Enforce(85)
Me: Sure, u offered me your body — I’m free if u r?
Trace, my Bella: U r an ass and that’s not what I’m talking about.
Me: I’m an ass? That’s not what you were saying when we were kissing. Want me to come over? J
It was a bad idea, being with her, spending time with her. But what the hell? I’d been engaging in said bad ideas since I’d known she existed. What was one more night before she knew the real me was covered in blood and death?
Trace, my Bella: Bring popcorn J
By the time I made it to Trace’s dorm, snacks in hand, Chase was outside waiting, doing the job I’d told him to do. He took one look at me and scowled.
“You’ve got to be shitting me.”
“Skittles?” I offered, holding up the bag full of groceries.
“At least take me with you.” He scowled. “I’ve been doing this damn perimeter check for over an hour, and I’m starving.” He swiped at the Skittles while I tugged the bag away.
“Fine.” I offered him a tense smile. “Think of it as a peace offering. You come hang out with us. Keep your hands off of her, and I’ll let you have candy.”
“Wow, thanks Dad. You’re looking out.”
“Don’t want you to get cavities.”
“I’m a sweet bitch. It happens.”
Two girls walked by just as the words left Chase’s mouth. One tripped, the other damn-near swooned into the wall.
“Think you could turn down the charm?”
Chase rolled his eyes and punched the buttons to the elevator. We both walked in. “Nervous it might work on your girl?”
“Hell no.”
“Lies. I bleed charm.”
“Ah, is that what they say?”
“Yup, seriously. I shoot, I torture, I kill, and in the end, they still love me. What can a guy do?” He shrugged and offered a cheerful smile that made me want to smack him in the face.
“What movies you bring?” Chase asked as we walked.
“Ugh,” I scratched my head. “I grabbed stuff from Tex’s stash.” I held out the movies.
Chase read the titles aloud. “The Godfather? Really? Scarface… Tommy Boy…” Cursing, he kept reading through them. “You took her to see cows for your first date, and what? For your second you want to make sure you never have sex again?”
I reached for the movies.
“Well, well, well.” The elevator stopped as Chase held up the movie. “What have we here? Looks like Tex is a closet romantic.”
“I’ll believe it when I don’t see people shit themselves while he tortures them with that little kit of his.”
“The Notebook.” Chase sighed. “This gets guys laid.”
“I thought you didn’t want me to get laid.”
“Hence me handing her the movie, jackass.”
I pushed him against the wall as the elevator doors opened.
He laughed and shrugged out of my arms.
We made our way down the hall, much too fast for the groupies hanging out their doors in anticipation that we’d stop and give them the time of day. I swiped my all-access card against the girls’ room and pushed the door open.
“Do you have access cards to every room or something?” Trace put down her eReader and jumped off her bed.
“Of course.” I winked.
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t see popcorn?”
“About that.” I scratched my head. “Chase was bored so…”
“The party is here!” Chase shouted from the doorway, loaded with the groceries I’d brought over. “Move over, Nixon. It’s chick-flick time, and I’ve got the goods.”
“Is he high?” She crossed her arms and leaned in to examine his eyes.
“No,” we said in unison.
“I’m my normal awesome self. I’ve had two Red Bulls though, so my bad for the loudness. Damn, I was bored. You saved my life.” Chase winked and set the groceries on the shared desk in the dorm.
Trace stared at him a bit too long for my comfort. I slammed the door shut in order to get her to stop staring at his ass.
“So…” Trace started unpacking the groceries. “…what movie did you guys bring?”
Chase chuckled. “Well, funny that you ask that.”
“Chase,” I warned, knowing damn well he’d spill.
“Nixon here was pouting about your ruined date, and I thought to myself, Wow, what would make him feel better? What would inspire him to be more romantic? I mean, cows, man? Really?”
“It was romantic,” Trace defended, walking straight into my arms.
My smile may have been a bit cocky.
“Cows. Cows are romantic?” Chase shook his head. “I think not. And in my opinion, or that of my dear mother’s, Nicholas Sparks is the shit. Therefore, we’re going to watch… drumroll, please.”