Never His Girl: Dark High School Bully Romance (Kings of Cypress Pointe Book 2)

BLUE

One thing’s for sure. No one can ever accuse West of not keeping his word.

Good or bad. Right or wrong. He’ll do whatever he says he’ll do.

Back when he vowed to make my life a living hell, he made good on that promise. More recently, he gave his word that he wouldn’t give up until I was convinced he’s worth giving a chance, and somehow, he’s made good on that one, too.

He was at my locker waiting this morning, just like he has been nearly every morning since our falling out. He showed up to escort me to every single class after that, but he mostly gives me space otherwise. He watches from afar during lunch and gym, but even when I’m not looking, I feel him.

He’s gotten under my skin in ways I thought it was impossible for him to do, considering our history, but it’s true. I think about him all the time, do everything in my power to seek him out in a crowd.

Like now, as I wait to board the bus that’ll take us to the game. He, his brothers, and Joss are all missing in action. I’m not the only one who’s taken notice. Every few seconds, their coach scans the line again, looking nervous. I’m guessing their absence is the reason we have yet to board, so here I stand, shivering from head to toe.

The forecast said it’d be thirty degrees today, but it feels more like it’s in the negatives if you ask me. Especially seeing as how I had practice before this, then rushed from the locker room, freshly showered with my hair in a wet French braid.

To keep my mind off the fact that I’m freezing, I text Scar, making sure she made it to the diner okay. Jules agreed to drive her after school, and if I know Scar, she complained the whole way. About having to sit there, about having to wait for Uncle Dusty to finish up for the day. But not only does it give her time to get homework done, it gives me peace of mind.

I hit send and then glance up from my phone, sensing eyes on me. Parker’s staring boldly, not the least bit uncomfortable she’s been caught. I half expect that snotty little smirk of hers to curve her lips, but instead there’s only a wicked glare. One filled with all the bitterness she deserves. It has to burn to have gone out of her way to bring me down, only to see I’ve weathered this storm just like all the others. The cherry on top?

I got the guy, too.

I smile a bit when I avert my eyes from her, breathing into the chilled air, somehow fighting the urge to jump the line and beat this salty bitch’s ass.

Keep focused, Blue. Parker’s a nonfactor. She took her shot and you’re still standing. That’s a win.

At least, that’s what I keep repeating to myself, so I don’t do something stupid. It’s working for now, but if she makes one false move, I can’t be held accountable for what happens next.

A car speeds into the lot and every head turns. There’s no denying how my heart thunders when I realize who’s responsible for the disruption.

My eyes are glued to West’s Chevelle like I assume everyone else’s are. Eventually, all three Golden boys step out, with Joss in tow. Each of the boys grabs a backpack and duffle bag from the trunk, but then they double back to their seats to retrieve snacks and lidded coffees, before heading this way. Of course, my eyes are on West, and within seconds his are on me, too.

I smile a little and he flashes one back. I expect him and his crew to just head to the back of the line, but instead, all four are coming this way.

West approaches first, balancing a tray with two lidded cups nestled into it. And in the other hand, a small paper bag.

“Nice of you to join us, boys,” the Coach says, sounding every bit as surly and frustrated as he looks.

“Sorry we cut it so close,” West answers. “Stopped for a few things.”

When he holds up the bag, it earns him an exasperated eye roll, which has West smiling as he settles beside me.

“For you,” he says next, holding out the tray for me to grab one of the two drinks resting there. “I was torn between coffee and hot chocolate, but I figured hot chocolate was a safer bet.”

I peer up at him and, damn it, I’m smiling again.

“Hot chocolate was a good choice. Thanks.”

He responds with a nod. “We had to go to a few different bakeries to find one that practices safe prep for people with nut allergies, but I think we found something you’ll like,” he added.

Guess I know why they were almost late getting here. Because he went out of his way for me.

“I told him to go with Cinnamon Streusel,” Joss chimes in. “The other options all sounded like something my grandmother would choose.”

I glance toward her, laughing a little. “Thank you.”

“Just couldn’t let me have my moment, could you?” West grumbles under his breath with a grin.

Joss, realizing she’s stolen his thunder, leans playfully into his shoulder. “Wait, no! The idea was all his, the effort to find the bakery was all his. I swear, the only part I played was muffin selection,” she promises.

My gaze goes to West again. “Well, even if you had a little help, I appreciate it.”

His stare is almost too intense to look into, but I don’t let myself shy away from it. It isn’t lost on me how easy this feels with him. How our pieces seem to fit together when we let them, when we’re not hellbent on hurting one another.

“All right, load up,” Coach instructs.

We ease up to the door as the bus slowly fills, and once inside, I’m feeling a little torn. I mean, sure it feels like West and crew want me to sit with them, but I don’t want to make any assumptions. You know, and make a complete ass of myself? So, instead of looking like a loser, I drop down into the first available seat.

However, four sets of curious eyes land on me when I do. I blink up at them all, feeling like I just messed up somehow.

“Uh… we don’t sit in the front, Southside,” West informs me with a grin that suddenly has me hotter than the cup in my hand.

Okay so, apparently, I am sitting with them. My effort not to feel like a complete idiot just went right out the window.

Joss reaches for my hand, and then reaches for West’s, linking him and me together. “There. Now, lead the way, King Midas,” she teases.

I still feel a little stuck in my seat as we hold up the line, but when West gently tugs me to my feet, I don’t hesitate to follow. Especially seeing as how he doesn’t let go of my hand.

I stare at him from this angle—being towed behind as he saunters toward whatever seat he has his sights set on. His and his brothers’ staggering height accounts for why they’re ducking a little to avoid hitting their heads. I accept the fact that, any way I look at him, he’s impressive.

We stop at a cluster of seats when he faces me, and one of his perfect brows arches when asking, “Window or aisle?”

“Window,” I answer, and then I’m led into the bench before West drops down beside me.

He takes my drink and muffin while I ease my backpack off. Then, I do the same for him. I swear it’s like we’ve been doing this forever, which only adds to how right all of this feels.

The bus fills and Dane and Sterling grab the seat across the aisle, while Joss takes the one directly in front of us. Instead of leaving space for someone else to join her, she’s piled all our bags there.

“So,” she says chipperly, wearing a huge grin. “I hear you’re partying with us tonight. That true?”

I nod. “That’s the plan, at least.”

“Cool. There’s this eighteen-and-up club everyone’s thinking we’ll hit this time. It’s basically right next door to our hotel. I looked the place up online and, based on reviews, they’ve got really good music,” she adds, sipping from her cup.

“Been so long since I’ve gone to a club, I can’t even remember the last time,” I admit.

“Not your scene?” she asks.

I shrug and pick a small piece from my muffin to pop into my mouth. “More like I don’t have time,” I joke. “Between school, practice, work, and looking after my sister, the only other thing I ever want to do is sleep.”

I realize I’m the only one still smiling, which means I’m probably killing the mood with my real-world problems.

Whoops.

My gaze shifts out the window as the bus takes off. It’s dark now and we’ll be locked in here together for a few hours. Note to self: don’t make it awkward.

“How old’s your sister?” Joss asks, surprising me when she flips right back to the subject I thought they all wanted to avoid.

“She’s fourteen. Her birthday’s in January, though.”

“You guys close?”

I nod and the question reminds me how much I’ll miss that brat over the weekend. “We are,” I admit. “Although, she gets sick of me bossing her around.”

Joss laughs and I gulp down the last of my hot chocolate, setting the cup beside me on the floor.

“What about you? Got any siblings?” I ask.

Her long braids shift when she shakes her head. “Nope, it’s just me. I wish my parents did have another kid around, though. Maybe then they’d hover less.”

“Yeah-fucking-right,” Dane teases. “They’d still find a reason to smother you.”

The comment has Joss laughing, but prompts her to leap up and smack Dane’s arm.

She settles back into her seat as the bus veers onto the highway, rocking us with its motion. We all finish whatever snacks we had when the trip first started and then Sterling addresses the elephant in the room.

Quietly, of course, leaning across the aisle so no one outside our little group hears him.

“So, you two working things out okay?” he asks, but a deep growl from West pulls from the serious vibe Sterling was giving off just a second ago.

“Dude, you are Dr. Phil-ing the shit out of this moment. How much would it cost to get you to back the hell up?” West asks.

“Too intense?” Sterling manages to get out with a straight face, but then a smile breaks free and I realize he was only kidding in the first place.

“Way too intense,” Joss answers.

West has clearly kept his crew up to speed on everything, which I find kind of sweet. It means he talks about me when I’m not around. Maybe even getting advice from these three on occasion.

“Fuck. Sorry about that,” he leans in to say.

“I don’t know,” I say back. “Maybe he’s on to something. A little counseling might do us some good.”

An easy smile settles on his lips when he realizes I’m not being uptight about this.

“Cute, Southside,” he grumbles in that sexy, broody way of his.

For a moment, it’s hard to break the lingering gaze between us, but when Dane speaks up, we both turn that way.

“This feels like a Truth or Dare moment if I ever saw one,” he says.

“Not doing it.’

“Nope.”

“No way.”

Those are the collective responses of the other three, who clearly know something I don’t when it comes to Dane and this game.

“You take things way too far,” Joss reveals. “Let’s let Blue get used to us in regular form before we scare the poor girl off. K?”

“But we don’t have a fucking ‘regular form’,” Dane shoots back, which has Joss shrugging, reconsidering her words.

“You might be right about that,” she concedes.

They fall into a conversation of their own—Joss and the other Golden boys—leaving me and West out of it. It’s pitch black and there’s still a bit of a chill to the air, even inside the bus. And as if he hasn’t already been my knight in shining armor tonight, West reaches down inside his bag and pulls out a small, black blanket with the school crest in the center. He doesn’t ask if I’m cold, just spreads it across my legs and his.

Next, he offers me one of his earbuds and I accept it, listening as the lyrics and mellow beat of one of my favorite songs floods my thoughts—Mac Miller’s ‘Right’. One melody flows into the next, and after a while, we’ve gotten comfortable in this small space. My head settles on his shoulder, and beneath the blanket, his hand rests on my thigh.

I’m feeling something with him I hadn’t before. It feels like… maybe… it wouldn’t suck so much to be his girl.