Page 77 of Always Love You More

I let out a short laugh.

“What’s so funny?”

“It’s weird how well you know me.”

“I thought you said I didn’t know you,” she replies, throwing my words back at me. “Not really.”

I hesitate. “You know what I meant.”

“I can’t know that part of you if you don’t let me.”

I take a step closer to her, wrapping my arms around her waist. “I’m trying.”

“Well,” she says, “you can start by telling me what my brother said to you.”

I shake my head, grinning. “Fine.”

She softens in my hold.

“He said that he doesn’t care who my old man is, if anything happens to you, death will look good compared to what he’ll do to me.”

“Fuck.”

“Yeah,” I say. “Your brother’s a scary dude.”

She glances at him, where he's parked in the driveway. “I should go.” Her teeth graze her bottom lip. “I’ll call you.”

She takes a step back, but I reach out and take her hand, pulling her into me. She tilts her head up, and I bring my lips to hers. I only mean for it to be a quick kiss, but I can’t seem to pull away.

The sound of a horn blaring makes my head jerk away from hers. She turns with a laugh, throwing her middle finger in her brother’s directions.

“Okay, I’ve really gotta go now,” she says, stepping up onto her tiptoes. She sweeps her lips over mine so fast I barely register it and whispers, “See ya, Jamie.”

Part 2: The Night Everything Changed

Chapter 21

Sam

It’sthefirstdayof school, and I’m actually excited, which I don’t think has ever happened before.

Usually, I take the bus, but Jameson insisted that Luke would pick me up, so I have a few extra minutes to get ready.

Ever since I went to his house for dinner a few weeks ago, we’ve been inseparable. If we’re not together, we’re on the phone, and the only time we’re really apart is when he’s with his father.

My phone chimes with a text, and I look down, grabbing it from the top of my dresser and see that they’ll be here in ten minutes.

I slide the phone into my back pocket and take one last look in the mirror. My eyes are lined in black, like they always are, and my dark hair spills down my back. My jeans are tight and flare at the bottom, just covering my black Converse. I have on a gray faded band tee that was Johnny’s. I cut off the bottom andstretched out the top so it falls off my shoulder and shows off my layered necklaces.

Satisfied, I grab the book I’m in the middle of from my bed and shove it into my purse before heading for the door.

Once I’m in the hallway, I hear rustling coming from the kitchen and figure it’s Carson. I peek my head into my brothers’ room and see Johnny passed out in bed. He’s still dressed in his clothes from yesterday. He even has his boots on still.

I sigh, thinking about how late he must have gotten home last night.

Walking silently into the room, I drape a blanket over him.

His eyes flit open, and he croaks, “Bug?”