“A good friend?” I asked incredulously. “Ian is nothing but a conniving bastard!”
Hailey scoffed. “You and Ian only hate each other so much because you’re exactly alike. Bad boys with big dicks.”
Gianna shot Hailey a black look. “You’re such a whore, Hailey.”
Hailey moved forward as if about to attack Gianna. I thought about grabbing her by the hair, but restrained myself and grabbed onto her arm instead.
“Don’t even think about it,” I told Hailey. “Just leave. You got what you came for.”
She ignored me, trying to pull out of my grip as she shouted at Gianna, “You think you’re so freaking perfect, don’t you cheerleader? You think you’re better than me, but now you’re just another one of Caleb’s sluts!”
Not helping my case. I needed to get rid of Hailey before she dug my hole deeper.
Gianna’s expression remained calm. “Better than being everyone’s slut like you.”
I yanked Hailey by the arm to turn her away from Gianna. “Go,” I ordered menacingly.
Hailey knew me and my temper. The fear on her face showed me she finally understood she’d pushed me to my limit. Backing up, she was still itching for a fight, but was smart enough to get the hell out a situation where no one was on her side.
With one last look back at us, she screamed, “Screw all of you!”
Classy parting line executed, Hailey disappeared around the corner of the building and became one less headache for me to deal with.
Taking a deep breath, I held out my hand. “Come with me, Gianna.”
Before Gianna could respond, Ian took it upon himself to do it for her. “She’s not going anywhere with you, Caleb. She learned that lesson after Vegas.”
Just how much had she told the bastard?
It was at that moment I saw it in his face, something he’d been hiding with smugness and arrogance before. Ian really cared about Gianna. He wasn’t just trying to get into her pants like with other girls. He wasn’t just trying to piss me off. He wanted her for himself.
I should’ve known. One thing Hailey was right about was the fact that Ian and I were so similar in personalities. But I sincerely doubted he was any more than two inches.
Now, I was worried on a level I hadn’t been before. If Ian was serious about her, then he could be trouble. Ian wasn’t her stepbrother. Julie didn’t know about Ian’s disgraceful past. He could hide from Julie that he was just like me. Besides the fact that Ian was from a wealthy family and could give Gianna things I couldn’t.
I shook my head to clear it, determination setting in. No, I wouldn’t let it happen. Gianna was mine first. She loved me first. She still loved me. Somehow, I’d work it all out. Manipulate the situation any way I had to.
“Gianna,” I ground out through clenched teeth, “if you don’t want me to kick Ian’s ass for the hundredth time, then you need to come with me.”
Ian laughed. “As I recall, I’ve kicked your ass just as many times.”
Gianna glanced worriedly back and forth between us. “I don’t want you two fighting over me.”
“Then you better come with me.” I dropped the hand I’d been holding out that she hadn’t taken and took a couple steps towards her.
Ian moved to come between us. “Back up, Caleb.”
Gianna backed away from both of us. “I see only one solution.”
She headed straight for one of the cabs parked along the front of the club, waiting for the club-goers to disperse. Ian went after her, trying to stop her, as I stood there watching, happy enough in the knowledge that she wasn’t leaving with him.
I remained standing on the sidewalk, watching her taxi turn the corner, while Ian stalked up to me, getting up in my face. “Leave her alone, Caleb. You had your chance. Now it’s mine.”
“She’s still mine,” I informed him, not backing down.
He laughed like it was all a joke. “She told me everything that happened. You couldn’t even say I love you back to her. Believe me, if Gianna ever says those words to me, I’ll be saying them back.”
“There was more to it than that, Ian, and once I get it all worked out, she’ll know I love her.”
Not wanting to waste any more time on him, I walked away, more sober than I’d been thirty minutes ago. As I climbed into my Camaro, I wished I knew where she was headed. If I did, I’d pursue her to have the conversation she’d avoided by running away.
I was in no mood to drive all the way out to my dad’s condo and I probably wouldn’t pass a breathalyzer, so I drove to the parking garage near my mom’s apartment, hoping she wasn’t home. I really didn’t want to be forced to answer any of her questions.