Read Online Darken (Siege #1) by Angela Fristoe - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Angela Fristoe
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with us.”
“Ah, I thought I recognized you.”
“That’s okay, I don’t think we ever had any classes together.”
Unless she was a couple years older than Cora, they wouldn’t have. He and Caleb only attended the high school for a year before they were on their way to college. The time they did spend there had been in advanced classes with the seniors despite being three years younger.
Cora giggled, and the three of them turned to stare at her.
“I just got it,” Cora said, clearly experiencing the effects of her drinks.
“Got what?” Josh asked.
“Eve called Gavin an ass.” She laughed again and took a sip of her drink.
Gavin frowned. “What are you drinking?”
“Bahama Mama Mama.” She lifted her drink to toast him and it waved dangerously close to his face.
“You know those are triple shots, right?”
She gave Josh a mock-angry look. “You didn’t tell me that.”
“Hey, I warned you they were deadly.”
She nodded. “You’re right. You did. Now if you boys would please leave. I am here to catch up with Eve, and we don’t want to be distracted by your gorgeous faces.”
“All right, we’re going,” Josh said. He stood up and slapped Gavin on the back. “I’ve got a hot date, and you’ve got a pissed off bitch.”
Gavin twisted around to see Hailey shooting daggers at him with her eyes from across the floor.
“Shit.” He stomped off, ignoring the sound of laughs and a sweet, slightly-drunken giggle behind him.
He gave Hailey a shrug. “Sorry. Needed to ask Josh something.”
Judging by her narrow-eyed glare, she didn’t buy it, but he wasn’t about to explain the real reason he’d gone over there. He wasn’t even sure he could explain it.
“If you have something better to do …” she said, her words trailing off.
“No. I’m here.” He drained his beer then ran a hand over his mouth. “I’m gonna grab another, do you want one?”
He didn’t want for her answer. Hailey was always up for another drink. When he got back with the beers, all was forgotten and she challenged him to another game.
For the next hour, he tried to focus on Hailey and the pool table. Not the easiest task. Despite her short shorts, Hailey held no interest for him, and pool didn’t take much concentration.
Making it even harder was the fact that Josh’s date must have fallen through and he was back at Cora’s table—she obviously found him more amusing than possible. Even then, she was leaning into his brother, and it took everything in Gavin to not storm over there and drag Josh away from her.
A cue stick slammed into his chest, and he looked down at Hailey. Somehow, he’d missed seeing her standing right in front of him. If he thought she’d been pissed earlier, it was nothing compared to the expression she wore then.
“Do I look freakin' stupid?” she asked. Guessing it was a rhetorical question, he kept his mouth shut. “I don’t do games.”
“What?”
“Look, Gavin, I like what we’ve got. It’s fun. No strings. But I’m not sticking around if you’re spreading it around.”
“What does that mean?” He had no clue what she was talking about.
“It means I’m not gonna play second to Cora, and I’m sure as hell not gonna stand here and be ignored.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder and straightened her back. “Give me a call when you’re done with your little waitress.”
Denial was on the tip of his tongue, but he held it in, recognizing it for the lie it was. He wanted Cora. As fucked up as it was to want the woman responsible for destroying his life, he wanted her with a fierceness he’d never felt before.
Hailey snorted at his lack of response and snagged her coat from the hook on the wall. His eyes followed her path to the exit before returning to Cora.
He remembered when he first met her back in high school. She’d been so little, especially standing next to Lela. In so many ways, the two of them had been opposites.
Lela had been tall
“Ah, I thought I recognized you.”
“That’s okay, I don’t think we ever had any classes together.”
Unless she was a couple years older than Cora, they wouldn’t have. He and Caleb only attended the high school for a year before they were on their way to college. The time they did spend there had been in advanced classes with the seniors despite being three years younger.
Cora giggled, and the three of them turned to stare at her.
“I just got it,” Cora said, clearly experiencing the effects of her drinks.
“Got what?” Josh asked.
“Eve called Gavin an ass.” She laughed again and took a sip of her drink.
Gavin frowned. “What are you drinking?”
“Bahama Mama Mama.” She lifted her drink to toast him and it waved dangerously close to his face.
“You know those are triple shots, right?”
She gave Josh a mock-angry look. “You didn’t tell me that.”
“Hey, I warned you they were deadly.”
She nodded. “You’re right. You did. Now if you boys would please leave. I am here to catch up with Eve, and we don’t want to be distracted by your gorgeous faces.”
“All right, we’re going,” Josh said. He stood up and slapped Gavin on the back. “I’ve got a hot date, and you’ve got a pissed off bitch.”
Gavin twisted around to see Hailey shooting daggers at him with her eyes from across the floor.
“Shit.” He stomped off, ignoring the sound of laughs and a sweet, slightly-drunken giggle behind him.
He gave Hailey a shrug. “Sorry. Needed to ask Josh something.”
Judging by her narrow-eyed glare, she didn’t buy it, but he wasn’t about to explain the real reason he’d gone over there. He wasn’t even sure he could explain it.
“If you have something better to do …” she said, her words trailing off.
“No. I’m here.” He drained his beer then ran a hand over his mouth. “I’m gonna grab another, do you want one?”
He didn’t want for her answer. Hailey was always up for another drink. When he got back with the beers, all was forgotten and she challenged him to another game.
For the next hour, he tried to focus on Hailey and the pool table. Not the easiest task. Despite her short shorts, Hailey held no interest for him, and pool didn’t take much concentration.
Making it even harder was the fact that Josh’s date must have fallen through and he was back at Cora’s table—she obviously found him more amusing than possible. Even then, she was leaning into his brother, and it took everything in Gavin to not storm over there and drag Josh away from her.
A cue stick slammed into his chest, and he looked down at Hailey. Somehow, he’d missed seeing her standing right in front of him. If he thought she’d been pissed earlier, it was nothing compared to the expression she wore then.
“Do I look freakin' stupid?” she asked. Guessing it was a rhetorical question, he kept his mouth shut. “I don’t do games.”
“What?”
“Look, Gavin, I like what we’ve got. It’s fun. No strings. But I’m not sticking around if you’re spreading it around.”
“What does that mean?” He had no clue what she was talking about.
“It means I’m not gonna play second to Cora, and I’m sure as hell not gonna stand here and be ignored.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder and straightened her back. “Give me a call when you’re done with your little waitress.”
Denial was on the tip of his tongue, but he held it in, recognizing it for the lie it was. He wanted Cora. As fucked up as it was to want the woman responsible for destroying his life, he wanted her with a fierceness he’d never felt before.
Hailey snorted at his lack of response and snagged her coat from the hook on the wall. His eyes followed her path to the exit before returning to Cora.
He remembered when he first met her back in high school. She’d been so little, especially standing next to Lela. In so many ways, the two of them had been opposites.
Lela had been tall
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