Fallen Crest Forever (Fallen Crest Series Book 7)(32)

The guys called more people over.

Logan grilled so much meat that it wasn’t a third Meat Rushmore anymore. It was now Meat Everest. The guys brought more booze, more kegs, and then the girls started trickling in. They set up a DJ booth, and by eleven that night, the party was in full swing.

I was nestled on Mason’s lap, sitting on the veranda with Nate, Logan, Taylor, Matteo, and a bunch of others when Faith and Raelynn moved past us in the yard. Both had drinks in their hands, and their hair was loose and shiny. Raelynn wore tight jeans and a white halter top. I wanted it to make her look cheap and trailer trashy, but it did the opposite. She looked like some wealthy tourist. Faith had a similar top, though hers rested just above her waist and showed half an inch of her stomach. She had on a long and flowing skirt. As she stepped forward, I saw her flat sandals and decided she just needed henna tattoos on her arms to complete the bohemian look.

“Are you lost?” I called as I sat up from Mason’s chest.

His arms remained around me, but they moved to my legs. He looked over to see who I was addressing. Everyone did, and Logan was the first to snort.

“They gotta be lost,” he added, and with one lithe jump, he was over the veranda’s fence and landing right in front of them.

Their eyes rounded, but Faith’s jaw firmed. “We’re not lost.” Her hand tightened around her drink.

“This is a private party.” Logan folded his arms over his chest. “Next time we’ll leave signs up to alert everyone that you’re not welcome, but if you want to save time, just know there’s always a disclaimer to our parties.” He placed his hand to the side of his mouth and pretended to whisper, “You’re not invited.” He shot Raelynn a look. “You either.”

“You don’t have to be rude.”

“On the contrary, what are you doing here? I think that makes you the rude ones.”

Faith started laughing. She turned to find me. “I’ve heard stories about your guard dogs. Is this it? I get a vague and sarcastic threat?” She looked Logan up and down, wrinkling her nose. “I gotta say, you’re underperforming.”

I almost laughed. Almost. I held it in and got comfortable against Mason’s chest once again. The whole veranda seemed to share my thoughts. Taylor was shaking her head, grinning. Nate too. The other guys just watched. Logan wasn’t one to ignore when a gauntlet was thrown down.

“Say what?” He pretended to wind his arm up, his hand ending cupped behind his ear. Pretending to clean his ear out with a knuckle, he shook his head. “What was that I just heard? Did you say I ‘underperformed’?” He twisted back to us. “Mase.”

“Yeah?” Mason sat up again, but he held me in place so I wouldn’t fall.

Faith and Raelynn looked as well. Faith’s eyes caught mine and lingered. I saw a quick flash of emotion, something dark, but it was gone as soon as it appeared.

“All the chicks I’ve been with, have any of them said I ‘underperformed’?” Logan asked.

“Watch where you’re going with this,” Taylor warned, but she hadn’t moved from her relaxed position on the bench. Her eyes were alert.

Logan pointed at her without looking. “See? Right there. That’s one satisfied girlfriend. I’ve never underperformed.” He looked Faith up and down again, exaggerating this time. “Though I can’t say the same for you. Word through the cross-country grapevine is you’ve been underperforming quite a bit this week.” His eyes narrowed. “You thought you could keep up . . .” His eyes glanced to me, then back to her.

I sat up slowly.

Mason’s arms loosened around me again.

Faith stiffened. “It was a learning curve. I know better now.”

“You’re right. You know how much ass Sam can kick, and she kicked yours.” Logan whistled under his breath. “She kicked it all up and down an entire second route.”

“Like I said,” Faith hissed. “I know better now.”

I frowned and called, “What does that mean?”

Faith found me again. That same dark emotion appeared before it vanished. “What?” Her tone was frozen.

“You ‘know better now.’ What does that mean?”

“It means I know how much I have to train.” Her smile turned icy. “Because I’m going to beat you. I should thank you.”

That was a bait.

I wasn’t going to get hooked.

“I’ve never been challenged before,” she said, her eyes bored.

Raelynn snapped around to look at her friend.

“It’s about time it happened.” Faith either didn’t notice her friend’s reaction, or she ignored it. She moved closer, so I was almost staring down at her. “You’re going to make me a better runner, but don’t get confused. I will beat you. I win. That’s what I do.”