Chapter 34: Naughty & Nice: Chapter 34

I wake suddenly with my heart pounding. My eyes pop open as I listen to what it might have been.

I may wake up with the sun every day, but that doesn’t mean I’m a light sleeper by any stretch. Once I’m out, nothing usually wakes me.

Hendrix is sound asleep before me, his soft snores filling the room, but as I listen, I realize he’s the only one.

Gently turning over, I search for Wilder.

Rix and I came to bed after our bath. I was exhausted, and he carried me in before snuggling up with me. I fell asleep safely in his arms with the memories of what we did vividly on repeat in my mind.

Concern nags at me until I have no choice but to roll out of bed and go in search.

He slept back on the couch last night, but he specifically said he’d join us. So… where is he?

Rix’s t-shirt is the first thing I find, and I drag it over my head as I make my silent escape from the room.

The cabin is in darkness, so I’m fully expecting to find Wilder fast asleep.

But the second I step into the living room, I find that I’m wrong.

My breath catches at the sight of him hunched over with his elbows resting on his knees and his head hanging low.

It’s so dark out here that he’s barely more than a shadow, but that doesn’t stop me from reading the anguish that’s oozing from him.

“Wilder?” I whisper, but despite the cabin being in total silence, he doesn’t seem to hear me.

Hesitantly, I move closer. I don’t want to scare him, but also… he needs someone right now.

“Wilder?”

This time, his entire body tenses up at the sound of my voice, although he doesn’t turn to look at me or react.

I lower myself down beside him, wrapping my arm around his waist in silent support.

It lasts for five seconds before everything changes.

“Don’t,” he barks as he shoves me away and jumps to his feet.

“W-what?” I stutter as he marches toward the windows.

“Just… don’t.” His voice is cold, cruel, and… detached.

Nothing like what I’ve heard from him in the whole time we’ve been away.

“What’s going on?” I ask, ignoring his previous reaction and following him across the room.

“Go back to bed. Hendrix needs you there with him.”

“He’s sleeping. He doesn’t⁠—”

“Just go, Noelle.”

I know that I should listen, but there’s something in his voice that stops me.

Instead, I move closer.

The wall of floor-to-ceiling windows showcases nothing but the clear night sky. The stars twinkle and the almost full moon casts everything in a silvery glow. It’s beautiful.

My hand lifts to his shoulder, but no sooner has my palm connected with his bare skin than it’s thrown off.

“Ow,” I complain as my bicep pulls.

As I cradle my arm against my chest, he finally turns to look at me.

His eyes are dark, but not in the way I’ve become used to in the past few days. There’s no desire there. Just anger.

A lot of anger.

“Wilder?” I try again.

“We’re done, Noelle. The only person you need to be worrying about is Hendrix. It’s time to go back to real life.”

All the air comes rushing out of my lungs.

I mean, his words aren’t really a shock. Today is the day we all return home and go back to our old lives.

Wilder will go back to partying with the team and hooking up with any and every girl who looks his way. And Hendrix and I will figure out what life is like as a couple.

My heart squeezes at the thought of us embarking on everything together. Officially together, not just best friends who need to figure their shit out.

My brows pinch as I stare at him. But unlike the last few days, I don’t feel like I know him. Like we’ve become closer.

He’s looking at me as if I’m a stranger…

A stranger he doesn’t like.

“Yeah, we are. But⁠—”

“There’s no but. What happened here ended when I came on your ass last night. It was fun, sure. But it’s over now.”

“But—”

“Forget it ever happened. I have.”

His words are like a knife through my chest, and I take a step back as if he physically hit me.

“What are you talking about?” I whisper, unable to gather enough strength to speak any louder.

“You’re being just like them,” he spits, looking me up and down with his top lip peeled back.

Fury races through my veins.

“Them?” I naively ask.

“Yeah,” he muses, pausing before landing his find blow. “The jersey chasers.”

My chin drops as hurt seeps through my veins.

How dare he.

How fucking dare he compare me to them.

“I’m nothing like them,” I hiss in disbelief.

One side of his mouth kicks up in a smirk. But it’s not a sexy one. It’s full of arrogance and condescension.

“They always want something more from me. They’re never happy with the little breadcrumbs I give them.”

My teeth grind as my hands ball at my sides.

“Fuck you, Wilder. Before all of this, I was your friend. I’ve never been one of them.”

I spin on my heels and march away from him, my body trembling with anger and tears burning my eyes. And it only gets worse when I step back into the bedroom and find Hendrix fast asleep where I left him.

I got out of bed because of my concern for Wilder. How fucking stupid am I?

Wilder’s never given a shit about me. Not really. I’m just the girl who made friends with his brother and inserted herself into his life.

He never asked for me to be the third wheel, but I never really stopped and considered how my close relationship with Hendrix might make him feel.

A loud sob threatens, and I clamp my hand over my mouth to stop it.

Looking back over my shoulder, I realize that I should have run to the bathroom.

I could have let it all out in there without worrying about Hendrix seeing me.

But it’s too late now. I refuse to give Wilder the satisfaction of knowing he’s hurt me. Instead, I want him to think that I’ve pushed everything he just said to me aside and crawled back into bed with his brother.

Fuck Wilder and his bullshit opinions. Who cares if he thinks I’m like one of them? I’m not.

I’m nothing like them.

The only person I care about is snoring softly in the bed before me.

His are the only opinions that matter.

Lifting my hands to wipe the couple of tears that have spilled, I stalk toward the bed.

Peeling Hendrix’s t-shirt off, I abandon it on the floor once again and crawl in..

My movement rouses him and he instantly snuggles closer, wrapping an arm around my waist and pinning me as tightly to him as he possibly can.

It’s amazing. He makes me feel so safe, so secure, so loved.

So it makes no sense that I immediately burst into silent tears, my body shaking with the restraint it takes not to sob loudly and wake him.

His words and disregard shouldn’t hurt so much. Not when I’m wrapped in Hendrix’s arms.

But they do.

I barely sleep, and by the time the sun begins to light up the room, my eyes are sore and puffy from crying.

I don’t want to get up and face Wilder. But at the same time, I can’t lie here and wait for Hendrix to see the state of me.

I don’t want to give Hendrix any reason to think he’s not enough for me, because he is.

He’s everything.

This vacation has just… it’s been unexpected, and I need some time to process everything.

I feel like I’ve got whiplash.

In a heartbeat, we did this epic thing. And just as fast as it started, it ended, and not in a good way, it seems.

I don’t want to return home fighting with Wilder. I want us all to go back to our college lives happy and fulfilled.

That might be wishful thinking.

Before Hendrix stirs, I slip from the bed, pull his t-shirt back on, and lock myself in the bathroom.

My race across the hallway is too short to know if Wilder is out there. If he’s sleeping or if he’s working out. I think the latter is probably more realistic.

Something tells me that he got about as little sleep as I did.

I avoid the mirror. I’m not ready to deal with the reality of how last night has made me look, and instead, I turn the shower on. It’s hotter than I’d usually go for, but I ignore the bite of pain as I step inside.

Tipping my face up to the stream of water, I try to purge myself of the emotion he dragged to the surface with his cruel words. I need to be able to walk out of here with my head held high and move on.

All I’ve got to do is endure a thirteen-hour road trip home with him, and then we can go about our lives as if nothing happened—if that’s even possible.

Even if he has tainted everything with his attitude last night, I’ll still treasure our time together here.

I stay in the shower until the water runs cold. It’s selfish of me, but I can’t bring myself to care. I just need Hendrix to be awake by the time I step out of this room. If I have him by my side, then I can face anything—even his twin brother.

“Hey,” Hendrix says when I step into the bedroom and find him pushed up on his elbow so he can see me.

His eyes are hooded and sleepy, and he has a pillow crease in his cheek. He looks cute as hell with his mussed-up hair.

Swallowing down my unease, I plaster a smile on my face.

“Hey,” I say, moving toward my suitcase to find some clothes.

“Come here,” he demands, holding his hand out.

Unable to deny him, I move closer and cringe as he studies me closely.

I hate to imagine what he can see.

I shriek when he reaches for the towel wrapped around me instead of my hand. “Hendrix,” I laugh as the damp fabric pools around my feet.

“Hmm, that’s better,” he muses, letting his eyes roam over my naked body before he finally reaches for my hand and tugs me on top of him.

“What are you doing?” I squeal as he rolls me over and pins me to the bed. “I’m wet.”

His smile grows. “Is that right?”

Playfully, I swat his shoulder. “Behave.”

“With you? Never again, Elle.”

He lowers his head as if he’s going to kiss me, but at the last minute, he changes his mind and goes for my neck.

“Hey,” I complain.

“Morning breath,” he murmurs against my skin.

“I don’t care about that. I want you, whatever way I can get you.”

Twisting my fingers in his hair, I drag his head back and crash my mouth to his, immediately pushing my tongue between his lips to deepen the kiss.

With Hendrix’s hands on me, everything else falls away, and I focus on the single most important person in my life.

Everything else around us can crumble to pieces, but as long as we have each other, everything will be okay.

It’s always been us against the world.

Well, us and… him.

My stomach knots at the thought of him being out there listening to us.

But fuck him.

Why should I care?

He’s made his position going forward very clear.

Not our problem if he can’t handle us enjoying ourselves without him.