The Vincent Boys (The Vincent Boys #1)(13)

“So, what, you can paw all over your cousin’s girlfriend and I just have to sit and take it?”

“I wasn’t pawing her. We were washing my truck. We’re friends, Nicole. She was my best friend growing up. Our being friends now is not a big deal and Sawyer’s okay with it. Ashton’s too good for me. She knows that. I know that. Sawyer knows that. You should know that.”

Nicole didn’t say anything. I started rinsing off the truck, hoping this conversation was over.

“But you like her.”

It didn’t sound like a question. More like a statement.

“Yes, Nicole. She’s my cousin’s girlfriend. She’s nice and kind and everything we aren’t. Everyone likes her. Everyone but you.”

“I mean you like her-like her. The way you were looking at her. You want her.”

There were a million things I wanted to say. But saying any of them would be a bad move. Keeping Nicole’s mouth shut was more important.

“She’s Sawyer’s girl.”

“Does that matter?” she shot back at me.

It did matter. It should matter. It had always mattered. My fist tightened on the hose in my hand and I suppressed the need to yell out how f**king unfair this was. I didn’t need Nicole questioning me. I had to deal with this shit on my own.

“You know it matters. Sawyer always matters.”

Chapter 5

Ashton

“Oh come on, it’ll be fun!” Leann assured me for the hundredth time.

I scowled at her back as she got out of the car. Somehow she’d managed to drag me to the Masons’ field. When she’d asked me to hang out with her tonight I’d thought she meant a movie and maybe shopping. I hadn’t thought she meant to bring me to the field. I stopped boring holes in her back and glanced over at Beau’s parked truck. I hadn’t heard from him since I’d left him and Nicole at his trailer. At first I’d expected him to text or call but after twenty-four hours I began to realize I wouldn’t be hearing from him. Nicole hadn’t seemed very happy about my being there. I should’ve expected this reaction.

“Come on, Ashton.” Leann opened my car door and smiled down at me. Her short, curly brown hair bounced as she waved her arm out toward the field.

“There’s a life outside of Sawyer Vincent. I swear there is,” she teased while adjusting her black-framed glasses that had slid down her nose. Only Leann could make glasses look chic.

“I know that.” She had no idea how much I knew that. “But coming to the field without Sawyer seems pointless. I mean, Noah will be here soon and I’ll be the third wheel.”

“Nonsense. Noah will be both our dates.” She flashed me a grin and pulled me into the clearing.

The bonfire and music were already pumping. The smell of burning pecan wood filled the night air. Different groups gathered around the lit-up clearing while some couples were already making their way into the privacy of the shadows inside the trees. I walked beside Leann, listening to her chatter on and on about the new truck Noah had bought. I’d been trying so hard to ignore my surroundings and everyone around me that I was caught by surprise when Leann sat down on a log and pulled me down beside her.

“Look who I pulled out of hiding,” Leann announced to the group.

“Ashton. She lives,” Ryan Mason called out from across the fire and attempted to strut over to us. His alcohol intake, however, made it appear more like a bad dance move.

“Missed that pretty face around here,” Ryan said teasingly as he motioned for Leann to move over so he could take her spot beside me. “I see how it is. You only come around when Saw’s here. No love for me.” He leaned toward me and leered. I could smell the beer on his breath and I knew he’d already consumed one too many. This was a typical Ryan reaction to drinking. He flirted with everyone.

“This is a couples’ kind of place and my other half isn’t around.” I forced the smile on my lips to stay in place. He slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me up against his side.

“I can fix that for ya, sweetheart. I’ll ditch the bitch I’m with if you promise to follow me out into those woods.”

I glanced over at Leann for assistance and all I got was a wild-eyed panicked expression. She began scanning the crowd. I knew she was searching for Noah to come to the rescue.

“Um, that’s okay, Ryan,” I said and started to stand up. I wasn’t fast enough because both his hands were on my waist and pulling me onto his lap before I could get away. My heart was racing and I fought the urge to scream.

“Let her go, Ryan. If Sawyer hears about this he’ll kill you.” Leann’s demand fell on deaf ears. Ryan chuckled and ran his hand up my leg. I slapped it away and struggled to stand up again.

“Sawyer’s not here,” he said, holding me firmly in place.

“Ryan, man, let her go,” Kyle Jacobson called out as he jogged over toward us. Luckily Ryan’s loud voice had caught Kyle’s attention. He reached out to take my hand and pull me up.

Ryan laughed. “I was just having some fun. She’s the only piece of hot ass I haven’t gotten any of in this town. Sawyer keeps her all to himself.”

Kyle squeezed my hand. “The only ass you need to be worried about is your own. Once Sawyer hears about this he’s gonna beat the shit outta ya.”