4

CHASE’S POV

DOUBLE F**K

Roman has been inconsolable all night. He's drunk, angry, and currently lying flat on his back across one of the VIP couches, hugging an empty bottle of whiskey like it's the only thing he has left in the world.

"Six years..." he groans to absolutely no one. "Six fucking years, gone in thirty seconds." He takes another dramatic sniff before pointing the bottle toward the ceiling, "I hope she develops a severe allergy to happiness."

A few of the guys chuckle but I don't. The poor bastard looks like someone reached into his chest and ripped his heart out with their bare hands. On the complete opposite end of the emotional spectrum is Kayla. She's been trying to get my attention for the better part of the last hour, hovering nearby with the persistence of a mosquito that refuses to die no matter how many times you try to swat it.

To be fair, I'm partly responsible for that. See, despite what people around campus seem to think, I'm not exactly a relationship guy and neither am I the serial hook-up machine everyone has convinced themselves I am.

Do I flirt? Sure. Especially after two beers. Hell, sometimes three. It's all just harmless fun. It doesn't mean anything really. And yes, plenty of girls have started rumors claiming they hooked up with me. I've never bothered correcting them. Mostly because I genuinely couldn't care less what strangers think about my dating life.

Every now and then, I'll get involved with someone for a few weeks but it’s never anything serious. It's always mutual, discreet, and very much uncomplicated. That's exactly how I like it.

Or at least, that's how it used to be. Last semester changed that. I'd just gotten some shitty news from home and ended up drinking far more than I should've at one of the fraternity parties. That was also the night I broke one of my own rules. You know, about never hooking up with a cheerleader. Instead, I made out with Kayla in full view of half the campus. Worst decision of the semester.

She rode those rumors like they were a full-time job. To this day, half the university thinks we're secretly sleeping together. Could I clear things up? Sure. Would it stop her from orbiting around me like an overly enthusiastic satellite? Probably not. Besides, if believing those rumors makes her happy, who am I to ruin her moment?

"You know, " Alfred's voice pulls me away from my thoughts, "I've been thinking about getting back together with Claire."

I glance sideways at my best friend, "Nothing I say is going to stop you."

Kayla chooses that exact moment to slide another cold beer into my hand. I mutter a distracted thanks before popping it open.

Alfred laughs, "Fair enough."

He's several drinks in, and it shows. His eyes wander across the club until they land on Claire. She's sitting with a group of friends and when one of the guys beside her leans in to whisper something. Alfred's jaw clenches immediately and I can see the jealousy written in his gaze. A typical toxic cycle Watching them is enough to make anyone swear off love forever.

I take a long drink before shaking my head.

"You do you."

"I always do."

"As for me..." I shrug. "Relationships are still very much off the table."

"Oh?"

"I'll stick to casual fun."

Alfred snorts, "Just remember one thing."

"What?"

"Keep your hands off my sister. Because I will personally kill you."

I burst out laughing, "First of all, your sister would stab me before I even got the chance."

He grins."Probably."

"Second," I continue, "Ava and I spend ninety-nine percent of our conversations insulting each other."

"Also true."

"And third..." I grimace, "No offense, but your sister is one of the most insufferable women I've ever met."

Simply saying her name somehow manages to sour my mood.

Alfred laughs harder, "She's the baby of the family. We all spoiled her."

"Yeah, I watched,"

He claps me on the shoulder, "Wish me luck."

"For?"

"I'm getting Claire back."

I raise my beer.

"You're an idiot."

"I know."

Then he disappears into the crowd. I shake my head. Some people just never learn. Lifting my beer, I take another sip but then someone taps my shoulder. I turn.My eyebrows shoot up and of course it’s the one person capable of getting on my nerves.Ava is standing so close I can smell the whiskey on her breath and I can tell she's completely wasted.

"Ava?" Alfred says from somewhere nearby, confusion evident in his voice.

She doesn't even acknowledge him and instead, her gaze stays locked on mine. There's something burning behind her eyes. But before I can swallow my pride and ask if she's okay, she reaches up, both hands cupping my face.

My brain completely short-circuits, "What?"

That's all I manage to say before her lips crash into mine.For a full second, maybe two, I freeze.

What. The.Fuck.

She pulls away as abruptly as she'd kissed me. The entire pub falls eerily silent. Almost all eyes in here are suddenly on us. I’m still trying to gauge if I’m stuck in some kind of nightmare when a fist collides with my jaw so hard my vision flashes white.

"What the-"

Another punch follows then another. I stagger backward, trying to regain my balance. Alfred is on me before I can even raise my hands. His fists fly with frightening speed.

"You were supposed to keep your fucking hands off my sister!" he roars, landing another brutal hit across my cheek, "You fucking dickhead!"

"Alfred!" someone yells.

"It wasn't-"

A punch cuts me off. The taste of blood floods my mouth just as someone finally grabs Alfred from behind, dragging him away before he succeeds in rearranging my face. I wipe the blood dripping from the split in my lip with the back of my hand.

"What the fuck?" I bark. "Dude, I swear I didn't-"

But Alfred isn't listening. He's already grabbed Ava by the wrist. Without another word, he drags her out of the club.

She doesn't resist or even look back enough to give me a fucking explaination. Great.

Just fucking great. I can practically hear the rumors being born. Of course nobody's going to believe I had nothing to do with it. I've spent three years building a reputation as the campus flirt. As far as everyone here is concerned, Chase Rivers finally crossed the line by making a move on his best friend's little sister.

Fantastic.

I touch my swollen lip again, wincing. Then another shadow appears in front of me. It’s Rodney and his expression is quite murderous. Before I can utter a single word, his fist slams into my face with enough force to send me stumbling backward again. Seriously? He grabs a fistful of my shirt, yanking me toward him until we're nose to nose. His eyes burn with so much hatred they could probably melt steel.

"Stay the fuck away from my girlfriend."

Each word comes out venomous. He shoves me backward one last time before storming toward the exit in the same direction Alfred dragged Ava. I stand there, bleeding, confused as hell, and surrounded by a room full of students who are already staring at me like I'm Public Enemy Number One. You know, when earlier tonight I thought Roman's public rejection was going to dominate tomorrow's campus gossip?

Yeah. Forget that. After what just happened, I'm pretty sure I just stole the headline.