Chapter 44: Mistakes - Cole

Samantha is beaming when I pick her up at her dorm. She stays in the same dorm as Monet. That's how I saw Damon kissing the one whose lips belong to mine the other night.

I have been mad before, to the point where I caused destruction. Nothing has quite made me as mad like when I sat there in my truck just after I dropped Samantha off and saw Damon's Jeep pull up.

I knew he was asking her out on dates. I also know I have to let her meet guys and explore, but the sight of him kissing her was maybe too much to bear.

I wanted to get out and strangle him until he turned blue in his face, or stab him.

Bad thoughts. Murderous thoughts I haven't had in a very long time.

She saw me too.

I haven't been responding to her texts, I was too mad, I might have ended up saying something I couldn't take back after.

Luke knows me too well. He knows I don't like this girl at all, so he gives me the side-eye.

The only thing he doesn't know, is how I really feel about Monet. Or how dark my heart really is.

He's the only person aside Kamila and Monet who I've let in, and he still gets the edited version.

"Can't we bring more friends?" Samantha asks, sitting on the edge of the backseat so her damn face is almost in mine.

I knew this was a mistake. Why did I invite her with us again? Stacey would've been much better than her.

"Nooooo." Luke drawls. "The truck is full."

"Don't you have a car?" She asks him.

"As a matter of fact, I do." He turns slightly to look at her. "But we're all going to the same place, so why would we take two cars?"

"For my friends!" She smiles, not getting the picture.

Luke looks at me again like I've offended him. This is not going to go over well, especially since Amy hardly filters what she thinks.

My heart nearly jumps out of my chest when we stop in front of Amy's house and the two of them come out wearing those damn red bikini tops they had on in that Instagram post with cutoffs that leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination.

Luke jumps out like the truck burned him to load the camping equipment in the bed.

"Coach let you out of the house looking like that?" I try to keep my voice even when I step outside.

Monet's golden eyes spit fire at my words. I know what she's thinking. I'm reverting back to the douche from the start of the semester.

"Coach is not here." Amy rolls her eyes at me. "We're living in the twenty-first century mister Brown, we wear what the fuck we want."

I know I'm being unreasonable, but if Monet is wearing the bikini bottoms I think she is, we're all in trouble.

Her ears are burning. I know, because the tips are red. She's mad at me right now. Maybe that's what I need, for her to be upset with me so I can have the strength to stay away from her.

"Hello." Amy chirps when we get back in the truck, and I try to find Monet's eyes in the rearview mirror, but she's looking out the window with her arms crossed over her chest, pushing up her luscious breasts even more.

"Hi!" Samatha smiles, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes.

Luckily Luke blasts the music all the way to the lake, so nobody has to talk to each other, but I can feel Monet's eyes burning a hole on the back of my head.

The campsite is already buzzing when we get there, people putting up their tents and some already drinking beer even though it's so early in the morning.

"Neighbors!" Antoine waves his arms at us at a spot close to the water. "I kept your spot!"

Of course every fucking male gaze zooms in on Monet as soon as she's out of the truck, and she's laughing at something Luke said like she has no clue the effect she has on guys.

I should've bubble wrapped her and kept her hidden in her bedroom at home where nobody could lay their eyes on her. That's the only thing that would have worked.

"You girls are fire!" Antoine beams, and I wish I could hit him over the head with a tent pole.

My guest also doesn't look too impressed at the attention the other two are garnering. Again, I made a mistake. One I can already feel biting me in the ass soon.

I watch Monet with a frown as she laughs with Amy, trying to help Luke set up their tent.

Antoine jogs over to where I'm standing and hits me over the shoulder.

"One of my professors said if football doesn't work out, I'm smart enough to become a doctor." He winks at me. "You know, I would be a great brother-in-law."

I shrug his hand off my shoulder. "Fuck off, Antoine."

I'm going to have her sleep in my tent. Just in case one of these assholes get other ideas.

It's something I'm going to have to do.

For her safety of course.