Sicko(13)

“Said what, Matty?” My patience is running thin. I can feel my frustration wavering and my muscles tighten.

“He said that as soon as Royce is away that he’s going to put his dick so deep inside you that you will never want Royce again.”

I still, my mouth agape. “And?”

Matty’s baby blues slide between Sloane and me. “And what? And that’s what he said, so Royce lost it. His hand went to his throat, he was straight-up choking him out. He lifted Chambers off the ground with one hand, Jade. One fucking hand. Our linebacker. With one hand.”

“Yeah, yeah, I heard you, one hand. Then what happened?” My foot is tapping furiously, because I’m not one bit convinced that what Chambers said warranted Royce almost losing his life. In fact, I’m even more angry than I was before I got here. There better be something else.

“There’s nothing else. He choked him until Chambers went purple, and then Chambers pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the stomach. We all scattered after that.”

I sink backward, dropping down onto the steps with my face buried in my hands.

“Why is he like this?”

“Why?” Matty gasps with wide eyes, seemingly stunned by my question. As if I should know why, or that the answer is obvious. “Aside from the fact that he’s your brother, are you blind?”

I shake my head, swiping the tears off my cheeks. “What do you mean ‘am I blind’? He could have died. All for what?” I turn, facing Matty. My lips tremble as I swipe my runny nose. “To protect my virtue?”

Sloane pats my hair. “I know you don’t want to hear this right now, but those boys—especially Royce, put you on a pedestal so high that no one and nothing can touch you.” A sharp ringing sound stings my eardrums as the realization of her words touch me. I should start pulling away from Royce, to save him from making this same mistake again. He’s not smart when it comes to me. He’s irrational, impetuous, and borderline psychotic, but even as I think those words, I know that I can’t give him what he needs. That may be selfish of me, but I just can’t. Not right now.

Matty’s arm hooks around my neck, pulling me in closer. “I heard that Chambers is in the slammer, his old man is refusing to bail him out.”

“He was always a good man,” I sob. Chamber’s father is the coach of our football team. He’s the good kind. Not sure what happened to Chambers.

I stand from the steps and make my way back to Royce’s car. “Thanks, Matty,” I call out, opening the door. I had plans to go see Chambers, but with him in a jail cell, I think I’ll sleep easy tonight.

“Anytime. Hey, Jade?” he calls out, leaning against the porch railing. “I know this is shit timing, but it’s my birthday in two Saturdays, not sure if you remember—”

I offer him a small smile. “I do.”

His eyes widen in shock momentarily. I instantly want to smack myself for giving him any kind of hope. I have to be careful when it comes to boys. If I move forward with someone, it has to be worth being on the receiving end of Royce’s wrath. Matty just isn’t.

“Anyway, I’m having a party, we’re all hitting the slopes. Think you’ll be keen? Of course, with your entourage.”

I squeeze the door handle. Not a chance. “Sure, I’ll think about it and see how Royce is feeling.”

“Of course.” He winks. “See ya, Sloane.” He waves us both off and we slip back inside the car.

“God, he’s so nice. Why can’t all guys be like Matty?” Sloane relaxes into her seat.

“Probably because we wouldn’t be interested.”

We both burst out laughing as I drive us back to my house.





“Royce…” I whine. “You can’t be out here. You have to be in the house.” My palm works furiously over my body, rubbing slick oil over my skin.

“She’s right, you stubborn fuck.” Storm pushes down his glasses over his nose, pausing his typing for a few seconds to glare at Royce.

“It’s been eleven days. Fuck off.” He and I still haven’t spoken much about what happened at the party. Not about what happened just before, when he wanted me to go back on the boat with him, and not about what happened after. It has been tough, because I for one have noticed the shift in Royce. He’s become a little more on edge. Not just with me, but with everyone.

“You know Matty’s party is something you should take him up on, Jade!” Sloane says innocently, tilting her head up to the sun while baking her already tanned skin.

“What?” Storm snaps before Royce can even get a word in.

Sloane must have just realized what she had said because her fingers flex and her lips curl between her teeth. “Oh, um…” Or she did it on purpose.

I roll my eyes, just as my phone dings beside my water bottle. I pick it up, opening the message from India.

India: Hey girl, I hope your brother is holding up okay.

I send off a text saying he’s back to his asshole-ish self and set it back to the ground.

When my eyes meet Royce’s, he’s glaring at me with cold, distant ones and raised brows.

“What’d I do now?” I say, already knowing I’m in trouble. “That was India.”

Royce flips me off. “Not what I’m talking about and you fucking know it.”