“Whoa!” Blake’s jaw clenches hard. “Killian took you to do this?”
“Oh, no. No, he um… I asked him to go and he—”
“So he was there when you did this.”
“Yes, he was there, but—”
“And he didn’t stop you?” Oh shit, his face is getting red.
“Blake, calm down. He didn’t want me to.”
“He didn’t stop you!”
Now I’m pissed. “Like he could?”
“Of course he could!”
“I’m a grown woman!”
Blake’s eyes fly to my mom, who suddenly looks embarrassed. “Did you hear that? She’s a grown woman!” He lifts his brows. “Sound familiar?”
“You’re overreacting! I’m over eighteen and can get anything I want pierced.”
He clenches his head between his hands. “Oh, fuck, don’t go there.”
“Blake! Language!”
“You guys.” I force my voice to calm. “It’s okay. Honestly, I don’t even think I’ll keep it for long. Rex has piercings, right? You don’t see him any differently.”
“He’s a fucking pin cushion for a reason, kiddo. What I’m concerned most about isn’t your need to express yourself; it’s what the hell are you expressing and why.” He holds up a hand. “Don’t tell me.”
“Blake…”
Without warning, he launches himself at me and wraps me in a hug. “I love you, baby. You’re my girl.”
I hug him back. “I know.”
“Just want the best for you.”
Shame heats my body. “I know that too.”
He drops a kiss on my head then claps his hands. “Let’s eat. I’m starving.”
My mom relaxes, and when Blake leads the way to the kitchen, she hooks her arm in mine. “I like the pink. It’s pretty.”
“Thanks, Mom.” If she knew I did this to get a guy’s attention, she’d lecture me for days on how important it is to find someone who likes me for me. That who I am is impressive enough.
But damn, if my own father doesn’t even love me enough to stick around, then how can I expect anyone else to? Sure, I have Blake, and he’s amazing, but if he didn’t have Mom, he wouldn’t keep me. Only reason he has me is because Mom and I were a package deal.
So yeah…some girls get the man they want just by being them.
The rest of us have to prove we’re worth it.
Six
Killian
“Still can’t believe you’re passing this up.”
Ryder’s voice rakes against my nerves as we push out of the classroom and squint into the sun. He pops on his vintage black Ray-Bans, looking like some Sex Pistols throwback as we make our way across campus to the café.
“I haven’t decided anything yet.” Actually, I have. It’s been almost two weeks since Cam made me the offer. A tiny voice whispers I’m making a mistake by passing this opportunity up, but that voice shuts the hell up every time I see Axelle.
“You know how rare this is, man? You’re twenty-one-years old, and you’ll be representing the UFL USA over there.” He shakes his head. “You’re a dumb ass if you don’t jump on this.”
“But it’s a year overseas.” I hook my backpack straps with my thumbs and weave through the crowds of co-eds lingering between classes. “I’ve got school and…” I slam my lips shut. “I’ll get where I want to be another way. It’s not like this’ll make or break my career.”
Ryder stops and his sudden freeze makes me do the same.
“What?”
His eyes narrow. “You’re passing this up for her, aren’t you?”
Fuck yes. “No, I’m passing it up because I have a plan. Finish college, get my first fight, and once I graduate I’ll be able to do—”
“You’re a fuckin’ liar.” He chuckles and continues to walk. “Can’t believe you’re gonna pass this up for a chick. I’d say you deserve to lose your balls for that, but my guess is you handed those over to her a long time ago.”
I have no defense or desire to continue this conversation. I focus on the quad, which is bustling with people who’re grabbing food between classes.
We spot Theo at a table and head over to say hi. My eyes scan the area for Axelle. She’s usually here by now, but I don’t see her.
“What’s up?” Ryder drops down to sit next to one of the two girls Theo’s entertaining.
“Oh, hey.” One of the girls leans around Theo to study me. “I know you.”
I peer down at her. She’s good-looking and has bright red hair that falls over her shoulders in waves and a few perfectly placed freckles across her pale cheeks. “Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah, we had Econ together last year.” She lifts her strawberry blond brow. “Dr. Farlow, remember?”
“That’s right.” She looks vaguely familiar, but we never spoke. “How’d you do in that class?”
“B plus. You?”
“A.”
She smiles sweetly. “Nice.”
“Killian’s never gotten a B in his life,” Theo pipes up from across the table. “He’s got a 158 IQ.”
Her eyebrows pop up to her hairline. “Is that true?”
A flash of warmth hits my cheeks.
“Fuck yeah, it’s true,” Ryder answers. “Too bad his decision-making is less than genius.”
I glare at the guy, grateful no one at the table asks questions about his verbal jab.