Fallen Crest University (Fallen Crest High #5)

by Tijan

I wanted to rip his insides out, but as I was trying to hurt him, I knew it wouldn’t matter. He was going after Sam.

“I love messing with you.” “You’re going to regret it.” The laughter died. Logan grew still. “What do you mean?” “When you get a woman who you love…” Mason glanced sideways to me. “When she means the world to you and you’re ready to do anything to keep her safe, I’m going to enjoy doing the same shit you’ve been doing all summer.”

“Oh!” Malinda threw her arms around us and hugged both of us. A second later, she motioned behind me. “Marcus, Logan, Mason—all of you, get in here. Family hug, everyone.” Mason hugged me from behind. Logan was beside him, and Mark brought up the rear, right behind his mother. All of them held us in one strong hug

Logan and Mason were scary when they stood against others, but they were downright dangerous when dealing with each other. There was love and a fierce loyalty between them, but they wouldn’t hold back either.

I said to Logan, “You.” I looked at Mason. “You.” I skirted between both of them. “You two are my family. My mom left me. My dad left me. You two stuck around and held me up. You are the definition of family to me. No one else can even come close, and this stuff you’re talking about, how I finally have a loving family, is bullshit. You two were it for me for years. You two are it for me, no matter what. Drop the pity act, Logan, and enjoy the fact that Mama Malinda will start buying you Christmas gifts now because that’s the only thing changing.

I said, “To fucking family!” Each of us downed our shots. Logan grinned as he wagged a finger between Mason and me. He remarked, “In the literal sense for you two.” No one commented. The old Logan was back.

“Can you turn down your moods?” Sam frowned at him. “You go from pissy to being drunk. You’re hitting on my roommate to I don’t even know what, and now, you’re back to being sexually suggestive?” “What? That’s what being Logan is all about. I’m like a ping-pong ball. I’m all over the place. Too fast for you to catch.”

“You and Logan are not monsters. You protect. You take care. You shield those you love. Yes, you’re ruthless. Yes, you go to lengths others don’t, but you do it so that no one—and I mean, no one—can hurt you or even try to hurt you. That’s why you do what you do. That’s why you’re who you are and why you’re loved by me and wanted by so many others. That’s why you’re respected. You protect and you love and you don’t let anyone take that away from you.”

“It wasn’t just Mason and Logan that I heard about. You lit your dad’s car on fire. You put Budd Broudou in jail, and you got Brett Broudou to protect you. I mean, damn, girl. I get all hot and bothered by a sixty-yard touchdown run, but a lot of other girls get just as hot and bothered about whoever tamed Mason and Logan Kade.”

How has this girl hear so much about Sam ... I’m surprised Sam didn’t pick up on her knowing all that ..

It hit me how much she changed from when she’d moved in with Analise. She’d lost everything. She hadn’t cared about anything, and she had been a badass because of it—striking out, not giving a shit. Logan and I took her in, and then she had something to lose—me. She got scared. She was pushed around by the girls and bullied by her own mother, and through all that crap, she’d still fought. She’d clawed her way back up, protecting and loving Logan and me at the same time. Good god. I wanted to pull her on top of me. I wanted to lose myself in her.

I hustled back and held my ground, but I was elated. I’d gotten him to slip a little, and that one small movement drew even more attention. It was all about getting the other one to show their true colors. Sebastian looked pretty on the outside, but he oozed slime on the inside. I wanted that slime on the outside. I wanted everyone to see it, too.

“And I really love how you love me. Completely. Irrevocably. Overwhelmingly. Selflessly. Unconditionally.” He lifted his head, peering right down into me. His lips were just above mine. “Because I don’t deserve it, but somehow, I got it, and I will never, ever do anything to lose it.”

For once, I felt like I could take the Kade name on. I am Samantha Kade. Hear me roar.

“I just…I wanted you to be normal for a little bit. I always get in some war. I always will. I know that, because it’s me. People try to dominate me, and you know me, that shit won’t fly. I don’t know what the future will bring, but I know there will be more battles, more fights, more of you getting hurt.” His hand brushed the side of my face.

“I’m too selfish to let you go, but I’m selfless enough that I will always protect you.” He leaned forward, pressing a kiss to my lips. He breathed there, saying, “Because that’s my job. I will love you. I will take care of you. I will worry about you, and I will do everything in my being to make sure you are okay.”