Mine to Have: A Claimed Story by Jade Sinner Read Free Book Online

high rocks. It's the perfect spot. From up here you can see down into the depths of the dark water and over to the lane. No one can sneak up on you here. You can see everything, like being on the top of the world.
    "Truth or dare," I say.
    Jess sways her shoulders back and forth as she contemplates my question. "Truth, you know I'd never lie to you."
    "Are you still holding out?"
    She smiles with her eyes gazing down. "Do you mean have I put out yet?"
    "I mean, has Todd gotten in your pants yet?"
    "Those are two different questions. Pick one."
    My chest aches a little at the thought of that dick with his hands down Jess's shorts. But I remind myself that she's my friend. I have no right to expect her to stay a virgin when I'm fucking every other girl out there. "First one."
    "I am, but I don't think it can last much longer."
    I stand taller. "Jess, if that ass is pressuring you..."
    "That’s not what I mean. I mean, I think I want to. I just don't know if he's the forever kind of guy."
    "Your turn," I say as I peer down. The water is easily twenty feet below us. In the summer there were many times we'd jumped from here into the cool spring-fed lake below.
    "OK. Truth or dare?"
    I look up at her sparkling green eyes and realize that she's seeing the same thing—the water. I can practically see her think about jumping or making me jump. It's not that I don't want to. If it were summer and twenty degrees warmer, I wouldn't hesitate, but well, my better sense says, "Truth."
    "Do you think you'll ever be a forever kind of guy?"
    Shit! That wasn't what I expected.
    I sigh as I lower myself to the warm rock and stretch out my legs. "I really don't see it. I don't see me being committed to anyone but myself. That makes me sound like an ass, and I probably am, but forever is a really long time."
    Jess nods as she sits beside me. "What if I never find that forever guy?"
    I reach out and squeeze her hand. "You will, but if you don't, you'll always have me."
    "Always?"
    "Always."

PRESENT
    " N o , no..." Jess's words trail away as she shakes her head.
    The whiskey burns as I take a long sip. It doesn't dull her pain, but it helps calm my rage at her no-good asshole ex. Even half-wasted, she's adorable. I love the way her long, wavy hair becomes curly in the summer's heat. She hates it. She always has, but I can't stop myself from reaching out and tweaking a long blonde curl, just to watch it bounce.
    "Stop it!" she says, pulling away and laying her head against my sofa.
    Her eyes half close and the glass of wine in her hand tips one way and then the other.
    "Jess, let me take that," I offer as I reach for the wine.
    Her grip on the long stem tightens.
    "No. I'm going to drink this wine. I'm going to drink all"—her arms fly open wide as I capture the glass once more. This time I grab it as the liquid sloshes and just before my light brown leather sofa has a nice red stain—"the wine you have." Her plump lips purse and change to a pout when she realizes the glass is gone. "Fine, take the glass, only because I know you're going to refill it for me. Aren't you, Ash? You wouldn't let me stay sober, not after..."
    Her words trail away and a tear falls from the corner of one of her green eyes.
    "He's not worth it." It's the same thing I've told her fifty times since she got to my apartment. "He's not worth the wine or the headache you're going to have in the morning. He's a slime. A douche. An asshole. And coming from one asshole, I know assholes. I never did know what you saw in him anyway."
    Her arms cross over her tits, not in anger, but in the way she does to protect herself, shield herself from everyone else.
    Placing my whiskey and her wine on the end table, I tug on one of her hands and shine my cockiest grin. "Besides, wouldn't you rather be here with me than with him?"
    I've grabbed her left hand. I hadn't meant to. It was just the closest. We both look down at her empty ring finger. Just a few hours ago it had been wearing a