I drain the last of my beer and watch everyone at the river from the window in the pub. A night here used to be satisfactory, but now, I’d rather just hang out with Bella. Our texts are getting hotter, and it makes me want her even more, if that’s fucking possible.
It’s something I need to get over because she won’t be around forever. Maybe I won’t hate it when she’s not around anymore. Yeah, right. I already don’t like it when she goes home, let alone like the thought of never seeing her again. Jesus, I’m not sure if I’ve changed for the better.
“Where is she tonight?” Ellis asks, smirking, as he stops right in front of me.
The prick always looks so fucking smug when he’s talking about Bella. He knows I care about her. I hope no one else does.
“How would I know?”
I hope he can’t tell that I actually do know.
She’s out to dinner with her family, and then she’s going to her grandparents’, so she can sneak out with less risk of getting caught.
“Oh, I don’t know…because you spend all of your time with her now.”
“No, I don’t.” It’s a shit comeback, but I don’t have the energy to argue with him. I don’t want to talk about Bella here.
“Of course not.” He gives me a side-glance and smirks again.
“I’m very close to punching you in the gut, prick.”
“Hey, no need to get violent. You don’t have to hide her from me, man.”
I grit my teeth, not entirely sure where to take this. Ellis would never fuck me over—I’m almost certain of that—but I still don’t completely trust anyone. If I have to push him away a little more to protect her, then I will.
Why is she more important than my oldest friend?
My God, my life is one confusing mess, even more so since Bella came into it.
“Yeah, I know I can trust you with her.”
He clears his throat. “I like her, too.”
You’ve got to be fucking kidding!
My head snaps in his direction, and he holds his stomach, laughing at my reaction.
Shaking his head, he takes a step back as he says, “Calm down. Not like that! I just mean, she’s cool. I can see why you like her so much.”
“I don’t like her so much.”
Yes, I do.
“We don’t talk about our feelings, hopes, and dreams, Rocco, but if we’re going to talk, at least don’t lie. She’s important to you. That’s why you’re so on edge when she’s out in public here, and it’s why you don’t want to discuss her in front of all these people.”
Fuck him.
My groin vibrates where my phone is stuffed in my pocket, saving me from having to think of something to come back at Ellis with. However, I don’t need to continue arguing with him because his face is a permanent smirk as he watches me pull my phone out.
Gritting my teeth and ignoring the twitch in my hand that wants to punch my oldest and only friend, I open the text from Bella.
Fine. You win, arsehole. I need to know that you didn’t text any sluts.
Last night, I might have planted a little doubt over texting someone else after she accused me of being obsessed with her. I knew she would give in and ask eventually.
I’ve known her for only a matter of weeks, but she should know that I wouldn’t do something like that. Nothing has mattered more than her before, and I’m not risking what we have—whatever that is—over cheap sex with some skirt.
What do you think?
I think you really are too obsessed with me to mess around.
“What’s she saying?” Ellis asks.
Laughing, I put my phone down on the table to make her sweat a bit before I reply. “She’s saying exactly what I thought she would.”
If you peel away the layers of confidence, cockiness, and toughness, there’s insecurity at her core. There’s shit going on with her family that I don’t expect her to share with me anytime soon, but when she does, I think I’ll understand why she is the way she is. Not that I’ll admit it to her, but I desperately want to know everything. I want to get an A in Isabella.
I’ve never gotten an A before. When I dragged myself out to attend school, the most I got were Ds.
“That her again?” Ellis asks, tilting his head toward my beeping phone.
“No doubt.” I pick it up.
You’re being a bitch, Rocco!
I’m busy, Isabella.
Yeah, right! Tell Ellis I say hi…AND TELL ME NOTHING HAPPENED!
Nothing happened. You know that.
Good. I’m at yours. Where are you guys? I’ll come and meet you.
No fucking way.
I stand up and down my drink. “I’m leavin’,” I say to Ellis. There’s no way I’m having Bella here tonight, We’ve already had a drug deal out back and a boring bar fight.
Stay in your car. I’ll meet you there.
Shocker! See you soon.
She might think I’m overprotective. I don’t give a shit. The girl isn’t coming here.
“Have a good night,” Ellis says, chuckling under his breath.
I plan to.
Once out of the pub, I jog toward my flat where Bella is waiting. Her ridiculous car is parked behind my jeep. She gets out as she sees me approach.
Fuck. Me.
Her hair is tied up. It’s messy, like she put it up and then ran a marathon.
Motherfucking shit.
Her bare neck is on show and begging for my teeth to sink into her skin. My dick immediately responds. She’d better give it up soon. I’m going crazy with just my hand and her picture.
“Hi,” I whisper around the lump in my throat as I stop an inch in front of her.
I’m far too close, completely invading her personal space, but I don’t care, and she doesn’t seem to either.
She bites her lip, and she’s lucky that I have such amazing self-control.
“Hi, Rocco.”
Come on, go down. This could get embarrassing. Why am I always hard around her?
She’s the first person to get me up just by looking at me.
Shit. I’m not fifteen anymore, so what’s going on?
“Where were you? I hope I wasn’t interrupting.”
I shake my head and say, “I wasn’t doing anything,” instead of what I’m really thinking. I would drop anything to see you.
Go and find the Jack Daniel’s, Rocco. You need a drink.
“You were out though? At the river?”
“Yeah. The pub after that.”
“Will you take me?”
“No.” Absolutely not. Fuck no. Not happening.
She frowns and folds her arms, our moment now long gone. “Why not? I won’t embarrass you.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about.”
“Then, what are you worried about?”
Damn it.
“Nothing’s worrying me. I was just there, and it’s boring. I’d much rather have you entertain me inside.”
“There’s plenty of time for that.”
Really?
“But I’d like to go out. You never take me out.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Not that much. Please. I’d like to hang out with your friends.”
“Ellis has probably left to shag Izzy, and I don’t really like the rest of them.” Stop pushing it.
“Rocco,” she whines like a bloody toddler.
Oh my God. Don’t tell her to do one. You want her here.
“I’ll take you there next time you’re over.”
“Why next time?”
“Why not?” I spit through gritted teeth.
She sighs sharply. “You’re being ridiculous. I’m going to the river. Are you coming or not?”
My eyes twitch. “Doesn’t look like I have a choice, does it?”
“Perfect.” She smiles triumphantly and takes my arm. “So, what have you done today? No bruises, so you didn’t have a fight.”
Her voice is always slightly quieter when she talks about me fighting. I like that she hates it. I’m not used to having someone care about me, and it feels really nice.
“No, no fight. I helped Ellis at the garage for a bit. What about you?”
“I had to put up with my sister’s ever-cheerful attitude all day. Then, my parents drove me insane at dinner with their uni talk. I swear, they’re on repeat with that.”
“They want you to go. You should go. It’s all about partying anyway, right? You wouldn’t have to get serious about a job for another two or three years. It’s a win-win in my book.”
“Yeah, there is that, but I think I would rather just work. The whole learning thing is so overrated.”
“Preaching to the converted, Bella. What would you do if you got a job though?”
Her lips purse, and her eyebrows draw together as she thinks about my question. I’m not one for having plans, but Isabella is on a different level. I know I can take care of myself; she just assumes she can.
“I haven’t gotten that far yet.”
“Pole dancer?” I offer. “I know a few strip clubs.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me? No, thanks. I don’t really like people, so dancing for them would suck. Plus, there’s the whole doing-it-almost-naked thing. It would just be a total drag.”
“Wow, Bella. What’s wrong with people?”
“Most of them are fucking idiots. You hate them, too.”
“You’re not wrong there.”
We turn the corner, and the fire at the river comes into view. She’s still holding my arm. I don’t know if it’s best for people to see her with me, so they know to back off or not. People don’t generally screw with me because I don’t hold back when I fight, but I’ve probably pissed some people off, and they might see her as a way to settle the score.
I hesitate. This feels wrong. Ellis was right when he said I cared about Bella, and this isn’t exactly the place you bring someone you care about. The other side of the fire barely hides three guys dealing drugs. You don’t even have to deal inconspicuously out in the open here.
“Let’s just say hello and then go to the café. You must be hungry.”
She’s always hungry.
Bella shakes her head and gives my hand a tug. “I’m cool for now. Who’re you going to introduce me to first? Do you spend time with anyone else outside of the beach?”
“Just take a quick look around, so we can leave,” I snip. “You know I don’t like people, so, no, I don’t spend time with anyone but Ellis.”
Christ, this is going to be painful.