Derek, her boyfriend, gave me a polite nod as he ushered his girlfriend up the stairs. Jamie slapped him on the ass when they moved past, but Derek didn’t react. It must’ve been a common thing among this group of friends, so at one in the morning, I was left alone with Cord and Jamie. A box of wine had been opened and left on the table, alongside three opened boxes of pizza.

That was when Jesse returned home.

His headlights were visible as he pulled inside his own garage. Doors were heard and it wasn’t long until the basement door was shoved open and he came through.

Jamie lifted his hand in the air. “My man! Where the hell have you been all night?”

Jesse’s eyes flashed to mine, pinning me in place, but he turned to his roommate. He shrugged, grabbing a glass from the kitchen before he took a seat at the table, across from me. He said to Jamie, “Out and about.”

Jamie’s head bobbed up and down. “Cool. Get laid?”

I lowered my gaze to my book, but I felt his gaze on me, burning into the top of my head when he murmured, “You could say that.”

“You always get the best ass too,” Jamie grumbled, lifting his hand in the air. “Pound it, Hunt. You’re my hero.”

I heard the fists meeting before Jesse replied, “You’re slow in the head, Striker. What’s your deal tonight?”

Cord snickered behind his laptop. “Tiffany was here all night. Jamie’s going through withdrawals.”

“She never puts out. Is that what marriage is going to be like? Never having sex? It’s been since the end of sophomore year, five months of abstinence.”

“From her.”

“So what? The other girls are good, but Tiffany’s talented in bed. You don’t know.” A long pregnant pause. “Right? You don’t know, right?”

Cord dissolved in more laughter. “He thinks you laid his wife.”

Jesse’s tone was dry. “I’ve never touched Tiffany. You’re safe.”

“Oh good.” Jamie’s relief was strong. “Cause I know she’d do you if she could.”

“I’m not interested.”

“Yeah, but you might one day. Can you refrain on that day, please?”

Cord spoke up, “Dude, why do you care? You get laid every night Tiffany’s not around.”

“I don’t know,” he grumbled. “I don’t love them. I love her.”

“Are you asking me to stay away from your girlfriend? If this wasn’t so entertaining, I’d be pissed at the insult. I don’t touch my friends’ girls.”

“No, but friends’ sisters are another thing,” Cord piped in.

I slapped my book shut and glared at him. Fury like I hadn’t felt in a while scorched me. I wanted to lunge across the table and wrap my hands around his neck.

“Tatum,” Jesse snapped.

Jamie’s eyes went wide. His mouth formed an O as he sensed the sudden shift in the room. It’d been easygoing with undertones of tension, but that tension was loud and clear now. It rose to the top and there was no going back.

His eyes darted around the table. “What’s going on?”

“Take that back.” Jesse spoke to Cord, but his eyes caught mine. His head moved in the tiniest of shakes. He wanted me to stand down. Fuck that. My gaze was simmering at Cord, a whole host of anger rose in me, anger that probably had nothing to do with him, but I was bursting to let it out. I needed to let it out.

Jesse’s eyes narrowed. He saw I was nearing my end. “Jamie, take the girl out.”

“What? Why?”

“Because,” he clipped out, “no stranger should know this shit about me. Take her home.”

“No way. I don’t even like her.”

“Take her home!” Jesse shouted now.

Jamie’s mouth closed with a thud and he shoved back his chair. Flicking an impatient hand at me, he shot Jesse a dark look. “Come on, girl. Let’s go.”

I didn’t go. I didn’t even move.

“Hey! You!” Jamie grabbed a hold of my arm.

The contact sent me in motion. I lunged for Cord, needing to hurt someone. Before my hands touched him, I was caught in the air. Jamie wrestled me down, but I gave it my all. Kicking, hitting, punching, I didn’t care if I was hurting him. I needed to get at Cord. He had opened a can of worms that he shouldn’t have.

“Fuck, bitch.”

“Here.” Jesse’s arms slid around me. I was transferred to him and he wrapped his arms tight as he murmured for my ears only, “Stop it. Stop it, Alex. Jamie will start wondering. Calm down.”

I bucked at him, trying to get free. Rage like no other was clawing to get out of my chest. It was seething up and down, my breathing labored. The need for vengeance had overtaken me.

“Her name’s Alex,” Cord spoke, startled as he backed away from the table.

“Alex,” Jesse spoke again. “Alex, calm down.”

“The girl’s a whack job. We should kick her out of the group. Fuck this. I’ll call the professor tomorrow.”

“Jamie, shut up.” Jesse’s arms had an ironclad hold over me. He started to carry me from the room and spoke over his shoulder, “Cut her some slack. Being in a room with you, I’d snap too.”

“Ha ha. Not funny, Hunt.” As Jesse started up the stairs, he called after him, “Where are you going?”

But he wasn’t listening and I was carried all the way to the second floor. He kissed my temple, whispering, “Calm down. Don’t wake up Tiffany.”

I tried. I really did and managed enough so I stood on my feet now, still encircled by him, with my chest heaving up and down. He knocked softly on a door. When it opened, Derek was there in boxers and shirtless. He rubbed at his eyes, his hair sticking in the air. When he took us in, his eyes lurched awake and he stepped through, closing the door behind him. He asked, a low murmur, “What’s going on?”

“I need the codes for the backdoor from Kara. I have to take her girl home.”

Derek frowned. “Why you?”

“She flipped out on Cord.”

“Oh.” He nodded in understanding, going back inside.

I thought it was funny that Jamie wasn’t brought up. A giggle started in my gut and worked its way up my throat. It was loud and nearing hysteria by the time I let it loose. Jesse hushed me, clamping a hand over my mouth, and turned me into him so my head was pressed against his side. My shoulders continued to shake as the laughter boiled from me. I was unable to stop it, not anymore, and I scraped my teeth against his chest, through his shirt, before biting down on his nipple.