Part 6 (2/2)

My laughter subsides when I see her face flush bright red. Her bottom lip quivers and her eyes brighten with tears. She nods once in resignation, then closes the door in my face.

s.h.i.+t!

”Helena, please open the door. I'm an a.s.s. I shouldn't have laughed, but you got to admit...it was kinda funny.”

My chest tightens as I hear a sniffle from the other side of the door. Oh man. I run a hand through my hair in helplessness. This went a whole other way in my head. She would open the door, see the pizza in my hands, and smile at me. She'd tell me she was starving and that I was her hero. We'd go inside, talk and bond over pizza, and then every time we'd eat pizza together, we'd smile at each other knowing our entire friends.h.i.+p began with our favorite savory baked good.

Really, universe, would it kill ya to make to me her pizza hero? I'm not asking a lot here.

I hear her shuffle away from the door and I quickly knock again. ”Helena, cupcake, I really am sorry. Please, open the door. At least let me help clean up.” My forehead hits the door with a dull thud. I close my eyes and hear another sniffle. ”Please, don't cry. You're breakin' my heart over here.”

I wait a little while longer, but she's gone. Probably to shower.

Helena's hot little body in the shower. Soaking wet. Droplets sluicing down her body. Her nipples beaded, and...

f.u.c.k, brain, you dirty f.u.c.ker.

I know.

I mentally high-five my brain. So does my semi.

My mind works overtime thinking of ways I can fix what I just messed up with Helena. If we're going to be a part of the same friends.h.i.+p group, for the sake of everyone else, we need to find a way to get along. If it were up to me, we would get along, but I have a feeling Helena is the type to put up a fight.

I smirk. She won't win, however hard she fights. But something tells me she's worth the battle.

Nat Max walks back into the apartment with an empty plate and looking mad.

Uh oh.

I stand and walk over to him. ”What did she do?” I'm going to b.i.t.c.h slap her. Seriously.

He open his mouth to speak, then closes it. He makes another attempt, then another. Finally, with a sigh, he asks, ”If Helena were mad at a guy,” he cringes, ”what would said guy have to do to get in her good book?”

My eyes narrow dangerously. My teeth gritted, I hiss, ”What do you do?”

He chuckles nervously and rubs the back of his neck.

I'm going to b.i.t.c.h slap him.

Seriously.

Helena I can't stop laughing at the look on Max's face when the pizza splattered all over me.

Tears p.r.i.c.kled my eyes and I thought about crying, but when he snorted, it was hard to not laugh. But I hid it. I had to shut the door that very second, because if I didn't, I would've lost it in a fit of hilarity. I couldn't let him see me laugh. That would not flatter my stone-cold b.i.t.c.h act.

And the way he calls me cupcake...Gah!

I snuggle into the covers...the covers Max had been sleeping on not hours ago. ”The guy sure is something else,” I whisper into the dark.

My brow furrows as a thought crosses my mind.

Why is he trying so hard?

I ponder this a long while before my eyes get heavy. Soon, I'm drifting off. And I do it thinking about Max's dimple.

Max ”If I wanted to impress a woman, what would I do?”

Nik grins. ”If you were me and wanted to impress a woman, you'd just be alive.”

Trick guffaws. ”Whoa. Someone get a wheelbarrow for the douche's head.”

Ghost bites into his sandwich, shoulders shaking in silent laughter. I look to my brother and throw a balled up napkin at his head. ”You're so funny. a.s.shole.”

The guys laugh, but I'm frustrated. ”I'm bein' serious. It's been a long time since I've had to do any of this s.h.i.+t.”

Suddenly, Ghost narrows his eyes at me. Swallowing his food, he asks, ”Who is it you're trying to impress?”

I don't know why it makes me nervous, but Ash just has that effect on people. I laugh it off. ”None of your business, Asher.” When I put emphasis on his real name, his jaw tightens. Not a lot of people out there can get away with calling Ghost by his given name. As far as I know, he only gives women he loves the honor. I clear my throat. ”It's no one.” Then I lie through my teeth. ”I'm thinkin' about dating.”

I feel their eyes on me. Quiet overcomes the table.

Nik's the first to speak. ”Seriously?”

I shrug, not sure what to say. Dating has never been an option before, but the older Ceecee gets, I guess I can start meeting women. There's only one problem. I don't want to meet women. I'm done with women. I had a woman-a woman I thought was a good woman-and it got me nothing but heartbreak. I loved Maddy. Loved her so much I would've done anything for her. But she changed. Soon after Ceecee was born, she wasn't the woman I fell in love with.

But I stuck by her, and I would've stuck by her 'til death if she had let me. I'm dedicated that way. And what was I rewarded with?

Att.i.tude and ugly-a.s.s words.

If you're thinking I'm bitter from one bad relations.h.i.+p, you're right. Just thinking about dating has my stomach coiled tight.

I clear my throat and straighten in my chair. ”Maybe.”

Nik smiles down at the table. Looking back up, he nods. ”I think that would be cool.”

Trick nudges my shoulder and jokes, ”You can't have Lola.”

I grin and poke the bear. ”Nah, I want Nat.”

Ash stands suddenly, his chair squealing behind him. He points at me, jaw rigid. ”Lucky I love ya, bro.”

<script>