Call You Mine (Servite Academy)

Chapter Nineteen

DAMON

I could kill someone right now. That’s how damn crazy Wynter Servite has fucking made me.

I can’t get the taste of her out of my mouth. The absence of her intoxicating scent makes me feel like I can’t breathe. The sight of her naked body, perfect in every fucking way, is ingrained in my mind. I close my eyes and there she is, lying underneath me, her body writhing in pleasure as I fucked her the way I’d been dreaming of since the day she waltzed back through my door.

Beyond that, I’ve wanted to claim her since the first time I had her three years ago, yet I knew as much as I do now—knew she’d never be mine.

Wynter could ever belong to me. We’re from completely different worlds, even now that the roles have somewhat reversed, it’s almost as if we were born on different planets, in different realms, in alternate universes. I’ve said it so many times I’m bound to believe it at some point.

Yet it’s like every time I almost convince myself, there she is, making me believe in the possibility of beating all odds, of testing our destiny, challenging fate, and winning.

As much as I’ve tried, a girl like her is impossible to forget.

After what happened with Scarlett—when I became the possessive and controlling guy I hated—becoming Clarissa’s puppet and falling for her schemes when all she did was learn to prey on a weak man, I can’t lose myself again. And a woman like Wynter, she’s the kind of woman you get lost in. A wonder you can’t help getting consumed by. Mind, body, soul and whatever else exists.

From the first taste, I knew she was a drug I’d get dangerously addicted to if I indulged. The withdrawals I’d undergo would ruin me, forcing me to break my resolve and go in for hit after hit until it destroyed me.

Until I became nothing but a sick addict, a beggar who’d plead on my knees for my next high, or die trying.

Yet now here I am—falling into temptation—putting myself in danger by agreeing to be hers completely, even if it’s still only pretend.

The one thing that kept my dreams separate from reality was that I’d sworn to myself that I wouldn’t touch her. I’d already broken the rule so many times but I hadn’t fucked her and I was fooling myself into believing that would keep shit from crashing down before my feet.

But tonight, I made the mistake of testing fate and making my destiny. Friends with benefits—what a fucking cliche.

I pull up outside Kingsman Enterprises, unable to fathom staying in the same house as her. So I did what I do best when shit gets to real, I bolted. Grabbing an overnight bag I threw together before leaving, I lock my car and head upstairs to the apartment above the business I sometimes used to crash at when I was too tired or wasted to drive home after work. It’s been months since I’ve used it, but I know Clarissa keeps it stocked and clean since she sometimes uses it for the new recruits orientation.

Sounds fucked, and that’s because it is. Clarissa is anything if not an efficient boss, and that means she’s also in charge of quality control. No point in selling the goods if they’re damaged, which is where she comes in. All new recruits must go through her screening process first before she allows them to step foot in the field. Some would say she’s a sick woman though if she were a man, no one would bat an eyelash—at least that’s the way she sees it.

Tapping my key card on the scanner, I enter the apartment, a simple yet luxuriously modern two-bedroom space with impeccable views of downtown Galen Grove in the distance. The city lights gleam shedding light in through the floor-length windows, illuminating the otherwise dark apartment in a glimmer of neon lights. Even from here, perched up at the top of the building I can hear the city buzzing with avid partygoers.

It’s fucking tiresome.

Walking over toward the bar at the far end of the living room, I pour myself two fingers of bourbon, then step out onto the balcony, letting the low breeze cool the fire burning inside me. I feel as the flames earlier ignited by the sheer touch of bitter coldness waver. My Ice Princess, my Wynter.

How ironic that she, who was born to be a glacial, is actually a flaming inferno?

The sound of music, a soft hum in the distance goes silent when I hear high heels click as she settles beside me. God fucking dammit.

I should have known she’d be here.

Her hand slithers over my shoulder, slowly her fingers trail a line over my chest before I clasp my fingers around her wrist, so tight she yelps as my fingers dig into her flesh.

“Mmm,” she moans, a sickening sound I’ve grown to loathe. “Looks like Draco has come out to play tonight,” she says, calling me by the name she christened me with after recruiting me. But she’s so fucking wrong. I’m done playing her games.

Throwing the now empty glass in my hand off the balcony, I stand stoic as it shatters the moment it hits the pavement. Turning away from her without even acknowledging her presence, I head back inside the apartment, though she’s right behind me, not getting the fucking message. I don’t want to be around her.

“If I’d known you were here, I never would have come,” I growl, reaching for the bottle of bourbon and taking a long drink straight from it.

“You’ve always been impulsive,” she says, referring to the fact I just threw my empty glass off the balcony and have now come to drink from the bottle. At least I think that’s what she means, though she’s quick to clear the air. “I knew you wanted out, you made that perfectly clear, but for what? To go running into the arms of a girl so below your status. A mere spoiled brat who wouldn’t know how to appreciate what she has.”

That catches my attention, and I turn back to face her, anger burning inside me. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

The dimly lit room swallows us in as Clarissa struts over to the bar like some demon in a horror movie. Her eyes gleam in the darkness. She is the demon in my film. A vile and clingy monster who poisoned me to the point of no return.

She takes the bottle out of my hand, pouring herself a drink. Her dark green dress is skin tight, bearing an almost alarming amount of cleavage if you didn’t know her—all fake of course.

“I had dinner with my dearest friend, Willa Servite. You see she had some very enlightening news. Apparently her daughter has a new man in her life. A man Willa never would have approved of, not sure it would even matter if she did. However, a man that is now wealthier than even the Servite’s.”

“Cut the bullshit Clarissa, what do you want? You have no right over me, despite the bullshit in your head you’ve made up to convince yourself otherwise. So you sure as fuck have no say in who I do or don’t date.”

Her face contorts, an equally furious and embarrassed expression highlighting those thin lines she pays so much to prevent. “You're right,” she says, running her finger over my chest, her nails digging into the small patch of skin visible beneath the collar of my unbuttoned dress shirt. “Doesn’t mean I don’t get jealous. I worry about you, Draco.”

A sharp laugh escapes me at the fucking bullshit lies this woman spews. The audacity to come at me with some fake sense of care. She’s never given a goddamn about me or anyone for that matter. She saw me as a business opportunity the day she walked into the casino and found me, broken and helpless.

Clarissa saw a way to get what she wanted and make a fucking fortune while doing so. I was a piece of meat she hung in her shop for her friends to salivate over, feasting on me herself before she passed me around like I was some disposable toy.

Sure I was a willing participant in all of this but is it really willing when you agree out of desperation. Because I saw no other way out of my fucked-up misery than taking a bone from the bitch who held it out to me, of course not without consequence.

She used me—again I was willing—but it fucked me up in more ways than one.

And now I’m here, standing across from her, running from my problems. Running from a woman who could be my entire happiness, all because I don’t believe I deserve a goddamn thing.

Though Clarissa’s not to blame. I’ve done this all on my own.

Clutching her wrist tightly in my hand, I yank it off of me, pushing it into her chest. She winces slightly, and I know I’m possibly being too harsh on her—I’m not a man who’d ever physically hurt a woman—but I can’t get myself to release her. “You’re out of your goddamn mind if you think this,” I say, pointing between us, “Ends in any other way than with me buying you out.”

“Oh my dear boy, you really think she’d still want you once she figures out who you really are?” she mocks, though little does she know, Wynter knows all about Kingsman and my part in it. At least some of my part, though she doesn’t know about my agreement with Clarissa. An agreement I destroyed yet taken part in thus far.

I’ll admit I am afraid of what Wynter would think of me if she ever discovered the contract Clarissa offered and set between us, and if the look on her face is anything to go by, Clarissa damn well knows it

“Whatever happens between Wynter and I is none of your fucking business. Let me tell you this once more, and for the last time. Sell me your shares of Kingsman or prepare yourself to buy mine back cause I want nothing more to do with you.” I release her though not before making sure she knows exactly how serious I am about what I’ve said. I should have never become her business partner, but I wanted out of her clutches so I figured it would be easier than trying to rid myself of her completely.

This was all before Wynter showed up in my life once again. Had she arrived on my doorstep any earlier, I would have told Clarissa exactly here to shove her company and all of it. But now, I either want her out, or I’m willing to leave it all behind.

Clarissa’s tight smile curves upward, and the bitch suddenly starts laughing. What the fuck is she thinking? “We’ll see,” she says, leaning forward and placing a kiss against my bottom lip. Of course I move in time, but her mouth grazes the side of my jaw, and a wave of nausea rushes through me.

God, I fucking hate the bitch for everything we’ve done together. It’s never made me sick to my stomach to think about it before, not when it was something I convinced myself I not only wanted but needed.

She’s always been incredibly attractive despite our nearly twenty-year age gap, but right now as she struts away from me, I can’t stomach even looking at myself in the mirror.

Despite how I was brought into Kingsman, I’ve accomplished transforming the business into something not even Clarissa could have ever imagined. I was the face of Kingsman and I damn well deserved to reap every single benefit.

Although my pride won’t let me walk away from something I’ve achieved by my own merits, for Wynter, I’d walk away from it all. And that is a fucking terrifying truth I’m not ready to accept.

Walking in the Silver Wolf is supposed to be an escape. Though tonight it seems I won’t be catching a break. The bar is packed as usual, thanks to the live music set Jade added in on the weekends. Leave it to my friends to open a bar you can barely move in much less unwind. I knew I shouldn’t have come here, but there was really nowhere else I could go. Unwinding after a long day of work usually meant me going home, serving myself a glass of whiskey, and sitting in silence in my office or out on the balcony of my bedroom. But now, home is where she was, and I couldn’t face her, not yet. Not when I was still trying to process everything.

She was supposed to be off tonight. I’d checked with Jade earlier today and she mentioned giving her the night off since she was still a little shaken up about what happened yesterday. I haven't responded to any texts from Wynter—not any of the thirteen she’d sent since last night or the one from an hour ago where she asked if I was coming home because she was planning on cooking dinner and wanted to know if I was allergic to anything.

Fuck me. Coming home to her in a fucking apron and nothing else as she cooked me dinner was a fucking fantasy I needed to see through at some point.

Wynter Servite was offering to cook me dinner—something I’m one hundred percent sure she’s never done before—and instead here I was, alone at a bar, ready to drink away my woes about what it all meant instead of taking advantage of the fact she wanted to be mine.

I was acting like a fucking chick.

I bypass the huge fucker they hired on as head security for the bar and head over toward the row of tables right in front of the counter. My gaze drifts around the room like it’s searching for something to cling to until my eyes collide with a perfect round ass in cutoff shorts that leave nothing to the imagination. They may as well be a denim thong with the amount of coverage they offer, worse than any of the ones she’s ever worn around the house. My hands fist at my side as anger builds inside of me, my jaw clenching as I watch her move about behind the bar.

What the fuck is she doing here tonight? And what the hell was Jade thinking of when she hired her on?

For one, Jade probably figured the white-haired babe with a killer body wearing a smidge of clothing would sell drinks like there’s no fucking tomorrow. Especially given she’s got the whole Targaryen vibe going for her which seems to be the craze right now. Smart business but a stupid fucking move if you ask me. Not when the girl is supposed to be mine.

As if she can sense me watching her, Wynter looks over her shoulder and meets my gaze. Her icy blue eyes gleam in the dim lighting of the place, while her lips quirk up into a wicked smirk that soon fades when she realizes it’s me.

Then again, what the fuck did I expect. I walked out on her last night, not the other way around.

Knowing damn well she’s asking for another fucking spanking by wearing those miniscule shorts out in public, she quickly makes her way back to the bar to fill the order she just took from the table to my left.

The girl mesmerizes me with the sinful swaying of her hips as she disappears behind the counter. Looking over her shoulder every so often, she gazes up at me between thick lashes, innocently laughing with the other employee currently behind the bar. Jealousy vibrates within me as I watch him place a hand on the small of her back as he scoots behind her. His hands, he’s just begging to fucking loose them. She purposely pushes her ass back into him knowing I haven’t taken my eyes off of her for a second.

The fucker has the audacity to blush as he realizes what she’s done, probably thinking she’s giving him the green light go ahead. He better not think of acting on any of it or it’s going to be my foot against his cock.

Shaking my head at her obvious attempt at making me jealous, I decide to take a seat at the far end of the bar away from her and that taunting little ass. I might as well be wearing a don’t fuck with me sign when I wave away the chick offering to buy me a drink. I give her a grunt that would scare most men and she squeals hurrying away back to her group of friends who most likely dared her to come over and get my number.

What can I say I’m in a shit mood after last night. Not only because I fucked Wynter and I now know there is no way I’m ever stopping, but having to deal with Clarissa has become a fucking nightmare. I should have expected this when I accepted her offer years ago.

Even now as I’ve offered time and time again, to pay her double of what the company is worth to buy out her share of Kingsman she’s giving me the fucking runaround.

At first, I had to learn to deal with the guilt of what I did. The people I worked for had only one goal in life—to do anything and everything possible for personal gain which I respected but soon realized it meant demoralizing others to do so. By this time last year I was more fed up with the bullshit than the scandalized nature of my work, because lets be fucking real I wouldn’t have ever agreed if it were something I couldn’t live with.

Nights like tonight, remind me why I sometimes dream of walking away from it all. I don’t need Kingsman, and I definitely don’t need Clarissa, but something about how far I’ve come within this company has a chokehold on me. Then again, I’m reminded of the vipers who live in this world and it makes me want to leave it all behind. To make something of myself without her influence and connections. I could wipe my ass with Benjamins now yet I still wouldn’t treat people the way she does.

The way everyone in this fucking town does.

I may have just as much money as them now, but we are in no fucking way the same. A poor, pathetic, parentless and troubled punk like me is worth a hell of a lot more than the lot of them combined.

A glass filled with amber liquid lands in front of me, splashing against the rim before a drop falls onto the counter. My mouth waters as I imagine the burn I crave rushing down my esophagus, numbing the heat inside me. I don’t need to see her taunting blue eyes stare back at me to know that Wynter just served me. No, her trademark lipstick is stained on the rim of my glass. The same lipstick I fantasized about last night, dreaming the pretty shade of red was marked around my cock.

A smile creeps along my lips. This girl fucking girl…I made one joke the last time I was here ordering a whiskey neat after I pissed her the fuck off and I’ll probably never get a clean glass from her ever again. I’d asked her if she’d poisoned it, and she took a long swig to prove she hadn't before spitting the liquor back into the glass and handing it back to me. I drank it of course, right in front of her and her eyes went wide in disbelief.

That was the relationship we used to have. The games, the teasing, the toying with one another. Why was it that now, everything felt different.

“A little early to be done with work, no?” she asks innocently like I don't see the jealousy just ebbing to break out. After I walked out on us, claiming I had to go to work, I immediately noticed how her mood shifted and she seemed hurt by my decision to leave.

Now she’s here trying to seem unaffected by the fact I came into her room, came inside of her, and walked out like it meant nothing. “Eh, the night was dull, and I headed out. My services were no longer needed,” I say, teasing her with the idea that I still am a working employee when I now remain locked in an office rather than out in the field.

Her mouth tightens into a fine line but she tries her best to play it off. “And what exactly were the services you were offering tonight?” she asks, trying to seem as uninterested as possible but it’s a total fail. I can see the jealousy in her eyes, the need to know if I was fucking somebody else right after I’d fucked her.

Not that I ever fucked any of my clients, but she doesn’t know that.

Friends with benefits, that’s what she’d called it, that’s what we’d agreed to. On top of the contract to be her boyfriend to fool her mom and stop her from trying to marry her off to some old rich fucker, we’d agreed to fuck each other without the added stress of an actual relationship.

We didn’t go into specifics, but I’d assume she believed it would mean not fucking anyone else while this little game of hers ran its course. The thought of Wynter being anywhere near another man makes my blood boil. I must give my thoughts away because her expression suddenly shifts, and she’s staring at me with a look of fear written in her gaze.

“Aaah, Princess, wouldn’t you like to know,” I tease. “Maybe I’ll show you when we get home.” I wink at her just to fuck with her and am totally please with a tinge of pink creeps up her neck and teases her cheeks.

But the fierce woman in her surprises me yet again with what she says next. “I think I’ll pass on some old bitches sloppy seconds tonight,” she bites back with sass then walks away to take her next order.

I think I could make a full-time job of pissing off Wynter without really putting in much effort. The girl is as flammable as the delicious perfume she wears and I can rile her up to fight me as quickly as I can get her panties soaked and in my pocket after riding my face.

I throw back the drink in one gulp and then motion for the other bartender to bring me another one. Though before he can, I see one of the bar patrons down at the end of the counter, leaning against the bar top as he reaches for Wynter. Wynter leans back, trying to brush off the way the fucker’s hand slightly grazes her waist. The way his eyes roam over her body sickens me and I’m ready to drag the fucker off her by his neck when Jade suddenly slips in front of my and refills my glass.

My best friend's gaze lands on the red lipstick stain along the rim of the glass I have clenched in my hand and laughs when my shoulders grow stiff, my face growing red in anger.

“You know when you first showed up with the Ice Princess on your arm at Stella’s wedding, I honestly had thought you’d gone mad.”

I want to laugh at the bizarreness of it but I can’t get the sight of the asshole touching Wynter from my mind. I try to move around Jade, but when I look behind her, I notice her burly security guard is currently dragging the fucker out by his arm. I look back at Jade who smirks knowingly.

“I was watching you watch her and when the drunk asshole dared touch her, I knew it was either throw him out or I’d have the cops in here asking questions when you killed the fucker with your bare hands.”

I nod in agreement, accepting that is exactly what would have happened had she not stopped me from going over there myself.

“Back to what I was saying,” she says, reaching over the counter and pouring me another drink before taking a seat beside me. “I definitely thought you were doing it all just to fuck with Ace. I mean, why else would you show up to your best friend's wedding with your ex-girlfriend's, husband’s sister as your date.”

I can’t hold back the sharp chuckle that leaves me at the way Jade’s made it all seem. “When you put it that way it seems way more sinister than it was.”

Jade nods, looking back at Wynter who’s brushed off the whole incident and is chatting up a group of girls taking celebratory shots, one of them wearing a small crown and sparkly pink sash over her chest. “Yeah, I can see that now. The two of you are a perfect match. The girl doesn’t cower down to your alpha nature and that dark and possessive aura you give off. She meets you with one just as troubled and that my friend, is when you know shits deep. The two of you remind me of Sebastian and me.”

I roll my eyes at her and her blatant confusion on the matter, taking a sip of the drink in front of me. I let out a low grunt. “Don’t start Jade, we’re just fucking around. It’s not that serious.”

Jade scoffs, yanking the glass from my hand and taking a sip herself. “Bullshit Drake, I know the look of a woman in love, and that’s exactly what she’s giving off. And you my friend, let’s just say in the years I’ve known you, I’ve never seen that look on your face. Hell, I didn't think your face could smile as much as it has tonight, as you’ve watched her move around the room.”

My throat tightens at Jade’s admission. That can’t be right. Wynter can’t be catching feelings for me when she knows this is all a game. Though as I say it to myself, I remember what she told me yet I was too distracted by her sexy as fuck naked body lying before me to pay attention.

“If at the end of this you want it all to remain just a fake ploy to fool my mother, that’s all it will ever be.”

Well shit, does this mean she wants this to be real? Is she planning on convincing me it’s what I want too? Do I want that?

Because according to Jade, I’m already there.

“And that right there my friend,” she says, eyeing the quizzical look on my face as I try to imagine what any of that would be like. “Is the face of a man who’s just figured out he’s in deep.”

Once Jade retreats, excusing herself when some new girl she hired comes over and asks where the extra bottles of Macallan are stashed, I order yet another drink, taking my time with this one as I go back to watching Wynter in her element. The woman is mesmerizing as she parades around the room with a dazzling smile on her face and a bright gleam in her eyes like she’s having the time of her life.

I never would have expected to see her like this, serving others when she’s spent her whole life being served and taken care of. But it’s like she was born for it. The patrons love her, the other employees come to her for answers, and here I am, fucking avoiding her when I should be worshipping the ground she walks on. She’s a fucking goddess.

Wynter’s hair is tucked back in a messy updo, soft tendrils of hair peeking out of a woven braid she wears like a crown. The woman is sophistication and class currently wrapped in a bartender’s uniform of cropped tee and short as fuck shorts. She has slightly more makeup on than usual, a darker shadow around her eyes makes the icy blue of her irises practically glow. On her lips, the signature red color I love and ache to feel against my lips. Fuck I love kissing her, I could do it all night long.

“What the fuck?” I curse to myself when some asshole wearing a delivery driver’s uniform, walks over to where she stands taking an order at one of the bar tables, and places a hand on the small of her back.

Her gaze flickers back and forth between him and the small package in his hands. From here I can barely make out what it is, all I can see is a black box with a red bow, nothing that looks like it was delivered to the bar. No, this seems personal and I want to know who the fuck this guy who gave it to her is.

Wynter’s panicked eyes immediately search for mine when she feels me watching her. Stepping back from the douche she tries her best to remain courteous to the man who has obviously made her feel uneasy, though just as I am about to get up and yank the bastard away from her, I feel a hand on my shoulder.

“Well Bass, it looks like you let just about anyone into this bar now,” Ace says as he walks up behind me. His fingers dig into the sore muscles of my shoulder, the ones I spent hours working out last night when I let Wynter believe I was burning off steam fucking someone.

“What can I get you two?” Wynter asks, coming out of nowhere and sliding by her brother, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. When the fuck did these two make up?

I look around trying to find the asshole that thought he could lay a hand on my girl but he’s nowhere to be found. Neither is the package in her hands.

This is no fucking coincidence and I’m sick and tired of being in the dark. I’ll have to get someone to look into the messages and packages she keeps receiving that keep putting her on edge. If she won’t tell me what the fucks going on, I’ll have to take matters into my own hands and figure it out.

“It’s good to see you too, little sis.” Wynter rolls her eyes, playfully brushing her brother off, but her entire demeanor changes when she notices Ace’s hand upon my shoulder in a less than friendly way. I’m not threatened by him, although the move was done for just that. For me to feel threatened to fuck with his sister and find out what he’s capable of.

He’s a fucking novice compared to the men I’ve had to deal with in my life.

Wynter stands with her hand on her jutted-out hip, her other pointing back and forth between the two of us. “You know I really hope I don’t have to have either of you escorted out by Big Sal tonight for causing trouble. The man adores me and he’ll easily take you out if I ask for it.”

I can’t help but glare at her and the knowledge that the asshole has a thing for her. I knew there was something about him I didn’t like. I look back toward the exit and find the asshole staring right at us, a fearsome scowl on his burly face. Big Sal isn’t the ugliest looking fucker out there I’m sure but he’s damn close if you ask me.

I’m surprised he doesn’t seem to be as alert as usual and is wasting his time watching us when he should be watching the floor. It’s not incredibly packed tonight, although Saturdays are the busiest nights. Maybe he feels we’re the closest bet at any action happening tonight.

There’s been some underground activity in the city in recent weeks. Since Wesley Servite’s death and Stephan Silver’s arrest—the two former kingpins of Hillcrest Hills—the city and those surrounding it fell into a wave of uncertainty. Who was going to come out on top? Every empire—corrupt or not—requires a head and when the two heads of the monster were cut off, well the beast ran wild with no direction.

The gangs in the nearby area, one of them being The Cobras who were now under the command of my best friend Kai, tried their best to cut all ties with all other organizations in the area. One of those being The Order, the leading gang on this side of the city. They’d been quiet for some time, but that was never a good sign. Things seemed to have ended cordially between everyone since but there’s been buzz around lately of something else brewing.

I’ve tried my best to stay out of it all after dabbling in the criminal underground scene here when I first arrived but it’s no secret to anyone that there are people waiting for Ace to take the reins of his father’s fallen empire and rebuild it into something stronger and more powerful. Though I don’t see him ever taking on that job. The rivalry between Servite and me isn’t exactly a secret—not that Big Sal or anyone outside our circle of friends has any reason to know what it’s about—but I know Ace well enough to know that his family comes first and getting back into his old world would put all of them at risk.

“There will be no trouble,” I assure her, though if the bastard doesn’t take his hand off me, I won’t be able to keep that promise and Big Sal will have a fun night after all.

Ace steps back slightly and instead moves in closer to his sister.

“We were just stopping by to pick Jade up before heading over to the house,” Bass says, looking around the room for his fiancée.

Ace nods. “Scarlett’s making us have a family dinner tonight. She swears everyone has been too busy lately and we have to get back together. Apparently, living next door to your sister and best friend isn’t enough.”

“It’s just the hormones,” Jade says, as she comes over to us. She immediately throws her arms around Bass’s neck, something she does every single time she sees him. She kisses him before turning back to us. “Trust me as soon as she pops that baby out, the last thing she’s going to want is to be hosting family dinners.” I laugh, and Jade looks over at me then back at Wynter who looks pretty uncomfortable with the conversation. “You two should join us,” Jade says, and Wynter must see the utter look of fear on my face because she quickly sweeps into the rescue.

“Thanks but Damon and I actually have plans after I get off tonight.” We do? I don't remember making any plans with Wynter. No, on the contrary, I’ve been avoiding her and hanging out with her alone tonight is the last thing I should do. But I can’t get myself to accept Jade’s offer either, and end up spending the night interrogated by her and Scarlett, so I just go along with Wynter’s lie.

“Yeah, we’ll have to just wait for the next one,” I agree.

Jade nods, accepting our refusal of her invitation. “Oh trust me girl, when Sebastian and I started dating, the last thing I wanted was to be around other people, if you get what I mean,” she says winking at Wynter.

“For fucks sake, Jade,” Ace groans. “Can you not insinuate anything of that nature is occurring between my sister and him?”

“You mean that Damon and I aren’t fucking each other like animals every night?” Wynter says all too innocently, loving the way it makes both her brother and I squirm.

“Fuck me,” I groan, dropping my face between my hands.

“Alright you to, stop stirring up drama,” Bass says. “You know these two are just as equally temperamental.”

Jade laughs, enjoying this way too much. I swear I need a new best friend. “Anyway, we’re having a little party for Stella and Ember in two weeks. Since we weren’t able to have a proper baby shower for Stella, we decided now that Ember is doing better, it’s the perfect time to have a little welcome home party for them. You two have to come to that.”

“Of course, we’ll be there,” Wynter accepts before I can say I’m busy whatever day that is. “I was actually asking Bass yesterday how they were doing. I’ve been meaning to reach out to Stella but you know, that’s just a little awkward coming from me.”

“Trust me Wyn,” Ace tells his sister. “Stella is the one person who’s been in your corner after everything. Even after all this time you were gone. She’s quick to forgive and forget.”

I feel a sharp stab in my chest at Ace’s insinuation that Wynter has anything to apologize for. “Wynter has nothing to apologize for. Not to you, nor Stella, nor anyone,” I blurt out, unsure why I’m so riled up by his comment.

Ace’s eyes go wide in surprise, surprised by my comment. “That’s not what I meant…” Ace says, but I quickly interrupt him and continue my rant.

“It’s not her fault she was left to deal with the shame and consequences after everything that happened to your family. If she left, it was only because she couldn’t bear the embarrassment of what staying here entailed. She lost her family, her friends, her status. On top of that her brother was too wrapped up in his own life to even ask if she was okay.”

“Damon, please,” Wynter begs, asking me to stop now that everyone around us has turned to stare.

Anger blares in Ace’s eyes at my insinuation that he didn’t care enough about his sister to wonder why she’d run away the way she had. “Look man, I don’t need your opinion of this. It doesn’t fucking concern you.”

I stand, coming forth to meet his angry stance, and instead of coming between us, Bass actually steps back. “It concerns me if it’s about my girlfriend. Or have you forgotten Wynter is mine?”

“Oh trust me, he has not forgotten,” Bass says jokingly, but no one is in the mood to laugh.

“Boys, why don’t we get going and Wynter here can take the night off early,” Jade says, trying to diffuse the tension. “I only called you into work to cover for me, but I just hired two new girls who can easily close tonight with Jeremy.”

Wynter eyes me angrily though I have no idea what the hell I did wrong. I stood up for her and I’m the one getting the cold shoulder.

“It’s fine Jade, I can close. I already left early yesterday.”

“Yes, but the two of you have plans. Plans you probably already had, and I just assumed you’d be available to cover tonight. Go out, have fun, get into some trouble if you know what I mean,” she says, winking at her. Jade then walks over to me and throws her arm around my shoulder, leaning in to place a kiss on my cheek as she speaks to Wyn. “The twins have been begging us for a baby sister, but who knows, maybe they’d settle for a little cousin.”

Ace and I simultaneously spat out our drinks, both nearly choking after Jade’s comment and all it does is make her laugh hysterically. Wynter joins in on the fun, laughing along with her and brushing it off like what Jade said isn’t a big deal.

“Trust me Jade,” Wynter says, her gaze connecting with mine. It’s like no one else in the room exists when she looks at me. Like the world goes black, silent, and all I see and hear is her. “Damon knows exactly the trouble I like to get into.”