Young Love Dies Hard: The Young Brothers, Book 1 by Nikki Lane (old books to read txt) 📗

but that was, like, twenty minutes ago,” Jacob said.

I gestured to my new friend. “I’ve been talking to…”

“David.”

“Yes, David. Jacob, this is David.”

David offered his hand and Jacob shook it.

“And that’s Taylor,” I said.

She smiled and waved. She gave my low-scooped top and fitted jeans ensemble a onceover and then adjusted her own shirt.

“What’s up?” I asked Jacob.

“Are you ready to go, or do you want to hang out here a little longer?”

“I’m ready when you are.” I couldn’t get home fast enough.

He leaned in close to my ear. God…I hated how much I loved the feeling of his mouth close to my body.

“Do you mind if I leave with Taylor?”

My stomach dropped to my knees. I knew this was coming. But still. Nothing could have prepared me for the feeling. It was like getting run over by a freight train.

“Okay.” I barely got the word out.

He gave me a small smile. “I can drop you off at the apartment.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

Taylor butted her shoulder against Jacob. “We can take my car,” she said, peering up at him.

Jacob looked to me. “What are you going to do?”

I shrugged. “I’m hanging out with David.”

David smiled, seemingly unsuspecting that I had no intention of sticking around once Jacob and Taylor were gone.

Jacob hesitated with his response. “Are you sure?”

I couldn’t keep my leg from shaking. “Yeah. Go. I’ll catch up with you later.”

He muttered some kind of goodbye to David and handed me the keys to my car. I watched with a heavy heart as he walked out with Taylor.

I sat, not moving a limb, still unable to process what had just happened.

David finished the rest of his beer in one shot. “So, you up for going someplace quieter?”

Jacob and Taylor were gone, but I was still staring out into the crowd. A deep pain burned in my gut and then flared throughout my body. I looked back at David. I didn’t want to do this. Not with this stranger sitting next to me. I shot out of my seat.

“I can’t. Sorry.”

He opened his mouth to speak, but I didn’t hang around to hear what he had to say. I didn’t care. If I ran, I might have been able to still catch Jacob and Taylor in the parking lot.

I pushed through the crowd, trying not to trip over my heels. The room seemed never-ending as I weaved through people. I finally made it to the front doors and outside. The cold air smacked the heat off my cheeks. I crossed my arms and trotted to the parking lot, turning my head in every direction.

Shit. This would have been so much easier if I knew what kind of car Taylor drove. I suspected it was pink.

I walked deeper into the parking lot, scanning the faces of those who passed by me in cars. I was losing hope that they hadn’t left yet. Nobody looked familiar.

I had reached the end. All there was left to do was turn around.

I trudged back to the front of the parking lot where Jacob had parked my car. My mind started to run away with seedy thoughts. Where did they go? What were they doing? How long would they be doing it for?

I almost laughed, thinking of how ridiculous it was for me to think I should go after him. What was I planning to say? Planning to do? Why would I ever think he’d chose to go home with me to the apartment rather than spend the night with Taylor? Especially after what I’d already put him through.

I debated going back inside the restaurant to find David. But I wasn’t into it. And I would be doing it for all the wrong reasons. Not that I ever did it for the right ones.

I was gripping my car keys so tight I had indentations in my skin. I spotted my car and planned to spend the rest of the night alone, finishing the pint of ice cream in the freezer.

I drove home, feeling the burn tear deeper through my chest. The fresh piece of gum in my mouth wasn’t enough to satiate my craving. Fuck, I really wanted a cigarette. But after searching every square inch of the car with one hand, there wasn’t a cigarette in sight. Damn it, Jacob. How did he manage to find my secret stash? I lost my breath for a few seconds, and the only thing that made me feel better was to let the tears fall. I didn’t bother to wipe them away. Nobody was here to see them. I might as well get it all out of my system while I was still alone.

I parked the car and lumbered upstairs to the apartment, feeling heavy and tired.

Inside, my shoes flew off with two kicks of my feet. I shut the door and didn’t bother to turn on the light before I peeled off my shirt and tossed it aside. I took my jeans off, too, and then plopped on the bed. After sulking for a while, I headed to the kitchen to get the ice cream. The cold air soothed my aching eyes. I stopped, head in freezer, when someone entered the apartment.

I peeked around and saw Jacob. He stood by the door and flicked on the light.

I closed the freezer. The hum of the fridge was the only sound filling the room.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey.” My voice was barely a squeak. “Didn’t think you’d be home so early.”

He kicked off his shoes and set them by the door. “Thought the same about you.” He walked to the kitchen and stopped just a foot in front of me. “Didn’t think I’d find you here, either.”

“You were looking for me?” I said.

His eyes were glued to mine, even though I was only wearing a bra and panties.

“Yeah, I thought maybe you’d still be at the bar. But you’d already left when I got there.”

I brushed the hair away from face. I’m sure I looked like shit — traces