Fighting Fate (Fighting #7)(36)

She closes her eyes and nods.

“Finally something she won’t fight about,” I mumble.

“I’m tired of fighting.” The soft confession heavy with meaning falls from her lips and curls around my heart.

“Me too.”

She leans in and I catch her against my chest, wrapping her up so tight I have to be conscious not to crush her. This is all I’ve ever wanted, and tonight I’m going to finally make her mine.

Banging on the door snaps me from the warmth of our embrace. “No sex in the bathroom! Some of us have to pee!”

Axelle chuckles, and the sound knocks off some of the tension in my shoulders. I grab her hand, and the way hers grips mine back sends chills racing up my arm.

I open the door to a group of scowling girls, but by the time their eyes trace up my torso to my face, they’re smiling.

“We’re sorry.” I motion to the bathroom. “It’s all yours.”

I pull Axelle out behind me and find Ryder waiting at the end of the hallway with his date. She has her arms crossed and looks less than happy.

“Ry—”

“Thank f*ck.” He exhales hard. “You found her.”

“I’m taking Brynn home. I need you to stay with Ax until I get back.”

Axelle presses in close. “I don’t need a babysitter.”

“Like f*ck you don’t, woman!” Ryder snags her arm and pulls her in. “You’re a regular Houdini.” He grins at me. “I got her, dude. I’ll sit on her if I have to.”

“Alright.” I pull Axelle to me and press a kiss to her forehead before meeting her eyes. “Stay put. I’ll be right back.”

Ryder’s date glares at me so hard I can feel it, not that I blame her. She’s Brynn’s friend, and it’s only right that she’d be pissed on Brynn’s behalf. It’s time to straighten things out with my date.

I find her waiting at the door when I get there. “You ready?”

“Yeah.” She sounds disappointed, and I feel like shit about that.

Again, I should’ve listened to Ryder and laid out things before they got this far.

We head out to the Jeep and then to her place in silence. I’m formulating the gentlest way to let her down and coming up with nothing I’m proud of.

It’s not you; it’s me.

I’m in love with someone else.

I never even wanted to go out with you in the first place.

Yeah, we kissed, but I was thinking about someone else the whole time, so it doesn’t count.

It isn’t until we pull up to her complex and I move to get out to walk her to her door that she stops me with a warm hand on my forearm. “Don’t.”

I release the handle on my door and sit back. “Brynn, I’m gonna walk you to your door.”

She shakes her head and smiles sadly. “No, please don’t. That’ll just make me want you more than I already do, and I think it’s pretty clear that you’re not where I’m at.”

I stare out the windshield, and after a few seconds, I’m not able to come up with any excuse that won’t hurt her. I simply nod. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. You were forced into this. I should’ve seen it coming.”

“I kissed you; that was…misleading.”

She shrugs one shoulder. “Maybe. But it was the kiss that gave you away. All that desperation? I can see now you’d been holding onto that kiss for someone else.”

“I don’t know what to say.” I’m an ass.

“No need. I’m just glad I know now rather than months from now, ya know?”

“For what it’s worth, I think you’re a great girl.”

She laughs. “Thank you. I’m pretty sure those are the exact words my grandpa uses when complimenting me.”

“Shit, I’m so bad at this.” I rub my forehead.

“It’s okay. No hard feelings.” She opens the door and slides out. “I’ll see you at school.”

“Yeah, see ya.”

“And Killian? Just in case you don’t already know this, she’s into you too.”

My jaw falls loose and questions roar in my head, but she slams the door before I can pull myself together enough to ask.

Could she be right?

Is Axelle just as crazy about me as I am her?

I throw the Jeep in gear and peel out of the parking lot.

Only one way to find out.





Thirteen





Axelle





“I think your date hates me.”

Ryder slides a lazy gaze between me and his date, who’s stewing with a girlfriend across the room. “Eh…she’ll get over it.”

“Ouch. Remind me to warn the female population of your sensitivity.”

He shrugs and shoves his hands into the pockets of his dress pants. “What’s going on with you and Killian?”

“You don’t tiptoe around issues, do you?”

He lifts his eyebrows by way of reply.

“I love Killian.”

His eyebrows pop impossibly higher.

“Always have.”

“You think that might be something you should share with the guy? Put him out of his misery?”