of us, we have the top collection of almost broken bones and plenty of stitches."

Almost being the keyword. Somehow, we never got too injured as kids. It had to have been pure luck. Not that these assholes deserve to hear about it.

"So how did you three manage to qualify to get into the Phoenix Institute?" Will asks, then clarifies, "I mean, three kids who grew up together, all becoming science majors and getting into an elite program is pretty amazing."

None of your business, pretty boy.

Sam answers before Granger can. "We actually got accepted from separate colleges… well, me, I'm from a separate college from them. This is the first time we've been together since starting university."

Will is sizing me up. They all are. It's clear from the looks on their faces they can't tell if we're just friends, or if we're guys who are about to beat the shit out of them for hitting on our girl. I make sure to not reassure them in any way, although Will knows the truth.

"Wow, so you guys went from near-death experiences together to separate colleges to this program, huh?" Will asks, taking a sip of his drink, his gaze shifting from me to her.

"I bet you guys were in and out of the ER as kids," Guy Number One offers, trying to stay in the game. "I broke my arm as a kid playing football, but that was it."

"The funny thing is that none of us has ever broken a bone," Sam says. She shifts on the log, and my gaze goes to his hand. Still. On. Her. Leg.

I bet I could kill him and make it look like an accident. Just push him off the path the next time we're going into the shaft. Or knock him off the edge of the mountain. There are a lot of ways he could die in a place like this.

Granger catches my eye, and I swear he can tell exactly what I'm thinking. He shakes his head a little, finishes his beer, then grabs my arm and says, "Want another?"

I finish mine, but say, "No, I'm good."

"Let's get another one," he insists a little more.

I shake my head, and he snags my beer and throws both of our bottles out while I focus on Will and the hand that he so desperately wants to have removed. He shifts it a little lower, onto her bare skin beneath her itty-bitty fucking shorts. My pulse picks up, filling my ears.

"So, Will, you going into firefighting?"

He turns his attention to me. "Yeah, man."

"I'm surprised you're big enough for that," I tell him casually.

Will does what I expect him to, stand up, looking more than a little pissed. Still, he's almost a foot shorter than me. Not a tiny guy by anyone's standard, but smaller than me, which is fun.

"I'm more than big enough," he says, then turns back to Sam. "In every way."

Bro Number One and Bro Number Two laugh. Sam's expression is hard to read when she stands up, too. The guy's just a little taller than her, although she's probably one of the tallest women I've seen. Still, it should bug him.

What bothers me is her outfit. She's wearing a purple tank-top that does a hell of a job of emphasizing her large chest and tiny waist. Way too good of a job. The STEM letters across her tank-top are just a little stretched out, and the word gives every guy in the area an excuse to stare at her chest.

And her shorts? They're criminally short, emphasizing her long legs. Making every guy who sees her picture just what it'd be like to have those legs wrapped around them. Or maybe that's just me.

"I wasn't aware there was a height requirement for Fire Science majors," Sam says, casting me a warning look, but I don't care.

Granger is back at my side. "Maybe we should get another drink? Or turn in for the evening?"

I don't even look his way. I look at Sam. "You ready for bed?"

"I was just about to ask her that," Will says, in a tone that makes me itch to punch him.

I force a smile. It takes all my strength to keep my gaze on Sam. "Bed?"

Her gaze locks with mine. "I'm fine. I think I'll hang out a little longer, but you're welcome to call it a night."

"I'll wait for you," I tell her.

She licks her lips, and my eyes follow the movement. "Fine, we'll hang out longer."

Longer ends up being a few more hours. Hours where we finish off the beer. Hours where the vodka comes out. I watch as Sam gets drunker. As we all become more intoxicated, I watch her every movement. The guy touches her, a lot, and she touches him back. It gets under my skin like shards of glass, but I can't do a thing about it.

Nothing I try works. Not with her. Sam knows me well enough to know just how to bother me without letting things go too far, and she shows how much she knows about teasing and torturing men with every move she makes with Will and the bros.

I'm losing my mind. Granger has been working like the devil to keep me calm and keep the conversation from going in the wrong direction. I'll have to thank him for that tomorrow.

When the fire starts to burn down, and more and more students leave the clearing, I sense all of this coming to an end, along with the fact that Will thinks he's spending the night with Sam tonight. Which is not going to happen. Even if I have to start a fight.

Sam rises suddenly and stretches. "I think I'm going to head in."

I'm on my feet in an instant. "I'll walk you back."

Will stands, too. "I can take her back." His tone is helpful. Jackass.

I move closer to her. "No, thanks."

"Don't answer for me," Sam tells me softly, but there's an edge to her words.

I grab her arm and pull her closer. "You've had a lot to drink."

"I'm not a child," she says, jerking her arm out of my touch.

"Will!" Granger calls, then gets the bros' attention. "How about a drinking game?"

The nameless assholes are all for it, spouting off which games they want.

Sam flashes Will and I a beautiful smile I don't trust, then she focuses on Will. "Yeah, stay here and drink, or come hang out with me."

Fuck. She's not going to pull this shit, is she?

"Sam." My voice is more than a warning, it's a threat.

"Will?" she says, her tone that of an angel in disguise.

He smiles at her. "I'll go wherever you want." He leans in. "And do whatever you want."

I shove him back. He stumbles, nearly falling over the log.

"What the fuck?" he says, then leaps to his feet and shoves me back.

Fire races through my veins. I'm ready for this fight. I've been dreaming of this fight since the moment I saw him talking to Sam. I charge toward him, but Sam is between us in an instant. Her much smaller hands press against my chest, and I love the feeling of her hands on me.

Maybe it's the liquor burning through me, but I lean into her, some of my fight fading away as I catch her intoxicating scent.

"Stop it," she tells me, breathing hard. "You are not fighting Will."

"And you're not going home with him," I tell her, realizing that I'm panting.

"You don't get a say in what I do," she says, her green eyes filled with anger.

I lean in so close my lips nearly touch her ear. "If you try to go home with him, I'll kill him."

She gasps. "You don't mean that."

"Try me." And now my words are definitely a threat.

She shoves me a little and whirls around. "Will, I'll talk to you tomorrow."

Stomping off from the clearing, I follow her through the darkness. She might be mad, but I'm not letting her walk home alone in the dark, no matter how much she hates me. Several times, she looks back at me, but doesn't say a word.

We're nearly to the cabin when she storms back toward me. I'm feeling somewhere between amused and concerned as I shift to lean against a nearby cabin, waiting for the storm to unleash. Waiting for the most beautiful girl in the world to tear my head off.

"What gives you the right?" she asks, pounding her finger into my chest.

"The right?" I ask her, feeling dumb. Loving being this close to her.

"The right to tell me who I can and cannot sleep with."

Something inside of me aches. "Sam, don't…"

"Don't what? Don't call you on your bullshit? Well, guess what, Aydan, I'm not a child any more as much as you still seem to still think I am–"

"I don't think you're a child." Of course I don't see her as a child. I see her as an angel wrapped in the flesh of a seductress. I see her as all I've ever wanted: temptation, love, longing, and need.

"Then what's the problem?" she demands. She moves a little closer, and her scent comes again, intoxicating and sweet. "Why do you care who I sleep with?"

I don't know what to say. Not the truth. "You deserve better than that asshole."

"You're telling me you've never been with a girl just for one night? A girl who ‘doesn't deserve you' just for fun?" She gives a sarcastic laugh. "Granger has told me about your team of girls."

I groan. Has that idiot actually been telling her how I waste my time? "He exaggerates."

She shakes her head full of beautiful red hair, her tone cutting. "Tell me you've never just picked some random girl to take home and fuck."

Of course I have, but Sam isn't like those girls. Any man who gets to touch her is the luckiest man in the world. It shouldn't be some random drunk asshole who doesn't appreciate her. But "Don't say fuck," is all I manage, my words barely a whisper.

She shifts closer. "Tell me. Tell me that you've never met some hot girl, and fucked her brains out… just using her to scratch an itch. Some random girl you deserved better than."

I run my hands through my hair, imagining Sam with some guy she just took home to fuck. To scratch an itch. Some guy who would never be good enough for her. A guy touching her, tasting her. Someone who doesn't love her, someone who doesn't worship her.

Some guy taking the spot I belong in.

"Sam, please…"

"Tell me the truth," she demands.

The words come out before I can stop them. "I've only ever slept with forgettable women. I've never once been with a woman who mattered to me. Someone I could imagine a future with. All they've ever been are people to scratch an itch." It's the truth, as terrible as it sounds.

"Asshole!" she shouts angrily, then shoves me, although I'm already against the wall. "Then why can you do it but I can't?" Now, she sounds broken-hearted.

"Sam, you can't do it because–" Because if she did, it would destroy me. It would rip my heart out, and I'd never come back from it. I'd spend the rest of my life dying slowly.

"Because why?" She sounds on the verge of tears, and I hate myself. I never want to be the reason she cries.

"Because I can't handle it. Okay? Can't that be enough?" I'm shaking, trying not to lose control.

"Handle it?" she asks, seeming confused.

I need to end this. Now, before I say something I can't take back. "It's late. I'm drunk. Can we both agree that I'm an asshole and just let this go?"

She says nothing, just stares at me.

It'd be so easy to lean down. So easy to taste her lips and see if she's as sweet as I always imagined. I bet her mouth is soft too, and that her lips would be red and swollen after I kissed her.

Maybe that's the answer. Just to stop pretending. To stop living in this hell.

"When we were kids, you could be an asshole too. Remember how you convinced me that that squirrel had rabies?" she asks, her tone softer.

She'd been feeding some damn squirrel, hoping to make it her pet. Her parents had never let her get a dog or a cat, so she thought she could tame it into sleeping in her bed and doing tricks. But that thing probably did have rabies. Either way, it was a bad idea that her gentle heart couldn't see.

I smile, remembering that day. "You're welcome."

She pushes me a little, but not with the anger she had before. " He was sweet, you just didn't see it."

"You thought everything was sweet. Squirrels, rabbits, snakes, bats, even freaking raccoons."

She actually laughs. "You should be glad. If I had better taste, I wouldn't be friends with you."

Instinctually, I sweep her into a hug, breathing in her delicious scent when I do. "I'm glad your taste sucks."

She laughs again. But then, after a minute, she says, "But, Aydan?" Her words are innocent, a shift from our bantering.

"Yeah?" My heart hammers. What could she have to say now?

"I meant it when I said that I'm an adult. I won't be controlled." She pulls away from my hug, but keeps talking. "I've dated some major assholes, but never guys who were controlling. I won't deal with that in a friend either."

My body tenses. "You've dated some assholes?" How is it that I haven't heard about this?

She gives a little head shake. "That wasn't my point, but yeah."

A chill rolls down my spine, and something dark and sinister breathes to life inside of me. "Tell me about them."

She sighs and catches my arm. "You have to be exhausted from spending your whole evening being controlling and idiotic. Let's get you into bed."

I'm not going to forget to ask about the asshole guys she's dated. Granger and I will have to go on a little road trip on our way back to college, hunt those guys down, and beat them within an inch of their lives.

But, for now, I'll just let this beautiful woman walk me home.